This is one of several points of entry found on the web in which some information about JavaScript frameworks are gathered.
The emergence of some recent JavaScript frameworks and libraries contributed widely to fine down a heavy volume of complex developers tasks.
Before to settle on a framework, the developer should know what are
the existing alternatives. This following list helps to give a pithy overview of the most used JavaScript frameworks. Note that this list contains also some excellent frameworks that are lacking only some popularity.
The purpose of the article is not to give the list of all JavaScript frameworks -because there are hundreds of Ajax/JavaScript frameworks available. But as I said, it is always good to know what the strongest choices do you have are.
jQuery is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.
MIT and GPL licenses.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 2+, Safari 3.0+, Opera 9.0+, Chrome
Supports CSS 1-3 selectors and more!
About 19KB in size (Minified and Gzipped)
Documentation
http://docs.jquery.com/Main_Page
Books
jQuery in Action, Learning jQuery.
Plugins
http://plugins.jquery.com/
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Prototype is a JavaScript Framework that aims to ease development of dynamic web applications.
Featuring a unique, easy-to-use toolkit for class-driven development and the nicest Ajax library around, Prototype is quickly becoming the codebase of choice for web application developers everywhere.
MIT (source code) and CC BY-SA (documentation) licences.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
More about Prototype and CSS3 is here.
About 128KB in size
Documentation
http://www.prototypejs.org/api
Books
Prototype and Scriptaculous in Action, Practical Prototype and script.aculo.us.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
script.aculo.us is a set of JavaScript libraries to enhance the user interface of web sites. It provides a visual effects engine, a drag and drop library (including sortable lists), a couple of controls (Ajax-based autocompletion, in-place editing, sliders) and more.
script.aculo.us includes the Prototype JavaScript Framework.
MIT license.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
About 141KB in size
Documentation
http://wiki.github.com/madrobby/scriptaculous
Books
Prototype and script.aculo.us, Practical Prototype and script.aculo.us.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
MooTools is a compact, modular, Object-Oriented JavaScript framework designed for the intermediate to advanced JavaScript developer. It allows you to write powerful, flexible, and cross-browser code with its elegant, well documented, and coherent API.
MIT license.
Details
Safari 2+, IE 6+, FF 2+ (and browsers based on gecko), Opera 9+.
About 65 kb in size (YUI Compressor)
Documentation
http://mootools.net/docs/core
Books
The Definitive Guide to MooTools, Professional JavaScript Frameworks: Prototype,YUI, ExtJS, Dojo and MooTools.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The Dojo Toolkit is an open-source JavaScript toolkit useful for building great web applications. It is lightning fast, extremely robust, and supplies a solid set of tools for DOM manipulation, animations, Ajax, event and keyboard normalization, internationalization (i18n) and accessibility (a11y).
BSD or the Academic Free License version 2.1 licenses.
Details
IE 6+, Firefox 1.5+, FF 3.5 (1.3.2 only) (Dijit supports only FF 2+), Safari 3.2, Safari 4.0 (1.3.2 only), Chrome 1.0, Chrome 2.0 (1.3.2 only), Opera 9.6 (Dojo Core only), Konqueror 3.5+ (Dojo Core only)
About 28K (gzipped)
Documentation
http://dojotoolkit.org/docs, http://docs.dojocampus.org/
Books
Dojo: The Definitive Guide, JavaScript and Ajax Tools for Great Web Experiences (Pragmatic Programmers), Learning Dojo, Practical Dojo Projects.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The YUI Library is a set of utilities and controls, written in JavaScript, for building richly interactive web applications using techniques such as DOM scripting, DHTML and AJAX
BSD license
Details
A-grade
A-grade support is the highest support level. By taking full advantage of the powerful capabilities of modern web standards, the A-grade experience provides advanced functionality and visual fidelity.
A-grade browsers are identified on a whitelist. Approximately 96% of our audience enjoys an A-grade experience.
Summary: A-grade browsers are identified, capable, modern and common. QA tests all A-grade browsers, and bugs are addressed with high priority.
