HTMX, a relatively niche library for modern web development, has been quietly surging in popularity… or so it would seem.
As of January 2025, JavaScript Rising Stars reported that HMTX now has more GitHub stars than more established libraries like React, Svelte and Vue. leading to debates about whether HMTX’s growth is a sign that developers are moving away from boiler-plate heavy libraries filled with node modules, and instead opting for the more direct approach to building applications that HTMX offers.
So, what exactly is HTMX, and why has it gained so much attention among developers?
What Is HTMX?
HTMX is an open-source library that extends HTML with additional attributes, enabling developers to build dynamic, interactive web pages without relying heavily on JavaScript. Its goal is to bring hypertext back to the forefront of web development by simplifying the communication between the front and backend, effectively embedding the functionality of JavaScript into the syntax of HTML.
This philosophy is often referred to as “hypertext-driven development,” and it resonates with developers seeking a return to the simplicity of traditional server-rendered applications.
To give you some sense of why a developer might use HTMX, the library makes it easy to perform AJAX requests directly from HTML attributes (e.g., hx-get, hx-post), enable server-sent events (SSE) for real-time updates, leverage WebSockets for bi-directional communication, and handle user interactions (e.g., clicks, form submissions) without writing JavaScript.
By reducing the reliance on JavaScript-heavy frameworks like React or Vue, HTMX advocates for a leaner approach to building dynamic user interfaces, while still being able to access many of the features found in heavy-duty frameworks and expected from modern day application development.
What Made HMTX So Popular?
So it should be said that JavaScript Rising Stars’ curate their lists based on which projects have seen the greatest rise in GitHub stars over the past 12 months.
The Community & Marketing
HTMX has done a fantastic job of marketing itself, shunning the stale, corporate identity and messaging that we see from the majority of tech companies and organisations and to instead present a fun, unserious face to the world.
Members of its community are each encouraged to refer to themselves as the CEO of HTMX, its official website features self-depracating essays like HTMX Sucks and onlookers are often left confused about whether the project is even a real project given the amount of memes shared from HMTX accounts.
While to some, HTMX’s meme-marketing makes it look unprofessional or immature, this approach appears to have been intentional, in an effort to set the library apart from its larger, fancier, VC-backed, serious, corporate peers.
HTMX is already the odd-one-out when compared to libraries like React and Svelte - representing older ways of building applications, and letting users build powerful applications similarly to how they built in the early days of the web, before frameworks came along.
Simplicity and Nostalgia
In the world of web development, libraries like React and frameworks like Next and Astro dominate much of the conversation, and have become the go-to tools for millions of developers, particularly among younger generations.
Critics say that in most instances, frameworks are bulkier tools that what the task requires, or are bloated and heavy-duty compared to solutions with less hype surrounding them.
Developers tired of complex JavaScript ecosystems may find HTMX’s simplicity refreshing. By allowing them to work directly with HTML and the backend, HTMX evokes a sense of nostalgia for times when applications did not require such complex architecture and file structures in order to operate.
Ease of Adoption
Unlike full-fledged frameworks, HTMX is lightweight and has no significant learning curve. Extending HTML, developers can add it to existing projects without rearchitecting their applications, making it an appealing choice for incremental adoption.
When Should Developers Use HTMX?
HTMX is not trying to replace React, Angular, or Vue. Instead, it shines in a range of scenarios where you might be used tor eaching for a library or framework but might be in fact creating an unnecessarily bloated application.
HTML is a great choice if server-rendering is a priority: Applications with server-side logic (e.g., Django, Flask, Ruby on Rails) can use HTMX to add interactivity without transitioning to a full SPA architecture.
Also, why not try it in a low-complexity project, or build one from scratch? For smaller apps or internal tools, HTMX’s lightweight nature makes it an efficient choice.
HTMX integrates well with existing HTML and backend frameworks, allowing you to add interactivity without overhauling your entire application structure.
Finally, if frontend development isn’t your area of expertise but you want to be able to build a web application with a solid frontend and a strong backend, then HTMX is a great way to get there.
The Limitations of HTMX
It does appear to come with limitations, however. Some of the benefits of framework are in how easy it is to make reusable components and while HTMX can be used with web components this could feel like a departure to the way they are used to building applications.
Along with this are concerns about its scalability, and whether for larger projects, with intricate state management needs, traditional SPAs might be a better route.
While the library has grown in popularity, its is lacking the mature ecosystem and extensive tooling that so many alternatives have.
Ultimately, HTMX is a tool—not a magic bullet. It’s important to evaluate whether its philosophy aligns with your project’s requirements.
What Developers Can Learn from HTMX’s Popularity
Let’s be clear, the JavaScript Rising Stars stats are skewed towards projects with a lot of hype around them, and to some degree HTMX has memed its way to the top of the list.
However, the fact it exists at all highlights a growing discontent with the complexity of modern JavaScript frameworks that has been shared by members of the WeAreDevelopers community like Google Chrome’s Developer Relations team lead Paul Kinlan and GitHub Senior Engineer Keith Cirkel.
It’s a reminder that simplicity, performance, and developer experience still matter. Even if HTMX isn’t the right fit for your project, its principles can inspire a reevaluation of how we approach web development.
Can we simplify our tools? Do we really need a SPA for every project? These are the questions HTMX encourages developers to ask.
To learn more about the benefits of HTMX, check out Felix Eckhardt and Benedikt Stemmildt’s Why HTMX is Crushing React, Vue and Svelte from the WeAreDevelopers World Congress 2024.
