[blopker]

I'm using HTMX with Django for totem.org[0]. My over all experience is good.

I'd say the main thing I like is testing. With a JS framework I have to have tests spread over both JS and Python, with HTMX I can mostly just focus on Python tests and assume the HTMX is going to work correctly. There's a good, stable testing story for Django, so I know the tests I write won't have to be rewritten all the time when dependencies change. I just don't write many JS tests because stuff changes so fast.

The main downside I have with it though, is I just can't seem to remember how to use it. Every time I need HTMX I have to look at code I've written or go to the docs. There's just too many options with names that are confusing (hx-select, hx-swap, hx-swap-oob, hx-target?).

Aside from that, it's also a pretty large dependency. I'm also using Solidjs to mount web components (which is a pattern I love) and HTMX is a majority of the JS bundle. That was surprising to me. Maybe version 2 will be smaller?

[0]: https://github.com/totem-technologies/totem-server

[hirvi74]

> The main downside I have with it though, is I just can't seem to remember how to use it

I've noticed the more I use HTMX, the more I tend to end up needing to use the JS API too.

For example, if I have an HTML table with inline editing, and I need there to be validation on what people are entering. So, I have HTMX firing when people save their changes via a button, then I need to use the JS API for conditional logic e.g., if valid, then update table. If invalid, then display some kind of message or whatever.

HTMX has been working great for my needs, but the more I tend to get into the weeds of the JS API, I cannot help but sometimes question whether I am truly gaining that much more over using plain AJAX requests. However, HTMX is definitely more concise, so that's a nice benefit I suppose over a unmaintainable slew of AJAX requests.

[weikju]

> So, I have HTMX firing when people save their changes via a button, then I need to use the JS API for conditional logic e.g., if valid, then update table. If invalid, then display some kind of message or whatever.

Couldn't that be handled server-side as well? I have my validation logic server-side, and it either returns the updated table row (or other element), or it returns the form again with validation/error messages, fields highlighted where the error occurred, etc.

[jwells89]

> The main downside I have with it though, is I just can't seem to remember how to use it. Every time I need HTMX I have to look at code I've written or go to the docs. There's just too many options with names that are confusing (hx-swap, hx-swap-oob, hx-target?).

Perhaps this could be smoothed over with snippets or an autocomplete extension for whichever text editor is being used?

[blopker]

Maybe. I think it's just a high-level library for a specialized domain. It's not like imperatively coding JavaScript, spelling out each action step-by-step. The fact that I just need a little of it to do a lot means I just don't need to use it that much, and then I forget how.

I could see a better tutorial experience with live examples for common patterns. Something like SolidJS does (https://www.solidjs.com/tutorial/introduction_basics). That would be a good reference. Alternatively, a copy/paste pattern library, like what a lot of people are doing with Tailwind (https://daisyui.com/components/).