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Everything about Virtual DOM

Lightweight representation of Document Object Model

A virtual DOM is a lightweight JavaScript representation of the Document Object Model (DOM) used in declarative web frameworks such as React, Vue.js, and Elm. Since generating a virtual DOM is relatively fast, any given framework is free to rerender the virtual DOM as many times as needed relatively cheaply. The framework can then find the differences between the previous virtual DOM and the current one (diffing), and only makes the necessary changes to the actual DOM (reconciliation). While technically slower than using just vanilla JavaScript, the pattern makes it much easier to write websites with a lot of dynamic content, since markup is directly coupled with state. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: Virtual DOMA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Effectiveness of Using Virtual Reality–Supported Exercise Therapy for Upper Extremity Motor Rehabilitation in Patients With Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: The web application hacker's handbookThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Thriller Physics ▪ Virtual Life ▪ Nerd-domCited 1 times
  5. Go sideways: SvelteA closely related topic
  6. Go sideways: React (software)A closely related topic

📖 Definitions

No dictionary entry for this exact phrase.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. History
  2. Implementations

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics