Morphdom

Morphdom is a lightweight JavaScript library for efficiently updating the DOM by diffing and patching real DOM nodes, rather than using a virtual DOM. It works by comparing an existing DOM node with a target DOM node and applying the minimal set of changes needed to transform one into the other. This approach is particularly useful for server-side rendering and applications where direct DOM manipulation is preferred over virtual DOM abstractions.

Also known as: morphdom.js, morph-dom, morph dom, DOM morphing library, Patrick Steele-Idem's morphdom

Why learn Morphdom?

Developers should use Morphdom when they need a performant way to update the DOM without the overhead of a full virtual DOM implementation, such as in server-rendered applications or when integrating with frameworks that don't use virtual DOM. It's ideal for scenarios where you have static or semi-static content that changes infrequently, as it minimizes reflows and repaints by applying precise updates. For example, it's commonly used in projects like Marko.js and with templating engines to efficiently update UI after data changes.

Learning Resources

• docs: Morphdom GitHub Repository
• docs: Morphdom: Lightweight DOM Diffing/Patching
• video: Introduction to Morphdom - YouTube Tutorial
• tutorial: Efficient DOM Updates with Morphdom - Blog Post
• docs: Morphdom in Practice: Integrating with Marko.js