jQuery - Migration from jQuery to Modern JavaScript

Introduction

jQuery was created to simplify JavaScript programming when browsers handled JavaScript differently. It made tasks like DOM manipulation, event handling, animations, and AJAX requests much easier.

Today, modern JavaScript (also called Vanilla JavaScript or ES6+) includes built-in features that perform most jQuery functions directly. Because of this, many developers are gradually moving from jQuery to modern JavaScript.

Migration means replacing jQuery code with standard JavaScript while keeping the same functionality.

Why Move Away from jQuery

  1. Modern browsers now support advanced JavaScript features natively.

  2. Websites load faster because external libraries are reduced.

  3. Cleaner and more readable code using ES6 syntax.

  4. Better performance in large applications.

  5. Modern frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue do not depend on jQuery.

Common jQuery Tasks and Modern JavaScript Alternatives

1. Selecting Elements

jQuery:

$("#title");

Modern JavaScript:

document.querySelector("#title");

To select multiple elements:

document.querySelectorAll(".item");

2. Changing HTML Content

jQuery:

$("#box").html("Hello");

Modern JavaScript:

document.getElementById("box").innerHTML = "Hello";

3. Adding and Removing Classes

jQuery:

$("#box").addClass("active");
$("#box").removeClass("active");

Modern JavaScript:

document.getElementById("box").classList.add("active");
document.getElementById("box").classList.remove("active");

4. Event Handling

jQuery:

$("#btn").click(function(){
    alert("Clicked");
});

Modern JavaScript:

document.getElementById("btn").addEventListener("click", function(){
    alert("Clicked");
});

5. AJAX Requests

jQuery:

$.ajax({
    url: "data.json",
    success: function(data){
        console.log(data);
    }
});

Modern JavaScript using Fetch API:

fetch("data.json")
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));

6. Document Ready Function

jQuery:

$(document).ready(function(){
    console.log("Page Loaded");
});

Modern JavaScript:

document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(){
    console.log("Page Loaded");
});

ES6 Features Supporting Migration

Modern JavaScript provides powerful features such as:

  • Arrow functions

  • Template literals

  • Promises

  • Async and Await

  • Modules

  • Class syntax

These features replace many tasks previously handled using jQuery utilities.

When jQuery Is Still Useful

Even though modern JavaScript can replace many jQuery features, jQuery is still useful in some situations:

  • Maintaining old or legacy websites.

  • Supporting very old browsers.

  • Rapid prototyping for small projects.

  • Using existing jQuery plugins already integrated into a project.

Steps to Migrate from jQuery

  1. Identify jQuery functions used in the project.

  2. Replace simple selectors and events first.

  3. Convert AJAX calls to Fetch API or async functions.

  4. Remove unused jQuery plugins.

  5. Test functionality after each change.

  6. Finally remove the jQuery library file.

Benefits After Migration

  • Reduced page size and faster loading.

  • Improved performance.

  • Easier integration with modern frameworks.

  • Cleaner and future-ready code.

Conclusion

Migration from jQuery to modern JavaScript reflects the evolution of web development. Since browsers now provide powerful native features, developers can build efficient applications without relying heavily on external libraries. Understanding both jQuery and modern JavaScript helps developers maintain older systems while creating modern, high-performance web applications.