Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

JSHint VS RequireJS

Compare JSHint VS RequireJS and see what are their differences

JSHint logo JSHint

New JSHint website. Anton Kovalyov Oct 1st, 2013. For the last couple of weeks I've been working on a new homepage for JSHint and today I'm proud to announce the new jshint. com! JSHint Website.

RequireJS logo RequireJS

RequireJS is a JavaScript file and module loader.
  • JSHint Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27
  • RequireJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-19

JSHint features and specs

  • Customization
    JSHint allows developers to configure various options to tailor the linting process according to their specific project requirements.
  • Community Support
    JSHint is widely used and has a robust community, which means plenty of tutorials, plugins, and community-driven improvements are available.
  • Real-time Feedback
    JSHint provides real-time feedback on JavaScript code, helping developers catch errors and enforce coding standards as they write their code.
  • Integration
    It integrates well with many editors and build tools, making it easier to incorporate into existing development workflows.
  • Compliance
    JSHint helps enforce consistent coding styles and coding standards, which can be beneficial for team projects.

Possible disadvantages of JSHint

  • Performance
    Running JSHint can sometimes be slower compared to other modern linters, which might affect the workflow, especially in large projects.
  • Development Activity
    JSHint's development activity has been perceived as slower compared to newer tools like ESLint. This might mean slower implementation of new features and standards.
  • Feature Set
    JSHint has fewer rules and customization options compared to more modern linting tools like ESLint, which can limit its usefulness for complex projects.
  • False Positives
    Sometimes, JSHint might flag code that is actually correct based on personal or team coding standards, which can lead to the need for configuration overrides.
  • Deprecation Risk
    There is a perceived risk that JSHint might become deprecated as the development community shifts towards newer tools with more features.

RequireJS features and specs

  • Modularization
    RequireJS encourages a modular approach to development by allowing developers to define dependencies between JavaScript files. This modularization leads to cleaner code and easier maintenance.
  • Asynchronous Loading
    Scripts are loaded asynchronously, which can lead to improved performance. This non-blocking nature ensures that the web page remains responsive while scripts are still being loaded.
  • Dependency Management
    RequireJS automatically manages dependencies, ensuring that each module is loaded in the correct order. This reduces the risk of runtime errors caused by missing or incorrectly ordered scripts.
  • AMD Standard
    It implements the Asynchronous Module Definition (AMD) API, which promotes compatibility between different JavaScript libraries that conform to this standard.
  • Optimization Tools
    RequireJS includes optimization tools that can concatenate and minify JavaScript files, reducing the number of HTTP requests and file size for production environments.

Possible disadvantages of RequireJS

  • Learning Curve
    For developers not familiar with AMD or module loaders, RequireJS can introduce complexity and have a steep learning curve compared to simpler script-loading methods.
  • Not ES6 Module Compatible
    RequireJS is designed around the AMD pattern and does not natively support ES6 module syntax, which has become the standard in modern JavaScript development.
  • Overhead
    Although it offers powerful features, RequireJS introduces some initial setup and configuration overhead, which can be cumbersome for small projects or scripts.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some older libraries or scripts might not be compatible with RequireJS without modifications, leading to potential integration issues when using certain third-party libraries.
  • Declining Popularity
    With the adoption of native ES6 modules and modern build tools like Webpack and Parcel, RequireJS is less commonly used, potentially reducing community support and resources.

Analysis of JSHint

Overall verdict

  • Yes, JSHint is considered a good tool for JavaScript developers who need to ensure code quality and consistency. It provides valuable insights and helps maintain a clean codebase, although it might not be as feature-rich or extensible as some more modern alternatives.

Why this product is good

  • JSHint is a widely used static code analysis tool for JavaScript, which helps developers identify potential errors and enforce coding conventions. It offers a flexible configuration and is highly customizable, allowing developers to tailor the tool to fit their coding style and project requirements. Additionally, it has strong community support and integrates well with various text editors and build systems.

Recommended for

    JSHint is recommended for developers and teams seeking a lightweight and easy-to-configure linter for JavaScript projects. It is particularly useful for small to medium-sized projects and developers who prefer a quick setup without extensive configuration. However, for projects that require more sophisticated analysis or support for newer JavaScript features, exploring other tools like ESLint might be beneficial.

Analysis of RequireJS

Overall verdict

  • RequireJS is considered a robust solution for legacy projects or for teams who started their development process before JavaScript standards evolved. However, with the introduction and adoption of native ES6 modules and tools like Webpack and Rollup, RequireJS has become less relevant for new projects. It's a good solution if you are maintaining an older codebase and need consistency, but for new projects, modern alternatives may be more appropriate.

Why this product is good

  • RequireJS is a JavaScript file and module loader designed to improve the speed and quality of your code. It has been particularly beneficial in managing dependencies and loading scripts asynchronously, which helps optimize performance by loading only the necessary modules when needed. RequireJS was a popular choice when JavaScript development environments needed a reliable way to modularize code before the widespread adoption of ES6 modules.

