The document discusses the need for "thick-client" single-page applications using JavaScript frameworks like AngularJS. It argues that traditional progressive enhancement approaches ruin applications by not taking advantage of modern browser capabilities. Single-page apps have advantages like simple architecture, speed, and keeping state on the client-side. While they have challenges like separate projects and initial loading, there are solutions to issues like SEO. Tooling exists to help with builds, testing, and deployment of front-end code. The overall message is that browsers are now powerful platforms and application architecture should reflect that.

1. AngularJS Mountain View
The Thick Front-End
Jeff Dickey
@dickeyxxx
http://dickey.xxx/

2. Agenda
•
Why we need a Thick-Client
•
How I’ve written JavaScript in the past
•
How I architect new applications

3. This talk is about why,
not what

4. Carbon Five

11. Rails is amazing
•
Apps are easy to build
•
We test everything
•
Easy to deploy
•
Packages everything for you

12. However applications require
more interactivity now
•
Automatic refresh (notifications)
•
Animations
•
Fast editing
•
More speed

13. JavaScript and Rails are at
odds with each other.
•
JavaScript is hard to test.
•
No structure is given for JavaScript.
•
Turbolinks causes bugs

14. I used to avoid JavaScript
whenever possible.

16. Why?

18. Browsers are a real
platform now!

19. Progressive enhancement
ruins applications.

20. Why have a
Single-page app?
•
Simple architecture
•
Insanely fast
•
Can architect back-end separately
•
Free API!
•
State lives in the client

21. If the web came out
tomorrow…

22. Generating code intended
to be executed by the client
would be insane.

23. Browsers are smart now.
Let’s architect for that.

24. Demo time.

25. Single-page app not without
problems
•
2 projects, new workflow
•
Initial page-load performance
•
SEO

26. There are solutions
•
BromBone
•
Prerender (phantomjs)
•
render_static gem (selenium)
•
escape_fragment

27. Marketers should not
dictate how we architect.

28. Tooling is available!

29. Grunt
•
Compile SASS
•
Minify CSS/JS
•
Shrink .png
•
Test front-end
•
Automate deployments

30. Bower
•
Front-end package manager
•
Like rubygems, brew or package control in
Sublime
•
Unobtrusive. Really simple.

32. Summary
•
The way we build applications is dated
•
The web is now ready for Thick-Client apps
•
Thick Clients make architecture simple

33. Browsers are smart now.
Treat them like it.
@dickeyxxx