JavaScript, along with HTML5 and CSS3, makes it easier for programmers to create websites and web applications that look good on both computers and mobile devices with a single code base. Also, robust JavaScript libraries like NodeJS enable programmers to write both front-end and back-end of a web applications in JavaScript. The JavaScript developers can even use various task runners like Grunt JS to speed up and automate common web development tasks.
Each web developers even have option to choose from several open source JavaScript task runners. The usage statistics posted on several websites depict that GruntJS is more popular than other JavaScript task runners. Also, the open source task runner is currently used by large web enterprises like WordPress, Mozilla, Twitter, Adobe, and Microsoft. Also, GruntJS comes with an array of features to accelerate development of modern websites and web applications.
Why JavaScript Developers Prefer GruntJS to Other Task Runners?
Command-Line Interface
GruntJS is written in a powerful JavaScript runtime environment like NodeJS, which enables programmers to run JavaScript on the server. Also, it allows programmers to automate various development tasks using a command-line interface. The web developers can use a robust JavaScript package manager like NPM to install the command-line interface provided by GruntJS. They can further load and run GruntJS simply by executing the “grunt” command. The users even have option to store multiple versions of GruntJS in various directories and execute each version individually.
Option to Create Custom Tasks
The web developers can use the command-line interface provided by GruntJS to automate and run a variety of web development tasks defined in a specific file written in JavaScript – Gruntfile. They can further use specific plug-ins to load and run predefined tasks without putting extra time and effort. At the same time, the programmers also have option to create custom task according to their precise needs. After creating a custom task, the developers can include it in Gruntfile and run it by executing the command “grunt <task name>”.
Loads of Plug-ins
As reusable code, plug-ins make it easier for web programmers to run predefined tasks. A single plug-in further contains the task directory and the required JavaScript files. A user has option to choose from over 6,200 existing Grunt plug-ins. He can further install the required plug-ins seamlessly using NPM. At the same time, the developer also has option to create custom plug-ins according to his precise needs and publish them using NPM. Hence, a web developer can use existing Grunt plug-ins to automate and accelerate repetitive web development tasks like minification and concatenation of front-end files, static code analysis, code compilation and linting and unit testing.
Keep Development Workflows Consistent
Nowadays, most websites and web applications are developed in different environments. Hence, enterprises often find it difficult to keep the workflow consistent and make programmers write maintainable code. GruntJS enablesJavaScript developers to automate repetitive web development tasks. A user can even configure the JavaScript task runner to track the changes made to the code, in addition to automating the repetitive tasks. The programmers can use unified commands to run several web development tasks without writing additional code. Hence, an enterprise can set up GruntJS to keep the development workflows consistent while developing software in a distributed development environment.
However, the JavaScript programmers have option to choose from a number of task runners. But several studies have shown that GruntJS is faster than other JavaScript task runners. It further accelerates web application development by allowing JavaScript developers to download a variety of existing plug-ins and create custom plug-ins according to their precise needs. Many developers even create and upload new Grunt plug-ins at frequent intervals.
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