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BlokJS – No VDOM, no build reactive UI framework (~9KB gzipped)

BlokJS – No VDOM, no build reactive UI framework (~9KB gzipped)

by maleta·Mar 3, 2026·1 point·0 comments

AI Analysis

●●SolidBig BrainShip It

ES Proxy reactivity without build step, but Lit and htmx already solve unbundled UI.

Strengths
  • ES Proxy auto-dependency tracking is genuinely clever—reference a property and DOM updates
  • No build step, no dependencies, one 9KB script file; true zero-config prototyping
  • Task board example demonstrates real routing, auth, drag-drop in single file
Weaknesses
  • Crowded space: Lit, Alpine, htmx, and Preact solve unbundled reactivity with larger ecosystems
  • No TypeScript, JSX, or devtools—DX is intentionally minimal, limiting appeal
Target Audience

Frontend developers building prototypes or small apps without build infrastructure

Similar To

Lit · Alpine.js · htmx

Post Description

BlokJS is a ~9KB (gzipped) reactive UI framework with components, routing, and a built-in store. No build step, no dependencies, no virtual DOM - just a library in one js file.

Reactivity uses ES Proxies with automatic dependency tracking - reference a property in your view and updates happen automatically. Components are plain objects, no JSX or templates needed. Async methods automatically get reactive loading/error states.

I built this because I wanted a framework where I could prototype and ship frontend without bundlers or config - something closer to how backend development feels.

Live example (task board with auth, drag-drop, routing): https://maleta.github.io/blokjs/examples/task-board.html#/lo...

Source: https://github.com/maleta/blokjs

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