rxjs vs immutable vs ramda vs fp-ts
Functional Programming and Reactive Libraries Comparison
1 Year
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What's Functional Programming and Reactive Libraries?

These libraries provide various tools and paradigms for managing data and state in JavaScript applications, particularly focusing on functional programming, immutability, and reactive programming. They help developers write cleaner, more maintainable code by promoting principles such as immutability, higher-order functions, and observables. Each library has its unique approach and use cases, making them suitable for different types of projects and development styles.

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rxjs54,341,96531,1844.5 MB2722 months agoApache-2.0
immutable23,172,23633,037737 kB11217 days agoMIT
ramda11,816,27123,9651.18 MB15110 months agoMIT
fp-ts2,896,22711,0774.74 MB1929 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: rxjs vs immutable vs ramda vs fp-ts

Immutability

  • rxjs:

    RxJS does not inherently provide immutability but can be used in conjunction with immutable data structures. It allows for the creation of observable streams that can emit immutable data, ensuring that the original data remains unchanged while still allowing for reactive programming.

  • immutable:

    Immutable.js is dedicated to providing immutable data structures that are efficient and easy to use. It allows for the creation of List, Map, Set, and other data types that cannot be changed after creation, ensuring that state remains consistent throughout the application.

  • ramda:

    Ramda does not focus on immutability directly but encourages immutability through its functional programming style. It provides functions that do not mutate the original data, promoting a functional approach to handling data transformations.

  • fp-ts:

    fp-ts provides immutable data structures through its type classes, allowing developers to work with immutable values while maintaining type safety. It emphasizes functional programming principles, enabling developers to create predictable and maintainable code.

Functional Programming

  • rxjs:

    RxJS is centered around functional programming with its use of observables and operators. It allows for the composition of asynchronous operations in a functional manner, enabling developers to create complex data flows using a declarative style.

  • immutable:

    Immutable.js is not primarily a functional programming library but can be used in functional programming contexts. It provides immutable data structures that can be manipulated using functional techniques, although it does not offer a comprehensive set of functional programming utilities.

  • ramda:

    Ramda is a functional programming library that emphasizes a functional style of programming. It provides a wide array of utility functions that are curried and can be easily composed, making it simple to build complex operations from smaller, reusable functions.

  • fp-ts:

    fp-ts is built around functional programming concepts, providing a rich set of tools for composing functions, handling side effects, and managing asynchronous operations. It includes constructs like Either and Task to handle errors and asynchronous computations in a functional way.

Learning Curve

  • rxjs:

    RxJS has a steep learning curve, particularly for those new to reactive programming. The concepts of observables, operators, and subscriptions can be challenging to grasp initially, but once understood, they provide powerful tools for managing asynchronous data.

  • immutable:

    Immutable.js has a moderate learning curve, especially for developers who are accustomed to mutable data structures. Understanding how to effectively use its API and data structures takes some time but is generally straightforward.

  • ramda:

    Ramda is relatively easy to learn for those familiar with functional programming concepts. Its focus on simplicity and composability makes it accessible, though mastering its full potential may require practice and experience.

  • fp-ts:

    fp-ts has a steeper learning curve due to its reliance on advanced TypeScript features and functional programming concepts. Developers need to be familiar with concepts like monads and higher-order functions to fully leverage its capabilities.

Use Cases

  • rxjs:

    RxJS is best for applications that deal with asynchronous data streams, such as real-time applications or those that require complex event handling. It's particularly useful in scenarios where data needs to be observed and reacted to over time.

  • immutable:

    Immutable.js is ideal for applications that require high-performance state management, such as React applications where frequent updates occur. It helps prevent unintended mutations and ensures that state changes are predictable.

  • ramda:

    Ramda is perfect for projects that emphasize functional programming and require a rich set of utility functions for data manipulation. It's great for transforming data in a declarative manner, especially in functional programming-heavy applications.

  • fp-ts:

    fp-ts is well-suited for applications that require strong type safety and functional programming paradigms, such as complex business logic or data transformations where predictability and maintainability are crucial.

How to Choose: rxjs vs immutable vs ramda vs fp-ts
  • rxjs:

    Choose rxjs if you are working with asynchronous data streams and need a powerful way to handle events, asynchronous operations, and reactive programming. It's particularly useful in applications that require real-time data updates and complex event handling.

  • immutable:

    Choose immutable if you need a library specifically designed for immutable data structures. It's perfect for applications that require frequent state updates without mutating the original data, enhancing performance and predictability.

  • ramda:

    Choose ramda if you prefer a functional programming style with a focus on simplicity and composability. It offers a wide range of utility functions that can be easily composed, making it suitable for projects that emphasize functional programming principles without the need for complex data structures.

  • fp-ts:

    Choose fp-ts if you want to leverage TypeScript's type system to create robust functional programming constructs. It's ideal for projects that require strong type safety and functional paradigms like monads and functors.

README for rxjs

RxJS Logo RxJS: Reactive Extensions For JavaScript

CI npm version Join the chat at https://gitter.im/Reactive-Extensions/RxJS

The Roadmap from RxJS 7 to 8

Curious what's next for RxJS? Follow along with Issue 6367.

RxJS 7

FOR 6.X PLEASE GO TO THE 6.x BRANCH

Reactive Extensions Library for JavaScript. This is a rewrite of Reactive-Extensions/RxJS and is the latest production-ready version of RxJS. This rewrite is meant to have better performance, better modularity, better debuggable call stacks, while staying mostly backwards compatible, with some breaking changes that reduce the API surface.

Apache 2.0 License

Versions In This Repository

  • master - This is all of the current work, which is against v7 of RxJS right now
  • 6.x - This is the branch for version 6.X

Most PRs should be made to master.

Important

By contributing or commenting on issues in this repository, whether you've read them or not, you're agreeing to the Contributor Code of Conduct. Much like traffic laws, ignorance doesn't grant you immunity.

Installation and Usage

ES6 via npm

npm install rxjs

It's recommended to pull in the Observable creation methods you need directly from 'rxjs' as shown below with range. If you're using RxJS version 7.2 or above, you can pull in any operator you need from the same spot, 'rxjs'.

import { range, filter, map } from 'rxjs';

range(1, 200)
  .pipe(
    filter(x => x % 2 === 1),
    map(x => x + x)
  )
  .subscribe(x => console.log(x));

If you're using RxJS version below 7.2, you can pull in any operator you need from one spot, under 'rxjs/operators'.

import { range } from 'rxjs';
import { filter, map } from 'rxjs/operators';

range(1, 200)
  .pipe(
    filter(x => x % 2 === 1),
    map(x => x + x)
  )
  .subscribe(x => console.log(x));

CDN

For CDN, you can use unpkg:

https://unpkg.com/rxjs@^7/dist/bundles/rxjs.umd.min.js

The global namespace for rxjs is rxjs:

const { range } = rxjs;
const { filter, map } = rxjs.operators;

range(1, 200)
  .pipe(
    filter(x => x % 2 === 1),
    map(x => x + x)
  )
  .subscribe(x => console.log(x));

Goals

  • Smaller overall bundles sizes
  • Provide better performance than preceding versions of RxJS
  • To model/follow the Observable Spec Proposal to the observable
  • Provide more modular file structure in a variety of formats
  • Provide more debuggable call stacks than preceding versions of RxJS

Building/Testing

  • npm run compile build everything
  • npm test run tests
  • npm run dtslint run dtslint tests

Adding documentation

We appreciate all contributions to the documentation of any type. All of the information needed to get the docs app up and running locally as well as how to contribute can be found in the documentation directory.