About 11.6 MB (zipped)
Documentation
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/yuidoc/
Books
Learning the Yahoo! User Interface library.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
ASP.NET AJAX is the free Microsoft AJAX framework for building highly interactive and responsive web applications that work across all popular browsers. The ASP.NET AJAX framework includes Server-Side ASP.NET AJAX, Client-Side ASP.NET AJAX, the AJAX Control Toolkit, and the jQuery library. ASP.NET AJAX enables developers to choose their preferred method of AJAX development, whether it is server-side programming, client-side programming, or a combination of both.
Microsoft Permissive License (Ms-PL).
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
About 330KB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://www.asp.net/ajax/documentation/
Books
Programming ASP.NET AJAX, ASP.NET AJAX in Action, Pro Ajax and the .NET 2.0 Platform.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The Spry framework is Adobe’s Ajax framework that provides easy-to-use yet powerful Ajax functionality that allows designers to build pages that provide a richer experience for their users. It is designed to take the complexity out of Ajax and allow designers to easily create Web 2.0 pages. The Spry framework is a way to incorporate XML, JSON or HTML data into pages using HTML, CSS, and a minimal amount of JavaScript, without the need for refreshing the entire page.
BSD license.
Details
Firefox 1.5 +(Windows and Mac) • Netscape 7.2 (Windows) • Internet Explorer 6+ (Windows) • Safari 2.0.3 (Mac)
About 4.88 MB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Spry
Books
The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
MochiKit is a highly documented and well tested, suite of JavaScript libraries that will help you get shit done, fast. The team in charge took all the good ideas they could find from Python, Objective-C, etc. Experience and adapted it to the crazy world of JavaScript. JSAN and Dojo Toolkit are fully supported by and interoperable with MochiKit.
MIT, and the Academic Free License version 2.1 licenses.
Details
Safari 2.0.2, Firefox 1.0.7, Firefox 1.5b2, Internet Explorer 6, and Opera 8.5
About 460 KB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://www.mochikit.com/doc/html/MochiKit/index.html
Books
Practical JavaScript, DOM Scripting and Ajax Projects
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Ext JS is a cross-browser JavaScript library for building rich internet applications which includes customizable UI widgets and an intuitive, easy to use API.
Commercial License, GNU GPL license v3, or OEM / Reseller License. Please check here.
Details
Internet Explorer 6+, FireFox 1.5+ (PC, Mac), Safari 3+, Opera 9+ (PC, Mac).
About 156 KB in size.
Documentation
http://extjs.com/deploy/dev/docs/
Books
Learning Ext JS, Developing with Ext GWT.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Rialto (Rich Internet Application Toolkit) is ajax-based cross browser javascript widgets library. Because it is technology agnostic it can be encapsulated in JSP, JSF, .Net, Python or PHP graphic components. The purpose of Rialto is to ease the access to rich internet application development to corporate developers. Ideally a Rialto developer has neither need to write or understand DHTML, Ajax or DOM code.
Open source Apache License.
Details
Firefox 1.5 +, IE 6+ and Opera 9+
About 530 KB in size.
Documentation
http://rialto.improve-technologies.com/js/javascriptDocV1/summary.html
Books
JavaScript pour le Web 2.0 (fr)
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here and here also.
Archetype is a JavaScript Framework for JavaScript and Ajax application that enables developers to use JS for light to heavy clientside developments. It shares a lot of things in common with Prototype.
The Framework:
* takes care of all the application loading part and dependencies loading
* eases a lot OO Programming in JS
* is designed to fully work in MVC on the client side
* adds an easy to use template interface for the best JS template systems (JST, EJS, DOMTAL, Prototype, etc.)
MIT License
Details
Browsers: n/a
About 2.1 MiB (zipped).
Documentation
http://archetypejs.org/project-info.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
UIZE (pronounced "you eyes") is a powerful, open source, object oriented JavaScript framework - supporting widgets, AJAX, DOM, templates, and more. You can call it an "Ajax Framework", an "Ajax Toolkit", a "JavaScript Framework", a "JavaScript API", a "JavaScript Toolkit", a "JavaScript Toolbox"...UIZE allows you to create more effective user interfaces in your Web-based applications and services.
GNU General Public License.
Details
Browsers: n/a
About 6.8 MB (zipped).
Documentation
http://www.uize.com/explainers/using-the-documentation.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Rico is an open source JavaScript library for developing rich Internet applications (RIAs) that use Ajax.[1]
Rico uses the Prototype Javascript Framework and JSON libraries.
Apache 2.0 License.
Details
Browsers: IE 5.5, IE 6, Firefox 1.0x/Win, Camino/Mac, Firefox 1.5x/Mac. Currently, the Drag And Drop is not supported on Safari and the Ajax API requires Safari 2.0.3
About 1.5 MiB (zipped).
Documentation
n/a
Books
Ajax Black Book
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here (1, 2)
moo.fx is a superlightweight, ultratiny, megasmall javascript effects library, to be used with prototype.js or the mootools framework.
It's very easy to use, blazing fast, cross-browser, standards compliant, provides controls to modify any CSS property of any HTML element, including colors, with builtin checks that won't let a user break the effect with multiple, crazy clicks. Optimized to make you write the lesser code possible, the new moo.fx is so modular you can create any kind of effect with it.
MIT License.
Details
Safari 2+, IE 6+, FF 2+ (and browsers based on gecko), Opera 9+.
About 3,2 KB.
Documentation
http://mootools.net/docs/core
Old: http://moofx.mad4milk.net/old/documentation/
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
midori is an ultra-lightweight JavaScript framework that gets the job done without getting in your way.
MIT License.
Details
Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 1.5+, Safari 2+, Opera 9+
About 45KB.
Documentation
http://www.midorijs.com/docs.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
qooxdoo is a comprehensive and innovative framework for creating rich internet applications (RIAs). Leveraging object-oriented JavaScript allows developers to build impressive cross-browser applications. No HTML, CSS nor DOM knowledge is needed.
GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) and the Eclipse Public License (EPL).
Details
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, 6 and 7, any Gecko-based browser with Gecko version 1.7 or higher. This includes Firefox 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and any Mozilla Suite 1.3 or higher, Opera 8 or 9, Safari 3.0.
About 45KB.
Documentation
http://qooxdoo.org/documentation
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
For any suggestion, please leave a comment.
The purpose of the article is not to give the list of all JavaScript frameworks -because there are hundreds of Ajax/JavaScript frameworks available. But as I said, it is always good to know what the strongest choices do you have are.
jQuery is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.
MIT and GPL licenses.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 2+, Safari 3.0+, Opera 9.0+, Chrome
Supports CSS 1-3 selectors and more!
About 19KB in size (Minified and Gzipped)
Documentation
http://docs.jquery.com/Main_Page
Books
jQuery in Action, Learning jQuery.
Plugins
http://plugins.jquery.com/
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Prototype is a JavaScript Framework that aims to ease development of dynamic web applications.
Featuring a unique, easy-to-use toolkit for class-driven development and the nicest Ajax library around, Prototype is quickly becoming the codebase of choice for web application developers everywhere.
MIT (source code) and CC BY-SA (documentation) licences.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
More about Prototype and CSS3 is here.
About 128KB in size
Documentation
http://www.prototypejs.org/api
Books
Prototype and Scriptaculous in Action, Practical Prototype and script.aculo.us.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
script.aculo.us is a set of JavaScript libraries to enhance the user interface of web sites. It provides a visual effects engine, a drag and drop library (including sortable lists), a couple of controls (Ajax-based autocompletion, in-place editing, sliders) and more.
script.aculo.us includes the Prototype JavaScript Framework.
MIT license.
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
About 141KB in size
Documentation
http://wiki.github.com/madrobby/scriptaculous
Books
Prototype and script.aculo.us, Practical Prototype and script.aculo.us.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
MooTools is a compact, modular, Object-Oriented JavaScript framework designed for the intermediate to advanced JavaScript developer. It allows you to write powerful, flexible, and cross-browser code with its elegant, well documented, and coherent API.
MIT license.
Details
Safari 2+, IE 6+, FF 2+ (and browsers based on gecko), Opera 9+.
