According to Statista reports, Javascript was developers’ most widely used programming language in 2022 and retained that position in 2023.

This versatile language is used to create server-side, client-side, desktop, and mobile applications. Its applications range from designing apps with specific features and functionalities to building interactive user interfaces.

However, selecting the right JavaScript framework for a project can be challenging, even for experienced JavaScript developers.

To help you with this, we’ve compiled a list of the best and most powerful JS frameworks that you can choose from for your next project.

Before we get into the list, let’s first understand what JavaScript frameworks are.

What are JavaScript Frameworks for Mobile App Development?

JavaScript frameworks for mobile app development are powerful tools that make it easier to create mobile apps using JavaScript. They offer a structured and effective approach to building mobile apps that work across different platforms or are native to a specific platform.

This means developers can use their JavaScript knowledge to create mobile apps more efficiently.

Top JavaScript Frameworks for Mobile App Development in 2024

As we start 2024, there’s still a need for JS frameworks that are efficient, flexible, and can grow with our needs. Let’s take a look at the top JavaScript frameworks for 2024.

1. React Native

React Native is used to create mobile apps that look and work like they were built using native tools for iOS and Android. It’s built on React, a JavaScript library from Facebook to create user interfaces. Unlike React, which is mainly for web apps, React Native is for mobile apps. This means developers can use their JavaScript skills to make mobile apps that feel like they belong on the device without learning a new language. And since much of the code can be used for both platforms, it’s easier to develop for iOS and Android simultaneously.

Key features:

• Cross-Platform Compatibility
• Reusable Components
• Hot Reloading

Let’s quickly examine the advantages and disadvantages of using the React Native framework for mobile app development.

2. Vue Native

Vue.js is known for being lightweight and simple to set up. It uses JavaScript libraries and other tools to give developers more flexibility, making it relatively easy for anyone familiar with JavaScript and HTML. Vue.js provides a graphical user interface that enhances the user experience, making it well-suited for single-page applications. Its popularity is also due to additional features like interactive project scaffolding, presets, plugins, and instant prototyping.

Key Features: 

• Reactive Data Binding
• Component-Based Architecture
• Integration with Native Technologies

Here’s a concise comparison of the pros and cons of Vue Native:

3. Angular

Angular is a JavaScript framework that’s open-source and written in TypeScript. Google maintains it, and its main job is to help make single-page applications. Angular is great because it provides developers with a standard structure to work with and helps them build large applications that are easy to maintain.

Key features:

• Two-Way Data Binding
• Modular Architecture
• Dependency Injection

The following points give a clear overview of Angular’s strengths and weaknesses:

4. Svelte

Svelte is a fantastic modern JavaScript framework. It turns your code into pure JavaScript (also known as Vanilla JS), which includes all the necessary third-party code and libraries. Many developers see Svelte as a revolutionary tool because it changes how web apps are coded. It’s known for being fast and high-performing without relying on external libraries for complex tasks.

Key Features:

• Zero Runtime Overhead
• Reactivity at its Core
• Component-based Architecture

The following table provides a quick overview of the strengths and weaknesses of Svelte, focusing on its simplicity, performance, features, ecosystem, and adoption:

5. Ember

Ember is an open-source framework, meaning its code is freely available for anyone to use and modify. It’s designed to help developers build a wide variety of web applications. Ember has received strong support and is known for its flexibility and adaptability. Using Ember along with other necessary tools, developers can create a complete development stack. It uses components, layouts, and its backend structure, allowing programmers to create HTML tags tailored to their applications.

Key Features:

• Convention over Configuration
• Ember CLI (Command Line Interface)
• Two-Way Data Binding

Here’s a concise table summarizing the pros and cons of using the Ember.js framework:

6. Preact

Preact is a small JavaScript library used for building user interfaces. It’s a fast 3kB alternative to React, offering similar ES6 compatibility. Preact provides a minimal Virtual DOM layer over the browser’s DOM, making it efficient. It’s designed with stable platform features, uses actual event handlers, and integrates well with other libraries. Additionally, Preact can be used in web browsers without being transpiled.

Key Features:

• Lightweight
• Fast Rendering
• Component-Based Architecture

These points should give a clear overview of Preact’s strengths and weaknesses:

7. Meteor

Meteor.js is a popular JavaScript framework for building the back end of web applications. It aims to speed up back-end development and facilitate quick learning. With Meteor, front-end developers can work on the back end without switching between different languages like Python or PHP. Additionally, Meteor allows developers to use a single language across the entire application, providing flexibility.

Key Features:

• Full-Stack JavaScript
• Real-time Data Synchronization
• Simplified Development

Let’s outline the pros and cons of using the Meteor framework:

8. Backbone.js

It’s a small JavaScript library used to organize code. It’s often seen as an MVC/MV framework. If you’re not familiar with MVC, it’s a way of organizing user interface code into three parts:

• Model
• View
• Controller

The idea is to keep different parts of the code separate, making the application easier to understand and maintain. Backbone.js has models and views, but its views act more like controllers in MVC. So, it’s more of an MV framework. 

Key Features:

• Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture
• Underscore.js Integration
• RESTful API Integration
  

Here’s a brief comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of Backbone.js:

9. Mithril

Mithril.js stands out among JS frameworks as a great choice for creating single-page applications. It follows the MVC pattern, which makes it simpler for developers to manage and structure their code. Mithril.js is well-documented and beginner-friendly.

Notably, companies like Vimeo and Nike have adopted Mithril.js for their projects.

Key Features:

• Virtual DOM for Efficient Updates
• Simple and Intuitive Syntax
• Reactive Data Binding

Advantages and drawbacks of using Mithril:

10. Aurelia

Aurelia is a JavaScript framework for building single-page applications (SPAs) that aims to be user-friendly and flexible. It is open-source and developed using modern tools and ECMAScript 2016, with strong support for TypeScript. Aurelia’s architecture comprises cooperating libraries and WebComponents connected using standard modern JavaScript. It’s designed to assist in creating applications for various platforms like web browsers, mobile devices, and desktops.

Key Features:

• Intuitive Templating System
• Routing Simplicity
• Extensive Plugin Ecosystem

The key attributes of Auriela’s strengths and weaknesses:

11. Next.js

Next.js is a powerful JavaScript framework built on React, designed to simplify the process of building server-rendered React applications. It offers features that enhance the development experience and enable developers to create fast, scalable, and SEO-friendly web applications.

Key Features:

• Server-side rendering (SSR)
• Static site generation (SSG)
• File-based routing

Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of Next.js:

12. Gatsby

Gatsby is a popular open-source framework based on React that helps developers build blazing-fast websites and web apps. It’s designed to make creating performant and optimized web experiences easier by leveraging modern web technologies like React, GraphQL, and Webpack.

Key Features:

• GraphQL Data Layer
• PWA Support
• Plugin Ecosystem

The table below presents an easy-to-compare overview of the strengths and weaknesses of Gatsby:

13. MooTools

MooTools is a compact, modular, and object-oriented JavaScript framework designed to make web development faster and more efficient. It provides a set of features for building interactive and dynamic web applications.

Key Features:

• DOM manipulation
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Modularity

The pros and cons of MooTools:

Conclusion

These were the top JavaScript frameworks for mobile app development in 2024. Each one has its special features that can make your project great.

Picking the right framework depends on what you need for your project. Each framework has pros and cons, so you need to find the one that best fits your needs.

We hope these frameworks help you choose the right one for your next project.But if you can’t decide which framework best suits your next project, our team at ScaleupAlly can walk you through each framework to help you decide. Schedule a call with us, and let’s hit the ground running.