Why We’re Building the Front End Wrong (and How to Fix It) - JSJ 688

Delaney Gilliland discusses the limitations of single-page applications and introduces Datastar, a lightweight alternative using server-sent events.

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with Delaney Gilliland to dive into why most of us are building the front end wrong—and what a faster, leaner, and simpler alternative could look like. We explore his background in game development and military applications, which gave him a unique perspective on web performance and real-time data challenges. That perspective ultimately led him to create Datastar, a new framework designed to rethink the way we approach front-end development. We talk about the limitations of SPAs, the promise (and pitfalls) of tools like HTMX and Turbo, and how Datastar builds on web standards to deliver speed, efficiency, and simplicity without the baggage of heavy state management. Whether you’re curious about server-sent events, morphing strategies, or just want to see how front-end development could be done differently, this conversation will get you thinking about the future of the web. Links & Resources Datastar official site x.com/DelaneyGillilan github.com/delaneyj