Backbone.js Modernized: Rebuilding Without jQuery/Underscore, Adding Classes, TypeScript, and ES Modules

Introduction: The Evolution of Backbone.js Backbone.js, once a cornerstone of JavaScript frameworks, emerged in an era where jQuery and Underscore.js were indispensable. jQuery abstracted DOM manipulation, while Underscore provided utility functions for functional programming. Together, they formed the backbone (pun intended) of Backbone.js, enabling developers to structure applications with models, views, and collections. However, the JavaScript ecosystem has since outgrown these dependencies. Modern browsers now natively support much of what jQuery offered, and functional utilities are baked into the language itself. This shift raises a critical question: Can Backbone.js remain relevant without its original crutches? The Rationale for Rebuilding The author’s decision to strip Backbone.js of jQuery and Underscore isn’t arbitrary. It’s a response to the mechanical obsolescence of these libraries in modern development. jQuery’s DOM manipulation, for instance, is now redundant with metho