I'm working on a personal project to help my family manage contracts more effectively. Every year, we cancel various contracts and look for better deals, so I need a system to keep track of due dates, terms, service providers, etc. Some family members handle contracts for over 100 people, which can get complicated. Professionally, I use Java/Spring with Angular or PHP/Symfony, but I often find these setups a hassle to maintain due to frequent updates and vulnerabilities. I'm looking for a technology stack that will remain stable and easy to manage for the next decade. I'm open to any language or framework that offers clear benefits. Ideally, I would prefer not to dive deep into JavaScript, considering my past experiences with it. I've thought about using plain PHP, but I'd also love to know if there's a simplified version of Angular that I might have overlooked, something that provides robust features without the need for constant updates.
5 Answers
In the frontend world, the only real standards are browser standards, which is a good thing! You can definitely build your app using just vanilla JavaScript and make it a PWA (Progressive Web App) that users can install on their devices. With all the available web APIs, you can create a completely functional application without relying on heavy frameworks.
If you're worried about long-term support, I suggest avoiding heavy frameworks. Web components might be the way to go since they’re likely to be around for a while, and you can establish a solid architecture to build off of with vanilla JS for stability in the long run.
I’ve had great success with PHP and plain JavaScript. I have several applications running smoothly for over 9 years without needing updates aside from new features. Steering clear of the latest frameworks has really paid off for me!
WordPress is a solid choice! It's been around for over 20 years and shows no signs of going anywhere. Just be prepared to brush up on PHP. Plus, it's customizable for your needs without needing constant major updates.
HTML is your best friend! Look for something that can render HTML without frequent updates. Client-side rendered solutions are often unstable as technologies change quickly. Tools like Vite can help, and AlpineJS is great for small interactivity without the hassle of a large JavaScript framework, but focus on serving simple HTML whenever possible!
I've heard PHP has improved a lot! It's much more capable now than it was a decade ago.