Svelte 4 vs Mithril: A Comprehensive Comparison

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In the world of frontend development, Svelte 4 and Mithril represent two distinct approaches to building web applications. While Svelte 4 takes a compiler-based approach, Mithril offers a lightweight, hyperscript-based solution with a focus on simplicity and performance. Let’s explore their differences and use cases.

Table of Contents

  1. Core Concepts
  2. Reactivity and State Management
  3. Templating and Components
  4. DOM Manipulation
  5. Event Handling
  6. Component Composition
  7. Form Handling
  8. Lifecycle Management
  9. Performance and Bundle Size
  10. Learning Curve
  11. Conclusion

Core Concepts

Svelte 4 and Mithril take fundamentally different approaches to building web applications:

  • Svelte 4 is a compiler that transforms components into highly optimized vanilla JavaScript at build time
  • Mithril is a lightweight framework that uses hyperscript (JavaScript functions) to create virtual DOM elements

Reactivity and State Management

State Declaration

Both frameworks offer different ways to declare and manage state:

Svelte 4’s Approach

<script>
  let name = "John";
</script>

<h1>Hello {name}</h1>

Svelte’s reactivity is built into the language itself, making state management intuitive.

Mithril’s Approach

import m from "mithril";

export default function Name() {
  let name = "John";

  return {
    view: () => m("h1", `Hello ${name}`),
  };
}

Mithril uses plain JavaScript variables and functions to manage state, with manual redraw triggers when needed.

Computed Values

Svelte 4’s Reactive Declarations

<script>
  let count = 10;
  $: doubleCount = count * 2;
</script>

<div>{doubleCount}</div>

Svelte uses the $: label to create reactive statements.

Mithril’s Computed Properties

import m from "mithril";

export default function DoubleCount() {
  let count = 10;
  let doubleCount = count * 2;
  return {
    view: () => m("div", doubleCount),
  };
}

Mithril uses regular JavaScript functions and variables for computed values.

DOM Manipulation

Conditional Rendering

Svelte 4

{#if light === "red"}
  <span>STOP</span>
{:else if light === "orange"}
  <span>SLOW DOWN</span>
{:else if light === "green"}
  <span>GO</span>
{/if}

Mithril

import m from "mithril";

const instructions = (light) => {
  switch (light) {
    case "red":
      return "STOP";
    case "orange":
      return "SLOW DOWN";
    case "green":
      return "GO";
  }
};

return {
  view: () => m("span", instructions(currentLight)),
};

List Rendering

Svelte 4

<script>
  const colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];
</script>

<ul>
  {#each colors as color (color)}
    <li>{color}</li>
  {/each}
</ul>

Mithril

import m from "mithril";

export default function Colors() {
  const colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];
  return {
    view: () =>
      m(
        "ul",
        colors.map((color, idx) => m("li", { key: idx }, color))
      ),
  };
}

Event Handling

Click Events

Svelte 4

<script>
  let count = 0;
  function incrementCount() {
    count++;
  }
</script>

<p>Counter: {count}</p>
<button on:click={incrementCount}>+1</button>

Mithril

import m from "mithril";

export default function Counter() {
  let count = 0;
  const incrementCount = () => {
    count = count + 1;
    m.redraw();
  };

  return {
    view: () =>
      m(
        "div",
        m("p", `Counter: ${count}`),
        m("button", { onclick: incrementCount }, "+1")
      ),
  };
}

Form Handling

Text Input

Svelte 4

<script>
  let text = "Hello World";
</script>

<p>{text}</p>
<input bind:value={text} />

Mithril

import m from "mithril";

export default function InputHello() {
  let text = "Hello world";
  const handleChange = ({ target: { value } }) => {
    text = value;
    m.redraw();
  };

  return {
    view: () =>
      m("", m("p", text), m("input", { value: text, onchange: handleChange })),
  };
}

Lifecycle Management

Component Mounting

Svelte 4

<script>
  import { onMount } from "svelte";
  let pageTitle = "";
  onMount(() => {
    pageTitle = document.title;
  });
</script>

<p>Page title: {pageTitle}</p>

Mithril

import m from "mithril";

export default function PageTitle() {
  return {
    oncreate: () => document.title,
    view: () => m("p", `Page title: ${document.title}`),
  };
}

Performance and Bundle Size

Svelte 4

  • Zero runtime overhead (compiled to vanilla JS)
  • Smaller bundle size
  • Better initial load performance
  • Highly optimized DOM updates

Mithril

  • Very small bundle size (~10KB gzipped)
  • Fast virtual DOM implementation
  • Built-in routing and XHR
  • Minimal abstraction overhead

Learning Curve

Svelte 4

  • Gentle learning curve
  • Familiar template syntax
  • Minimal boilerplate
  • Build setup required

Mithril

  • Moderate learning curve
  • JavaScript-centric approach
  • Hyperscript syntax to learn
  • Minimal setup required

Conclusion

Choose Svelte 4 if you:

  • Want optimal runtime performance
  • Prefer writing less boilerplate
  • Need smaller bundle sizes
  • Want a more template-based approach
  • Are building modern web applications

Choose Mithril if you:

  • Need a minimal, lightweight framework
  • Prefer JavaScript-centric development
  • Want built-in routing and XHR
  • Need a framework with minimal abstractions
  • Are building performance-critical applications

Both frameworks excel in different scenarios:

  • Svelte 4 is perfect for modern, performance-focused applications with a great developer experience
  • Mithril shines in lightweight applications where performance and simplicity are key priorities

The choice between Svelte 4 and Mithril often depends on your project’s requirements:

  • Use Svelte 4 for building modern applications with a focus on developer experience
  • Use Mithril for building lightweight applications where performance and simplicity are paramount





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