Modern ECMAScript has armed developers with powerful native features, reducing dependency on large utility libraries. This shift prioritizes performance, smaller bundle sizes, and a deeper understanding of the language's core.
The Decline of Legacy Wrappers
The market has seen a significant shift away from all-encompassing libraries like jQuery towards more modular, vanilla-centric approaches.
Native Performance Boost
~35%
Faster execution on average for common tasks like DOM selection and array manipulation.
Key Benefit: Reduced Dependencies
↓
Fewer dependencies lead to smaller bundles, improved security, and simplified maintenance.
Installation
You can clone the repository directly or install the package via NPM for easy integration into your build process.
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/dylarcher/js.helper-utils.git
# Install with NPM
npm install @dylarcher/js-helper-utilsUsage
Import only the functions you need. This allows bundlers to perform tree-shaking and keep your application size minimal.
import { debounce } from '@dylarcher/js-helper-utils/src/common';
import { toggleClass } from '@dylarcher/js-helper-utils/src/browser';
const button =
document.querySelector('#my-button');
button.addEventListener('click', debounce(()
=> {
toggleClass(button, 'active');
}, 250));Below is a sampling of helper functions. Hover over any utility to see its source on GitHub and click the ✨ icon for an AI-generated explanation.
Browser Utilities
System (Node.js) Utilities
Analysis shows a focus on data manipulation and async helpers, fundamental to nearly every application.
The "Must-Have" Functions
A few key functions consistently emerge as the most reused, forming the core of any utility library.
While building your own utilities is empowering, these battle-tested libraries offer comprehensive, performant solutions that have shaped modern development.
Lodash
The modern standard for data manipulation, providing hundreds of helpers for arrays, objects, and strings.
Underscore.js
The original utility belt, offering functional helpers like `map`, `filter`, and `invoke` with a focus on simplicity.
Radash
A modern, TypeScript-first utility library with zero dependencies, emphasizing functional, composable helpers.
Effective utility functions are well-designed, documented, and predictable building blocks that follow a clear path from conception to reliable implementation.
Purity & Immutability
Design functions to be pure, avoiding side effects and returning new data structures.
Clear Documentation
Write comprehensive JSDocs with descriptions, types, and examples.
Robust Error Handling
Throw errors for failures and return predictable values for empty states.
Thorough Testing
Implement unit tests for common use cases and edge cases to ensure reliability.