Recommended for

    RequireJS is recommended for projects that are already using it, especially if the project is large and refactoring to a different module system would be resource-intensive. It can also be suitable for legacy web applications that have complex dependency chains which have been built with AMD (Asynchronous Module Definition) patterns. However, newer projects are better served with modern bundlers and native ES6 module syntax.

JSHint videos

Improve code quality with JSHint

More videos:

  • Review - JSHint- JavaScript Code Quality Tool, detect errors and potential
  • Review - JavaScript Static Analysis - Linting with JSLint, JSHint, and ESLint

RequireJS videos

Optimize Your CSS With RequireJS

More videos:

  • Review - RequireJS and Magento2
  • Review - Yeoman 1.0 Backbone RequireJS - Video 2

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to JSHint and RequireJS)
JS Build Tools
49 49%
51% 51
Front End Package Manager
Web Application Bundler
42 42%
58% 58
Development
53 53%
47% 47

User comments

Share your experience with using JSHint and RequireJS. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

JSHint might be a bit more popular than RequireJS. We know about 16 links to it since March 2021 and only 12 links to RequireJS. 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.

JSHint mentions (16)

  • ESLint adoption guide: Overview, examples, and alternatives
    Emerging as a fork of JSLint, JSHint was introduced to offer developers more configuration options. Despite this, it remains less flexible than ESLint, particularly in terms of rule customization and plugin support, limiting its adaptability to diverse project needs. The last release dates back to 2022. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Mastering Node.js
    JSHint is a code-checking tool that'll save you loads of time finding stupid errors. Find a plugin for your text editor that will automatically run it on your code. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Trouble with Syntax
    Also, if you are going to code for this sheet and do not know about the website jshint.com, you need to know about jshint.com. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • I’m trying to play Shinsetsu Mahou Shoujo + but it keeps giving me an error. I’ve tried changing the folder location, and renaming the folder… I also tried English, Japanese, and even Chinese locale. Can anybody help?
    There is an error in some file. Or maybe some wine shenanigans (never used it). You can try searching for the file item-possessionLimit.js and paste it into something like https://jshint.com/ to get an analysis and try to fix it. But it might give you further errors or file might be packed somewhere. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Trying not to be a jerk to myself. :(
    If you are coding for this sheet and you do not know about jshint.com ... Source: about 2 years ago
View more

RequireJS mentions (12)

  • Why hasn't JavaScript implemented namespaces yet?
    There is a library called requirejs (https://requirejs.org/) that accomplishes what I am referring to. However, this is essentially similar to the situation in PHP prior to version 5.3 - a solution implemented at the level of a separate library rather than at the language level. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Getting Started With Parcel.js: A Web Application Bundler in 2022
    Webpack is the most popular bundler and it followed on the heels of Require.js, Rollup, and similar solutions. But the learning curve for a tool like webpack is steep. Getting started with webpack isn’t easy due to its complex configurations. As a result, in recent years another solution has emerged. This tool is not necessarily a front-runner, but an easier-to-digest alternative on the front-end module bundler... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • RequireJS: How to define modules that contain a single "class"?
    I have a number of JavaScript "classes" each implemented in its own JavaScript file. For development those files are loaded individually, and for production they are concatenated, but in both cases I have to manually define a loading order, making sure that B comes after A if B uses A. I am planning to use RequireJS as an implementation of CommonJS Modules/AsynchronousDefinition to solve this problem for me... Source: about 3 years ago
  • When to use Requirejs and when to use bundled javascript?
    This may be a dumb question for web guys. But I am a little confused over this. Now, I have an application where I am using a couple of Javascript files to perform different tasks. Now, I am using Javascript bundler to combine and minify all the files. So, at runtime there will be only one app.min.js file. Now, Requirejs is used to load modules or files at runtime. So, the question is if I already have all things... Source: about 3 years ago
  • JavaScript Module Formats and Tools
    AMD (Asynchronous Module Definition), is a pattern to define and consume module. It is implemented by RequireJS library. AMD provides a define function to define module, which accepts the module name, dependent modules’ names, and a factory function:. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing JSHint and RequireJS, you can also consider the following products

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.

Webpack - Webpack is a module bundler. Its main purpose is to bundle JavaScript files for usage in a browser, yet it is also capable of transforming, bundling, or packaging just about any resource or asset.

rollup.js - Rollup is a module bundler for JavaScript which compiles small pieces of code into a larger piece such as application.

Yeoman - To do so, we provide a generator ecosystem. A generator is basically a plugin that can be run with the `yo` command to scaffold complete projects or useful parts. Through our official Generators, we promote the "Yeoman workflow".

JSPM - Front End Package Manager, Frontend Development, and Javascript

GNU Make - GNU Make is a tool which controls the generation of executables and other non-source files of a program from the program's source files.