Yes IMO, the DOM is actually quite good. There are some valid complaints around superficial aspects of the API... For example, the ambiguous boundary between pr

Yes IMO, the DOM is actually quite good. There are some valid complaints around superficial aspects of the API... For example, the ambiguous boundary between properties and methods being abused... But these are really superficial points. The DOM cannot assume that it's just for building declarative applications, it needs to support imperative functionality too... IMO, the custom Web Components API solves the declarative problem very neatly, much more neatly than React or any other declarative framework I've come across. I think it's wonderful how the DOM API has evolved slowly over time to meet user needs and it would be foolish to think we can just redesign it better from the bottom up without sacrificing some gems. I think the people complaining about it are stuck in some utopian mindset. They have a specific frame of mind and they look at the DOM through the lens of a limited number of use cases which are relevant to them. They hold rigid, blanket beliefs around concepts like "Functional programming, side effects, reactivity" but these beliefs are siloed around each concept; they neglect the fact that the intersection of multiple approaches can transform the problem and radically alter the equation... For example, the modularization of Web Components and associated lifecycle methods, greatly reduce the dangers of imperative programming within component boundaries. It's good to be aware that both strong acids and strong alkaline solutions are dangerous on their own, but one should recognize that mixing them together could completely change this fact.