[asto]

The difference between library and framework is quite subtle sometimes and in this case many use it interchangeably. You are correct though, jQuery themselves call it a library.

I don't agree to "does nothing to alter the language" though. It changes the way you manipulate DOM across your codebase. When one says 'library', I assume it's something you make calls to to achieve certain functionality. Like an image library or oauth library.

Also, that jquery is implemented in javascript is not relevant in my opinion. Rails is implemented in ruby. Does that make it not-a-framework?

[maggit]

OK, then we have different understandings of what makes a language.

You said: "the fact that very few people code pure javascript (...) goes to show how much people like it!"

I argue that using jQuery does not change the "pure JavaScript"-ness of any code, just like using Rails does not change the "pure Ruby"-ness of any code, just like using libpng does not change the "pure C"-ness of any code. In every case, it's all in one language anyway -- therefore it is pure in that language.

This comment is not intended to be an argument either way. I am just trying to clarify exactly which point of view I have been trying to argue :)