About 65 kb in size (YUI Compressor)
Documentation
http://mootools.net/docs/core
Books
The Definitive Guide to MooTools, Professional JavaScript Frameworks: Prototype,YUI, ExtJS, Dojo and MooTools.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The Dojo Toolkit is an open-source JavaScript toolkit useful for building great web applications. It is lightning fast, extremely robust, and supplies a solid set of tools for DOM manipulation, animations, Ajax, event and keyboard normalization, internationalization (i18n) and accessibility (a11y).
BSD or the Academic Free License version 2.1 licenses.
Details
IE 6+, Firefox 1.5+, FF 3.5 (1.3.2 only) (Dijit supports only FF 2+), Safari 3.2, Safari 4.0 (1.3.2 only), Chrome 1.0, Chrome 2.0 (1.3.2 only), Opera 9.6 (Dojo Core only), Konqueror 3.5+ (Dojo Core only)
About 28K (gzipped)
Documentation
http://dojotoolkit.org/docs, http://docs.dojocampus.org/
Books
Dojo: The Definitive Guide, JavaScript and Ajax Tools for Great Web Experiences (Pragmatic Programmers), Learning Dojo, Practical Dojo Projects.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The YUI Library is a set of utilities and controls, written in JavaScript, for building richly interactive web applications using techniques such as DOM scripting, DHTML and AJAX
BSD license
Details
A-grade
A-grade support is the highest support level. By taking full advantage of the powerful capabilities of modern web standards, the A-grade experience provides advanced functionality and visual fidelity.
A-grade browsers are identified on a whitelist. Approximately 96% of our audience enjoys an A-grade experience.
Summary: A-grade browsers are identified, capable, modern and common. QA tests all A-grade browsers, and bugs are addressed with high priority.
About 11.6 MB (zipped)
Documentation
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/yuidoc/
Books
Learning the Yahoo! User Interface library.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
ASP.NET AJAX is the free Microsoft AJAX framework for building highly interactive and responsive web applications that work across all popular browsers. The ASP.NET AJAX framework includes Server-Side ASP.NET AJAX, Client-Side ASP.NET AJAX, the AJAX Control Toolkit, and the jQuery library. ASP.NET AJAX enables developers to choose their preferred method of AJAX development, whether it is server-side programming, client-side programming, or a combination of both.
Microsoft Permissive License (Ms-PL).
Details
IE 6.0+, FF 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.25+
About 330KB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://www.asp.net/ajax/documentation/
Books
Programming ASP.NET AJAX, ASP.NET AJAX in Action, Pro Ajax and the .NET 2.0 Platform.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
The Spry framework is Adobe’s Ajax framework that provides easy-to-use yet powerful Ajax functionality that allows designers to build pages that provide a richer experience for their users. It is designed to take the complexity out of Ajax and allow designers to easily create Web 2.0 pages. The Spry framework is a way to incorporate XML, JSON or HTML data into pages using HTML, CSS, and a minimal amount of JavaScript, without the need for refreshing the entire page.
BSD license.
Details
Firefox 1.5 +(Windows and Mac) • Netscape 7.2 (Windows) • Internet Explorer 6+ (Windows) • Safari 2.0.3 (Mac)
About 4.88 MB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Spry
Books
The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
MochiKit is a highly documented and well tested, suite of JavaScript libraries that will help you get shit done, fast. The team in charge took all the good ideas they could find from Python, Objective-C, etc. Experience and adapted it to the crazy world of JavaScript. JSAN and Dojo Toolkit are fully supported by and interoperable with MochiKit.
MIT, and the Academic Free License version 2.1 licenses.
Details
Safari 2.0.2, Firefox 1.0.7, Firefox 1.5b2, Internet Explorer 6, and Opera 8.5
About 460 KB in size (zipped)
Documentation
http://www.mochikit.com/doc/html/MochiKit/index.html
Books
Practical JavaScript, DOM Scripting and Ajax Projects
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Ext JS is a cross-browser JavaScript library for building rich internet applications which includes customizable UI widgets and an intuitive, easy to use API.Commercial License, GNU GPL license v3, or OEM / Reseller License. Please check here.
Details
Internet Explorer 6+, FireFox 1.5+ (PC, Mac), Safari 3+, Opera 9+ (PC, Mac).
