Sadly you will find the same thing on backend, and even on infra, so better to think in switching to do something else not computer related if you don't like it

Sadly you will find the same thing on backend, and even on infra, so better to think in switching to do something else not computer related if you don't like it. On the frontend, people are crazy with React, redux, css-in-js,etc,etc, on the backend, same thing with dozens of different languages all of which we're migrating away to Go, microservices, grpc, graphql apis, etc, and on infra with kubernetes, more Go, all the amazon ecosystem, ingestorwhatevers, etc. As I've said many times, everyone wants to have fun. You can still do things The Old Ways... it still works... but yeah, pretty difficult to do it that way at work, so that is something mostly for your side projects, etc. Also, to some extent, some of this is necessary. For example, I like a lot the "modern old ways" of doing frontend, such as the way it can be done with Hotwire, intercooler, htmx, Unpoly, etc... but I agree that once you're part of a larger team, React, Redux, etc... provides a more streamlined way to build your application (once the gazillion decision of the tooling is made). Doing it the "old way" doesn't scale with people, as everyone will have its own supercool shiny idea of how to do things. Also, the "webpck, babel, etc are too complicated" are not a valid argument anymore in my opinion. Those are pretty low level tools, compilers, etc. Just look for a high level tool... in React you have Next, in Vue you have Nuxt, if doing plain js you have Parcel.... And, again, once the honeymoon is over you'll feel the same about backend and infra at the very least (I've been there)...