[Theodores]

> I think jQuery is still a relevant tool for building dynamic websites—animations, carousels, pop-ins, etc.

I think that vanilla and CSS3 is a better option. Ten years ago there weren't the options. Now all browsers are up to speed and standards compliant there is not the need. It takes less time to learn how to do something properly the vanilla than it does to hack older jQuery code into shape for one's own use case.

If I do something the vanilla way I feel as if I have learned something. When copying and pasting some jQuery module I don't get that feeling.

[rejschaap]

You could take some time to understand jQuery it is not that big or complicated. It might be on its way out, but it will be around long enough to be worth the effort in my opinion.