About 156 KB in size.
Documentation
http://extjs.com/deploy/dev/docs/
Books
Learning Ext JS, Developing with Ext GWT.
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Rialto (Rich Internet Application Toolkit) is ajax-based cross browser javascript widgets library. Because it is technology agnostic it can be encapsulated in JSP, JSF, .Net, Python or PHP graphic components. The purpose of Rialto is to ease the access to rich internet application development to corporate developers. Ideally a Rialto developer has neither need to write or understand DHTML, Ajax or DOM code.
Open source Apache License.
Details
Firefox 1.5 +, IE 6+ and Opera 9+
About 530 KB in size.
Documentation
http://rialto.improve-technologies.com/js/javascriptDocV1/summary.html
Books
JavaScript pour le Web 2.0 (fr)
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here and here also.
Archetype is a JavaScript Framework for JavaScript and Ajax application that enables developers to use JS for light to heavy clientside developments. It shares a lot of things in common with Prototype.
The Framework:
* takes care of all the application loading part and dependencies loading
* eases a lot OO Programming in JS
* is designed to fully work in MVC on the client side
* adds an easy to use template interface for the best JS template systems (JST, EJS, DOMTAL, Prototype, etc.)
MIT License
Details
Browsers: n/a
About 2.1 MiB (zipped).
Documentation
http://archetypejs.org/project-info.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
UIZE (pronounced "you eyes") is a powerful, open source, object oriented JavaScript framework - supporting widgets, AJAX, DOM, templates, and more. You can call it an "Ajax Framework", an "Ajax Toolkit", a "JavaScript Framework", a "JavaScript API", a "JavaScript Toolkit", a "JavaScript Toolbox"...UIZE allows you to create more effective user interfaces in your Web-based applications and services.
GNU General Public License.
Details
Browsers: n/a
About 6.8 MB (zipped).
Documentation
http://www.uize.com/explainers/using-the-documentation.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
Rico is an open source JavaScript library for developing rich Internet applications (RIAs) that use Ajax.[1]
Rico uses the Prototype Javascript Framework and JSON libraries.
Apache 2.0 License.
Details
Browsers: IE 5.5, IE 6, Firefox 1.0x/Win, Camino/Mac, Firefox 1.5x/Mac. Currently, the Drag And Drop is not supported on Safari and the Ajax API requires Safari 2.0.3
About 1.5 MiB (zipped).
Documentation
n/a
Books
Ajax Black Book
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here (1, 2)
moo.fx is a superlightweight, ultratiny, megasmall javascript effects library, to be used with prototype.js or the mootools framework.It's very easy to use, blazing fast, cross-browser, standards compliant, provides controls to modify any CSS property of any HTML element, including colors, with builtin checks that won't let a user break the effect with multiple, crazy clicks. Optimized to make you write the lesser code possible, the new moo.fx is so modular you can create any kind of effect with it.
MIT License.
Details
Safari 2+, IE 6+, FF 2+ (and browsers based on gecko), Opera 9+.
About 3,2 KB.
Documentation
http://mootools.net/docs/core
Old: http://moofx.mad4milk.net/old/documentation/
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
midori is an ultra-lightweight JavaScript framework that gets the job done without getting in your way.MIT License.
Details
Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 1.5+, Safari 2+, Opera 9+
About 45KB.
Documentation
http://www.midorijs.com/docs.html
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
qooxdoo is a comprehensive and innovative framework for creating rich internet applications (RIAs). Leveraging object-oriented JavaScript allows developers to build impressive cross-browser applications. No HTML, CSS nor DOM knowledge is needed.
GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) and the Eclipse Public License (EPL).
Details
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, 6 and 7, any Gecko-based browser with Gecko version 1.7 or higher. This includes Firefox 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and any Mozilla Suite 1.3 or higher, Opera 8 or 9, Safari 3.0.
About 45KB.
Documentation
http://qooxdoo.org/documentation
Books
n/a
UI example
Get started with some tutorials here.
For any suggestion, please leave a comment.
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I am 
Hey I've just got this article from twitter and really found it useful.
Nice job man.
some of them are not popular