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Eloquent JavaScript VS PostCSS

Compare Eloquent JavaScript VS PostCSS and see what are their differences

Eloquent JavaScript logo Eloquent JavaScript

Free ebook for the JS Beginners

PostCSS logo PostCSS

Increase code readability. Add vendor prefixes to CSS rules using values from Can I Use. Autoprefixer will use the data based on current browser popularity and property support to apply prefixes for you.
  • Eloquent JavaScript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-22
  • PostCSS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

Eloquent JavaScript features and specs

  • Comprehensive Learning Resource
    Eloquent JavaScript covers a wide range of topics, from basic syntax to advanced concepts like asynchronous programming and web development. This depth makes it a valuable resource for both beginners and advanced programmers.
  • Interactive Code Examples
    The book contains numerous interactive code examples that allow readers to see the effects of their code in real-time. This hands-on approach reinforces learning and helps solidify concepts.
  • Free Online Access
    Eloquent JavaScript is available for free online, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection. This allows learners from around the world to benefit from its content without financial barriers.
  • Engaging Writing Style
    The author, Marijn Haverbeke, writes in an engaging and clear style, making complex topics more understandable and keeping readers interested.
  • Good Balance of Theory and Practice
    The book strikes a good balance between theoretical explanations and practical exercises, allowing readers to apply what they have learned immediately.

Possible disadvantages of Eloquent JavaScript

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Some readers may find the book's progression to be rapid, especially if they are complete beginners. The book quickly moves from basic to more complex topics, which can be overwhelming.
  • Lacks Visual Aids
    While the text is clear and the code examples are helpful, the book could benefit from more visual aids like diagrams and illustrations to explain complex concepts.
  • Assumes Some Prior Knowledge
    Although it's aimed at beginners, the book sometimes assumes that readers have some prior programming experience, which can make it less accessible to absolute novices.
  • Limited Coverage of Latest ES Features
    The book may not cover some of the latest features and best practices introduced in newer versions of JavaScript (e.g., ES2019 and beyond), meaning readers might need to supplement their learning with additional resources.
  • Web Development Sections Could Be More Detailed
    While the book does touch on web development, the sections on this topic are not as in-depth as some readers might hope. Those looking to get a more thorough grounding in web development may need to consult other sources.

PostCSS features and specs

  • Modularity
    PostCSS is built around plugins, which means you can choose the exact features you need and avoid bloat. This modularity offers high customizability.
  • Performance
    PostCSS is known for its fast performance owing to its efficient processing and the ability to use only required plugins.
  • Large ecosystem
    With a vast set of available plugins, PostCSS can achieve a wide range of functionality, from linting and vendor prefixing to advanced CSS transformations.
  • Active community
    An active open-source community continuously maintains and updates PostCSS and its plugins, ensuring long-term support and innovation.
  • Integration
    PostCSS can be easily integrated into various build systems such as Webpack, Gulp, and Grunt, making it highly versatile in different development environments.

Possible disadvantages of PostCSS

  • Learning curve
    Given its flexibility and the need to configure and choose among many plugins, PostCSS can have a steeper learning curve for beginners.
  • Plugin dependencies
    Relying on multiple plugins can lead to dependency management issues, and possible conflicts between plugins if not carefully handled.
  • Configuration overhead
    Setting up PostCSS might require more initial configuration effort compared to some integrated solutions which provide out-of-the-box functionality.
  • Plugin quality variance
    The quality and maintenance of available plugins can vary, with some plugins being outdated or less reliable than others.
  • Lack of opinionation
    PostCSS's unopinionated nature means it requires developers to have a clear understanding of their needs, potentially leading to inconsistencies in plugin choices if used across different projects.

Analysis of Eloquent JavaScript

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Eloquent JavaScript is considered a good and valuable resource for learning JavaScript. It effectively balances theory with practical application, making it a popular choice among students and developers wishing to deepen their understanding of the language.

Why this product is good

  • Eloquent JavaScript is widely regarded as a strong resource for learning JavaScript due to its comprehensive coverage of both fundamental and advanced concepts. It is praised for its clear explanations, practical examples, and engaging writing style, which help readers understand complex topics. Its focus on best practices and problem-solving skills makes it a valuable reference for both beginners and experienced developers.

Recommended for

  • Beginners looking for a solid introduction to JavaScript
  • Intermediate developers seeking to reinforce their knowledge
  • Experienced programmers wanting to explore more advanced JavaScript topics
  • Anyone interested in functional programming concepts
  • Developers aiming to improve their problem-solving skills in JavaScript

Analysis of PostCSS

Overall verdict

  • Yes, PostCSS is considered a good tool, particularly praised for its adaptability and extensive plugin ecosystem that caters to various CSS processing needs. Its ability to integrate with a wide range of plugins makes it a versatile choice for developers who want to customize their CSS build process.

