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Ask SN: Best modern, easy, LN-friendly front-end?

200 sats \ 2 comments \ @jeff 18 Jun 2022 bitcoin

If you were starting a CRUD-app w/ Lightning integration today, what front-end framework and language would you use? Does it matter? Are there certain stacks that are going to be easier to work with LN than others?

I don't have very much front-end experience, but I do have backend experience. I have lots of ideas to build stuff, so ideally I'd like a front-end that was hard to screw up or is quite popular so guides/tutorials would let me self-study. I just want to do a CRUD app with some LN 101 type stuff.

Any thoughts? Ideally, something easy to learn. My predominant language is python on backend, if that pulls the discussion one way.

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239 sats \ 1 reply \ @dolu 18 Jun 2022

It's an hard question, there is a lot of solutions and there isn't a "LN-friendly front end framework". Firstly, do you want to build an API/Frontend stack or a more classical MVC stack? This simple question can determine if you need to learn a frontend framework like vue, react or any other JS front end framework.

For example, you can do "MVC" with Django (a web framework for python). I don't know python neither django, but I know it provides you a view rendering engine.

If you prefer to work with an API and a JS frontend framework, I think (and it's personal) Vue.js is a good option. It's easy to learn and fun. There is also a SSR option using Nuxt.js (it's a framework on top on Vue.js), but it's a little bit more advanced.

To conclude, keep in mind there is no better front end framework for LN stuff. Since your app run in your browser, everything you can do in JS can be done with any frontend framework (or view engine in case of MVC stuff)

I hope it will help you in your choice

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @jeff OP 18 Jun 2022

It does help, thank-you very much. Because there is no "right" choice, it means there is no "wrong" answer. That in and of itself is signal. I can pick a path optimizing for other criteria.

I did some searching based on your input, to check the resources out there for LN. Here are my notes so far (maybe they will help somebody else).

Lightning Community

TIL there is a community hub for building on LN with a Guide. And they have a javascript and python sections.

Awesome Lightning

There is a GitHub Repo with an open PR calling out WebLN Guide and a Tutorial section.

Bit old, this Coindesk-Lightning example app is all python, but also used Django targeting Heroku.

Django

The community mentioned above has a guide from 2022

Vue.js

I found this which has a repo for making the widget.

Next.js

I'm tempted to explore using this, just because the stacker.news repo exists and I can reason about the app's architecture & example. Plus, maybe it might become easier for me to contribute.