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I use jQuery for my projects. However, I examined a JavaScript library, Ext JS. So I want to make a decision for my project. My need is I will make an administrator console which requires graphics and connected to REST URLs to get source via JSON.

jQuery is a nice and robust library. I know how to code with it (I am not an expert). However, it doesn't have good libraries that I can reach easily as like Ext JS.

Ext JS is nice, but I don't know how to code with it. However, it has a nice designer: Ext JS Designer and designing is a problem for me.

So I can use jQuery or jQuery plus Ext JS or Ext JS plus Ext JS Designer or Ext JS plus Ext JS Designer plus jQuery or jQuery plus any other good chart libraries as like High Charts..?

Which combination fits my needs?

Peter Mortensen
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kamaci
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1 Answers1

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I have developed two large projects (aka CRM). First on the pure Ext JS, the second on jQuery with lots of plug-ins. After a time I needed to add new features to the first and the second. In the second I have used the new jQuery plugin, which was required jQuery 1.6, but after update stopped working a few old ones. Support them has been discontinued, so I had to rewrite them to support new version of core library. The first project took me to change the visual part, but the project was built on the Ext JS, using a special theme, and the complement was beyond the scope of this, it was required to expend additional time to implement this custom functionality.

If the project is homogeneous, both the design and functionality, Ext JS is much easier, especially for support. Documentation is concentrated in one place and this documentation is the best of all for me. But if you want to change something on the fly, if the design requires a lot of non-uniform pieces, then jQuery will be more flexible.

If I had such a requirement, like you, I would choose Ext JS + Ext Designer, using the Ext MVC architecture. As alternative jQuery + jQuery Templates + jQuery UI + backbone.js and as minimum third-party plugins as possible.

atma
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  • One thing to keep in mind here is that compatibility changes like you saw in jQuery 1.6 vs the older plugins are rare and only done as a last resort. The .attr() change that happened in 1.6 was important to the progression of the library as a whole. – Kevin B Sep 13 '11 at 15:57
  • What you think about Ext JS designer. I can't make even so simple thinks with it it doesn't run properly. If I don't do anything else wrong it includes many bug with it? – kamaci Sep 15 '11 at 11:39
  • Previously, problems were only with linux version (precompiled QT libs conflicts with system libs), mac & win versions works well. Ext Designer is a code designer not the interface, just take a look at some basic usages of it [here](http://www.sencha.com/learn/designer) to decide whether you need it or not, it helps you quickly make a skeleton, but does not eliminate the need to manually edit the code. – atma Sep 15 '11 at 13:44