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5 Best Practices for Developing with Vue

Vue.js is a JavaScript-based framework mainly used for building web interfaces and one-page applications. As more flexible and less-opinionated alternative to Angular, Vue has become a popular choice among big companies, including Xiaomi, Alibaba, and Gitlab. Vue.js also provides a Virtual DOM, the virtualisation technique that has revolutionized the rendering process, plus its two-way data binding makes it a preferable solution for creating apps with real-time updates. The framework offers code reusability and superb unit testing as well as extensive documentation that makes Vue.js easy to learn and understand even for beginners.

The benefits of Vue

Vue.js has been gaining in popularity since its launch nine years ago. Why? As it offers the following benefits:

  • Simplicity: Vue has a short learning curve, making it a great technology for beginners.
  • Lightweight: Significantly smaller in size than competitor Angular’s projects.
  • Exhaustive documentation: Even developers with zero to little knowledge about JavaScript can start to easily build apps with Vue.
  • The best of React and Angular: Vue took the best from React and Angular and left out the disadvantages of both technologies.
  • Component-based architecture: Provides code reusability and lucidness as well as enables fruitful unit testing.
  • Extended integration capabilities: Vue offers a much wider spectrum of integration capabilities compared to both Angular and React.
  • Rich ecosystem: Vue comes with a variety of tools and technologies that simplify and streamline software development.

In this article, we have selected five best practices that every Vue developer should know to write code faster, better, and more efficiently.

5 best practices of Vue.JS

#1: Learn how to use Key Attributes

A key attribute is crucial for data manipulation as it allows your system to remain predictable. Especially when you use the v-for directive, without the key attribute, Vue will begin to render in DOM in the order of efficiency - even if it goes against your logic. However, if you assign a key reference to each v-for element, you will be able to predict the way the Vue DOM will proceed with the code.

#2: Use kebab-case as your naming convention

To preserve code consistency and readability, it is recommended to use kebab-case for components, where you use dashes between words when they are identifiers. Alternatively, you can use PascalCase but remember to stay consistent. PascalCase (naming with internal caps) might be more beneficial as it is supported by many IDE auto-complete functions. Luckily, using kebab-case in Vue is easy for JavaScript developers as the framework automatically converts between the Vue’s kebab-case and JS’s camelCase.

#3: Include prop validations

This practice helps you have a clear and easy-to-follow structure and avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications. Especially if you are working on a large project, make sure to specify formats, types, and other parameters for a prop. Your teammates or employees will appreciate clear and concise definitions about component usage. To streamline your business processes and workflow, always be transparent about components and add prop validations.

#4: Be consistent when naming components

Vue is a framework with comprehensive documentation, including materials about base components such as HTML elements, third-party UI components, and others. Base components should be named using prefixes like base, v, and app but the best practice is about consistency. It is completely up to you and your team which title to choose for your components but providing consistency is crucial for a successful project of any size.

Additionally, it is important to learn about single instance components, (components that are used once per page). They should be defined with the prefix “the” to stand out from other components. Single instance components refer to headers, sidebars, and footers.

#5: Stick with basic JavaScript expressions

This best practice addresses the creation of templates. Templates should entail only basic JS expressions to be readable, understandable, and reusable. If you try to add too much functionality into one template, it will seem complex and cluttered. The point of templates is to be universal and applicable to a variety of situations. Overcomplicating the functionality of a template goes against the applicability.

Despite the simplicity that Vue offers, there are a handful of great tricks and tips that will streamline development efforts, no matter your skill level. It is easy to master, yet Vue provides access to a variety of advanced features so as your experience grows, so can your projects.

If you would like to learn more about this JavaScript framework, its benefits, and use cases, contact CodeFirst. We can help explain how Vue.JS can help make your next project successful and robust.