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Code minimization is an art unto itself. Embedded devices and mobile networking place a premium on space and features per byte of code. Powerful and effective

Code minimization is an art unto itself. Embedded devices and mobile networking place a premium on space and features per byte of code. Powerful and effective do not have to mean complex. Generally speaking, the smaller a library or tool is, the faster it performs and the easier it is to debug. This trend is a rediscovery/reinvention of the old UNIX philosophy of do one thing, and do it well. Groupss of small, well written programs combined makes for a more customized end result. There are no extra, unused features that often just take up space in larger libraries and occasionally have side effects as the code is refactored or the library is updated.

lioeters 11y ago
I agree with this summary. It's not a trend, but a rediscovery of the tradition and philosophy of "do one thing and do it well". Small/minimal libraries do not necessarily mean "proof of concept" or "tiny subset of features". They usually aim to provide one generic, reliable and reusable feature per library/module. There is great value and flexibility in that approach. As another person noted, it's also a reaction against frameworks like jQuery, Bootstrap, Angular, Polymer, and yes, even React. Some people prefer to combine only the functions they need, rather than include an all-in-one dependency.