4 ms·

Why make a library dependent on a particular framework? Seems to just limit usefulness for no particular gain.

jacobmischka 5y ago
It creates SVGs using React[1], it would be nontrivial to support another view library with this design and if you're going to support only one at initial release React is probably the most popular bet. [1]: https://github.com/boringdesigners/boring-avatars/blob/master/src/lib/components/avatar-marble.js#L25 https://github.com/boringdesigners/boring-avatars/blob/maste...
- NohatCoder 5y ago
  But you could just write that generation in plain JavaScript, React is really just a syntax.
  - lcrz 5y ago
    Because they like the syntax? Because it has a nice way of passing properties? Because you can work with pseudo-DOM elements? It's all open source. If you want a vanilla js implementation go ahead.
    - enlyth 5y ago
      I find it a bit sad that the most upvoted reaction to someone's cool little project they wanted to share is the classic HN misguided and overused response of 'React BAD'
      - Tade0 5y ago
        There's a reason for that. The web is roughly 90% static pages with JS sprinkled on top(usually jQuery), and 10% SPAs made in various frameworks. https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/javascript_library https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/javascript_library React is a small part of the web(in terms of the number of people using it commercially) and thus a library written in React isn't terribly useful for most of the market.
        inbx0 5y ago
        And what percetange of those "static pages with JS sprinkled on top" have a need for automatically generated custom avatars?
        Tade0 5y ago
        Quite a few actually! After all they include static pages with comment sections, forums, image boards etc. - all places where you would want to have user profiles and naturally avatars.
        Kaze404 5y ago
        > React is a small part of the web(in terms of the number of people using it commercially) and thus a library written in React isn't terribly useful for most of the market. And why does that matter? The OP is someone's toy project, not an attempt at starting a SaaS company.
      - IshKebab 5y ago
        I don't think anyone's saying React is bad, they're saying it's weird that this library depends on it.
  - jacobmischka 5y ago
    "You could just write that routine in plain assembly, C is really just a syntax"
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- bhl 5y ago
  I agree with React being a good bet, but looking at the source code at the link, porting the library over to vanilla javascript or vue seems rather simple given it's mostly using JSX and not using an in-depth React feature like hooks.
- tobr 5y ago
  So now you’re stuck always including React and always rendering your avatars dynamically on the client, even though it’s really just an SVG that is being generated.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
kashug 5y ago
If I create a library I would usually make it to solve my own usecase. And if you mainly work with react-apps, and your plan is to use it in an react app. Why not also make the library in react? In this case, I guess the developer wanted to use JSX to create it. And you could ofc use JSX without React. But most people are used to using it in react-context, and plan to use it in an react-app anyway. So to answer your question, in my eyes it would be. Why not? If the devs plan on using it in react-app anyway, it's not their job to make sure it supports everyone elses usecase.
- NohatCoder 5y ago
  Why put it on GitHub and a web page if you don't care about other people's use cases? I have no problem with people writing code for themselves. But if that is what you do, please don't post on Hacker News about it.
  - Nullabillity 5y ago
    It can still be useful even if it doesn't cover every single corner case.

It creates SVGs using React[1], it would be nontrivial to support another view library with this design and if you're going to support only one at initial release React is probably the most popular bet. [1]: https://github.com/boringdesigners/boring-avatars/blob/master/src/lib/components/avatar-marble.js#L25 https://github.com/boringdesigners/boring-avatars/blob/maste...

NohatCoder 5y ago
But you could just write that generation in plain JavaScript, React is really just a syntax.
- lcrz 5y ago
  Because they like the syntax? Because it has a nice way of passing properties? Because you can work with pseudo-DOM elements? It's all open source. If you want a vanilla js implementation go ahead.
  - enlyth 5y ago
    I find it a bit sad that the most upvoted reaction to someone's cool little project they wanted to share is the classic HN misguided and overused response of 'React BAD'
    - Tade0 5y ago
      There's a reason for that. The web is roughly 90% static pages with JS sprinkled on top(usually jQuery), and 10% SPAs made in various frameworks. https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/javascript_library https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/javascript_library React is a small part of the web(in terms of the number of people using it commercially) and thus a library written in React isn't terribly useful for most of the market.
      - inbx0 5y ago
        And what percetange of those "static pages with JS sprinkled on top" have a need for automatically generated custom avatars?
        Tade0 5y ago
        Quite a few actually! After all they include static pages with comment sections, forums, image boards etc. - all places where you would want to have user profiles and naturally avatars.
      - Kaze404 5y ago
        > React is a small part of the web(in terms of the number of people using it commercially) and thus a library written in React isn't terribly useful for most of the market. And why does that matter? The OP is someone's toy project, not an attempt at starting a SaaS company.
    - IshKebab 5y ago
      I don't think anyone's saying React is bad, they're saying it's weird that this library depends on it.
- jacobmischka 5y ago
  "You could just write that routine in plain assembly, C is really just a syntax"
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
bhl 5y ago
I agree with React being a good bet, but looking at the source code at the link, porting the library over to vanilla javascript or vue seems rather simple given it's mostly using JSX and not using an in-depth React feature like hooks.
tobr 5y ago
So now you’re stuck always including React and always rendering your avatars dynamically on the client, even though it’s really just an SVG that is being generated.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

kashug 5y ago

If I create a library I would usually make it to solve my own usecase. And if you mainly work with react-apps, and your plan is to use it in an react app. Why not also make the library in react? In this case, I guess the developer wanted to use JSX to create it. And you could ofc use JSX without React. But most people are used to using it in react-context, and plan to use it in an react-app anyway. So to answer your question, in my eyes it would be. Why not? If the devs plan on using it in react-app anyway, it's not their job to make sure it supports everyone elses usecase.

NohatCoder 5y ago
Why put it on GitHub and a web page if you don't care about other people's use cases? I have no problem with people writing code for themselves. But if that is what you do, please don't post on Hacker News about it.
- Nullabillity 5y ago
  It can still be useful even if it doesn't cover every single corner case.