What is Ember.js? Where is it Used? | Ember.js Installation

Ember.js is one of the best frameworks used to develop fast and efficient web applications. It is a tool used to develop high-performance, easy-to-use, and sustainable web applications. In this article, we explain what Ember.js is, what it does, and how to use it 👇.

What is Ember.js?

Ember.js is a open-source and free JavaScript framework used to develop fast and efficient web applications. It enables the creation of JavaScript applications on the client side by providing solutions that include data management and application flow. 

Ember.js helps developers create user interfaces. It provides a set of development tools that allow developers to make quick decisions. Initially released in 2011 under the name SproutCore, Ember.js began to be called Ember.js after changing its name in 2012.

What are the Features of Ember.js?

• ✅ Strong context management
• ✅ Dynamic components and component templates
• ✅ Scalable and sustainable code structure
• ✅ High-performance data binding
• ✅ Advanced routing and state management
• ✅ Ease of creating a new project from scratch or integrating into an existing project
• ✅ MVC (Model-View-Controller) design pattern

Why Should Ember.js Be Used?

1. Ember.js is an open-source JavaScript framework under the MIT license.
2. It uses the Handlebars.js template engine to create custom templates.
3. It includes a browser extension called Ember Inspector to streamline the development workflow.
4. It includes the Glimmer rendering engine feature to increase processing speed. 
5. It offers a command-line interface feature that enhances developers' productivity. 
6. Ember.js includes the Ember CLI (Command Line Interface) tool.

What are the Disadvantages of Ember.js?

1. Ember.js has a steep learning curve. It may require time and effort to learn.
2. Ember.js is a JavaScript framework that includes some specific requirements for application development. Therefore, developers may need to set up a development environment that is configured to meet these requirements.
3. Ember.js may not be suitable for large-scale applications. Otherwise, performance issues may arise.

What is Ember.js Used For?

Ember.js is used to create client-side web developments with the model-view-controller (MVC) architecture. Ember.js aims to shorten the development time. The use cases of Ember.js include web applications that require heavy data processing, SPAs (Single Page Applications), social networks, and other web applications.

Ember.js includes a data binding feature that automatically updates the values of data. The data binding feature saves time by allowing developers to handle more complex issues while manually adjusting data values. Ember.js automatically generates routes, controllers, and shareable URL links. 

Ember.js is commonly used by web developers. However, it is also used in desktop and mobile application development. For example, Apple uses Ember.js in its desktop and mobile applications. 

Ember JS Installation

Ember JS installation is a relatively easy framework. Ember CLI uses the Node.js runtime and npm to fetch dependencies. 

To install, you must first have Node.js and NPM (Node Package Manager) installed. Then, Ember CLI is installed by entering the command "npm install -g ember-cli" in the terminal. 

To install the beta version, the command npm install -g ember-cli@2.10 is used. To create a new Ember application, the command "ember new my-app" is used. This command creates a new Ember project and installs the necessary files and folders. To check Ember's installation, the command ember -v is used.

What are the Ember.js Plugins?

Ember.js allows the addition of plugins. These plugins provide more functionality. Some Ember.js plugins are as follows: 

• ➡️ PREmber: Used to create blog websites.
• ➡️ FastBoot: Used to server-side render dynamic and complex web pages.
• ➡️ Ember Data: Used as a data management solution for Ember.js applications. This plugin manages the data model by connecting to a RESTful API and facilitates the application's interaction with the data source.
• ➡️ Ember Simple Auth: Used for user authentication and authorization.
• ➡️ Liquid Fire: Used to help create animations and transitions in EmberJS applications.

How to Create a Project in Ember.js?

Step 1

First, create a folder where you will create your applications. For example, if you created the "emberjs-app" folder, navigate to it as follows:

$ cd ~/emberjs-app

Step 2

Inside the "emberjs-app" folder, create a new project using the new command. 

$ ember new demo-app

Step 3

Run the new project with the following command.

$ ember server

Step 4

Open your browser and go to http://localhost:4200/. You will see the Ember.js Welcome page.

Basic Concepts of Ember.js

• Route (Route) - In Ember.js workflow, routes define the template and the model that the template can access.
• Templates - Templates are powerful user interfaces for end-users. They are written in the Handlebars language. Templates include expressions like {{ title }} or {{ author }}.
• Models - Models are used to save or retrieve data.
• Components - Components control the user interface behavior. They consist of two parts within templates and JavaScript: a source file that defines the component's behavior.

Does Ember.js Require JavaScript?

Since Ember.js is a JavaScript framework, applications created with Ember.js include JavaScript code. Therefore, it is recommended to have a general knowledge of JavaScript before using Ember.js. Ember.js is a template-focused framework. Therefore, depending on the application being created, interacting with JavaScript code may not be necessary.