Zsolt Tövis - Strategic Master Architect
Zsolt TövisStrategic Master Architect
What is jQuery
What is jQuery

What is jQuery?

jQuery is a widely adopted technology for making websites interactive. Below is a business-focused evaluation of the technology to assist in strategic decision-making regarding its implementation or phase-out.

The Essence of the Technology

jQuery is a JavaScript programming library designed to simplify operations on websites, such as moving elements, hiding content, or loading data without reloading the page. This technology acts as a "bridge" between different web browsers, ensuring that a feature working for one user functions identically for another, regardless of their device. Although it is not a new technology, a significant portion of the web (including WordPress-based sites) is still built upon it today.​

Business Benefits

The primary arguments for using jQuery are cost-efficiency and stability. Since it is a highly mature technology, the developer labor market is saturated with professionals who know it, so maintenance does not require recruiting expensive, specialized "rockstar developers". The technology boasts a massive ecosystem of add-ons (plugins), meaning there are ready-made, immediately implementable solutions for many business needs (e.g., calendars, galleries), which reduces development time. For legacy systems, its stability guarantees continuous operation without significant new investment.​

Drawbacks and Risks

For modern, complex web applications (e.g., banking interfaces, intricate administration systems), jQuery's performance and structure are considered outdated compared to modern solutions like React or Vue. In larger projects, the code can become unstructured and opaque ("spaghetti code"), increasing the likelihood of errors and slowing down future developments. Security risks arise if the company uses an outdated version or relies on plugins with discontinued support, potentially opening doors to cyberattacks (e.g., XSS).​

Practical Application

jQuery is an ideal choice for operating simple corporate websites, promotional pages (landing pages), and content management systems (CMS) where the goal is rapid deployment rather than complex data management. However, it is less suitable for high-traffic applications that display constantly changing data. Historically, global giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Google have utilized it for certain services, alongside the vast majority of websites powered by the WordPress ecosystem.​

Executive Summary

From a strategic perspective, jQuery now falls into the "maintenance and preservation" category rather than innovation. It is not recommended as a primary technology for developing new, large-scale digital products in 2025, as more efficient and future-proof alternatives exist. However, for maintaining existing systems or ensuring a simple web presence, it remains a rational, low-risk, and cost-effective decision. The investment pays off if the goal is the stable operation of existing assets, not the launch of a new market-leading software product.​

Frequently Asked Questions

jQuery is open-source software released under the MIT license. This means its use is completely free for commercial purposes, with no annual fees or hidden royalties. Legal risks are minimal.

It is extremely easy to find professionals, as almost every web developer has acquired this knowledge over the past 15 years. Labor costs are generally lower than for experts specializing in modern frameworks (e.g., React).

The core library is secure if the latest version is used. Risks primarily stem from unmaintained legacy versions and unverified third-party add-ons (plugins) that may contain vulnerabilities.

jQuery can be deeply embedded in a website's functionality, making its extraction and replacement a time-consuming and costly process. While there is no classic "Vendor lock-in," a strong technological dependency can develop, hindering modernization.

Since it is a client-side technology (running in the user's browser), it requires no special server investment. It runs on any existing web infrastructure, making operational costs negligible.

The technology's active development has slowed and is in a "maintenance" phase. It will not disappear overnight due to its massive adoption, but new industry standards are no longer built around it. In the long term (5-10 years), it represents technical debt.

ROI is realized primarily through low development and maintenance costs. For short-term, simple projects, its price-to-value ratio is unbeatable, but for complex systems, maintenance may become more expensive in the long run due to harder scalability.

Although a mobile-optimized version exists (jQuery Mobile), it is considered obsolete today. It is not suitable for modern mobile app development; newer technologies (like React Native or Flutter) should be used instead.

The biggest mistake is attempting to build a complex, high-traffic business application on jQuery foundations in 2025. This can lead to performance issues and the eventual forced rewrite of the entire system.

It performs worse in terms of speed and code organization at scale compared to modern tools. However, it is "better" in its simplicity, as it does not require complex "build" processes or compilation steps — it simply "works" on older systems.

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