Why this product is good

  • PostCSS is highly regarded for its flexibility and powerful ecosystem. It serves as a tool for transforming CSS with JavaScript plugins, allowing developers to add custom processing steps and automate repetitive tasks in their CSS workflows. It supports features like CSS variables, nesting, and autoprefixing, which enhance productivity and code maintainability. PostCSS is also valued for its speed and performance, often providing faster processing times compared to other CSS preprocessors.

Recommended for

    Developers looking for a modular and flexible CSS processing tool, teams who want to integrate custom plugins into their build process, projects that require modern CSS features and optimizations, and anyone seeking to enhance their CSS workflow with additional functionality beyond what standard preprocessors offer.

Eloquent JavaScript videos

Eloquent JavaScript A Modern Introduction to Programming 3rd Edition by Marijn Haverbeke review

More videos:

  • Review - Eloquent JavaScript review
  • Review - Book Review: Eloquent Javascript by Marijn Haverbeke

PostCSS videos

UnCSS your CSS! Removing Unused CSS with PostCSS & Parcel

More videos:

  • Review - Terry Smith – Keep your CSS simple with postcss and tailwind
  • Review - #1 PostCSS Обзор

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Eloquent JavaScript and PostCSS)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
43 43%
57% 57
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Programming Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Eloquent JavaScript should be more popular than PostCSS. It has been mentiond 217 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Eloquent JavaScript mentions (217)

  • How do we learn to get good at programming
    Videos, blogs, text-based teachings, YouTube project-based learning, books, and the like are all examples of various methods and mediums of acquiring skills, especially in the software engineering industry. As I continue to navigate this challenge, I've made major changes, one being that I will now document the journey, and the other, I switched to reading books on JavaScript. I currently use the book ELOQUENT... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: Changing my mind about JavaScript
    Seconded. I won't recommend it and no one I know has recommended it for a decade. It's hard for someone who doesn't know JS to know which parts has changed and is no longer the way to do things. https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS are the 2 best source for learning JS. If you don't have time to read both, just go with https://eloquentjavascript.net/ If one needs to go further, go through... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Ask HN: Changing my mind about JavaScript
    > Do you have any tip for learning js at it's fundamentals? I would recommend: - https://eloquentjavascript.net/ - https://javascript.info/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Top 12 JavaScript Resources for Learning and Mastery
    Eloquent JavaScript is a free online book by Marijn Haverbeke. It's a great resource for learning JavaScript from scratch, with a focus on writing clean and effective code. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • How to Get Started as a New Open Source Contributor to PgAdmin4
    Beginner Resources: Start with the basics using resources like Eloquent JavaScript and JavaScript.info. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
View more

PostCSS mentions (45)

  • Desktop apps for Windows XP in 2025
    Fortunately we have tools like PostCSS and Babel, that let you target your specific Browser version, and they'll do their best to transpile and polyfill your code to work with that version. This alone will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you if you are working with a lot of code. However, if you are just writing out a few HTML, CSS, and JS files, then that would be overkill and you can just figure out what code... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Improving Code Quality with Linting
    For example, linting CSS can be beneficial in cases where you need to support legacy browsers. Downgrading JavaScript is pretty common, but it's not always as simple for CSS. Using a linter allows you to be honest with yourself by flagging problematic lines that won't work in older environments, ensuring your pages look as good as possible for everyone. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • 30+ CSS libraries and frameworks help you style your applications efficiently.
    PostCSS PostCSS is a tool for transforming CSS with JavaScript plugins. These plugins can lint your CSS, support variables and mixins, transpile future CSS syntax, inline images, and more. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Webpack Performance Tuning: Minimizing Build Times for Large Projects
    PostCSS is essential to the frontend ecosystem, with 69,473,603 downloads per week, it is bigger than all the above libraries mentioned, and has many features other than polyfilling, it is used by all the frameworks like Next.js, Svelte, Vue, and Tailwind under the hood. LightningCSS, created by the maintainer of another bundler Parcel, and written in Rust, is an excellent alternative. It provides all the... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • CSS Variable Naming: Best Practices and Approaches
    Stylelint: A modern, flexible linter for CSS that can be configured to check variable consistency. PostCSS: A tool that transforms CSS with plugins, including variable checks. CSS Linter: A specific tool to ensure correct and consistent use of CSS variables. Conclusion 🔗. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Eloquent JavaScript and PostCSS, you can also consider the following products

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Sass - Syntatically Awesome Style Sheets

CodePen - A front end web development playground.

Tailwind CSS - A utility-first CSS framework for rapidly building custom user interfaces.

Node.js - Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast, scalable network applications

Bootstrap - Simple and flexible HTML, CSS, and JS for popular UI components and interactions