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HTMX: What the hell!

4 min read
HTMXWeb DevelopmentFrontendJavaScriptHTML

Why Are We Talking About HTMX?

If you've been trapped in the endless cycle of JavaScript frameworks, you might have come across HTMX. It’s different. It’s not a framework. It doesn’t try to replace React, Vue, or Angular—it just extends what HTML should have been able to do in the first place.

HTMX lets you build dynamic, interactive websites without writing much JavaScript. Instead of managing state on the frontend, it shifts the responsibility back to the server—kind of like how the web worked before we overcomplicated everything.

But is it a miracle fix or just another niche tool that people will forget about in a year? Let’s break it down.

What is HTMX?

HTMX is a lightweight JavaScript library that adds superpowers to HTML. It lets you:

  • Make AJAX requests (hx-get, hx-post, hx-put, etc.)
  • Update page content dynamically without a full page reload
  • Handle WebSockets & SSE (Server-Sent Events)
  • Eliminate the need for frontend frameworks (if your use case allows it)

How It Works

Normally, if you want a button to fetch data and update the page dynamically, you’d write something like this in JavaScript:

document.querySelector("#myButton").addEventListener("click", () => {
  fetch("/data")
    .then(response => response.text())
    .then(html => document.querySelector("#content").innerHTML = html);
});

With HTMX, the HTML alone does the job:

<button hx-get="/data" hx-target="#content">Load Data</button>
<div id="content"></div>

No JavaScript needed. Just clean, readable HTML.

The Benefits of HTMX

Less JavaScript, Less Complexity

If you’ve ever had to debug a 10,000-line React codebase, this might be the feature that saves your sanity. HTMX lets you avoid unnecessary JavaScript, reducing complexity and potential bugs.

Faster Performance

  • No need to load a huge JS framework.
  • Updates only the necessary parts of the page.
  • No virtual DOM—just direct HTML updates.

This makes HTMX a great choice for low-power devices and bandwidth-sensitive applications.

SEO & Progressive Enhancement

HTMX works with server-side rendering, meaning all your content is immediately visible to search engines. If a browser doesn’t support HTMX? No worries, your site still works like a normal HTML page.

Easy Backend Integration

It plays nicely with Django, Flask, Rails, Laravel, and other backend frameworks. You can keep your app logic on the server and let HTMX handle interactivity.

Simplifies Development

  • No need to mess with state management libraries.
  • No client-side routing headaches.
  • No complicated build tools like Webpack or Vite.

HTMX just works.

The Downsides of HTMX

Not a Full SPA Replacement

If your app requires complex client-side logic, HTMX might not cut it. Unlike React or Vue, it doesn’t have built-in state management. If your UI needs real-time updates or a lot of local interactivity, you might need something extra.

Increased Server Load

Since HTMX shifts more work to the backend, your server has to handle more frequent, smaller requests. If you don’t optimize properly, this could lead to scalability issues.

Smaller Community & Ecosystem

HTMX isn’t mainstream yet. That means:

  • Fewer tutorials and learning resources
  • Fewer third-party integrations
  • Less Stack Overflow help

If you hit a problem, you might be on your own.

Can Be Harder to Debug

Since most of the logic happens on the backend, debugging an HTMX-powered app can be less intuitive than debugging a client-side framework. Network requests replace frontend logic, so you’ll spend more time analyzing server responses.

When Should You Use HTMX?

HTMX is great for:

  • Server-rendered web apps
  • Simple, lightweight projects
  • Sites that need good SEO
  • Apps where backend logic matters more than frontend logic

But avoid it if you need:

  • Heavy frontend state management
  • A complex Single Page Application (SPA)
  • A huge ecosystem of third-party libraries

TL;DR: If you want to build modern websites with old-school simplicity, HTMX is worth a look. But if you’re building a complex web app, stick with React or Vue.

Final Thoughts

HTMX is like a return to sanity for web development. It’s not here to kill JavaScript frameworks, but it challenges the idea that we always need them.

For some projects, HTMX is all you need. For others, it’s just a useful tool in your stack. Either way, it’s a fresh alternative to the modern frontend mess.

So, will HTMX take over the web? Probably not. But will it make some devs rethink their frontend choices? Absolutely.

Give it a try, and see if it changes the way you build web apps.