For this workshop we are using pure unframeworked JavaScript, also known as vanilla JavaScript. Vanilla JavaScript only uses the core capabilities of JavaScript itself—without any additional libraries or frameworks for building app such as React, Angular, or Vue. Learning pure vanilla JavaScript is good for lightweight projects where you have full control over every line of code, and it really good for people who are just starting out and want to understand the core principles of JavaScript before diving into more complex code ecosystems.
Other Vanilla Code Libraries
We’ve chosen Mapbox GL JS to work with today, but there are other vanilla JavaScript libraries for you to use for web maps.
- Leaflet - Reliable, free, open, no accounts needed. Minimal code that works!
- OpenLayers - Another mature and reliable library active development. Free and open.
- MapLibre - TypeScript library with active development. Free and open.
- D3 - D3.js (Data Driven Documents) has a steep learning curve, but allows for very elegant styling and interactions.
Other Popular Web Map Frameworks
- ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript -
- Kepler - Originally created by Uber, vector-based (Deck.gl). Able to perform complex visualizations. Free and open.
- Google Maps API - Well-known and documented. Integrates with Google Maps data (traffic, streets, etc.). Not free or open
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