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WildflowerJS Reactive JS, No BS*

A no-build reactive JavaScript framework, rooted in the web platform.
No build step. No dependencies. No lock-in.

<script src="wildflower.min.js"></script> ...and start building.

Back to Basics

The code you write is 100% web standard code. HTML stays HTML. JavaScript stays JavaScript. CSS stays CSS. No JSX, no templating language, no custom syntax to learn. If you know the web platform, you already know how to use this.

WildflowerJS extends the web platform. It doesn't replace it.

Your Development Simplified

Because you develop with 100% web standards, every tool in your existing chain already understands the code: IDE, browser DevTools, linter, formatter, screen reader, SEO crawler. Nothing to install, no custom file types, no sourcemaps. Save the file, refresh, and your change is live.

Just be a web developer.

Batteries Included: One Mental Model

Router, SSR, stores, computed properties, two-way binding, event modifiers, data pools, and TypeScript types, all built in, all speaking the same language. Learn data-bind once and you know binding everywhere: lists, pools, stores, forms. There's no five-library stack to keep in sync.

One script tag. Everything you need.

<div data-component="counter">
  <span data-bind="count"></span>
  <button data-action="increment">
    +1
  </button>
</div>

<script>
wildflower.component('counter', {
  state: { count: 0 },
  increment() { this.count++ }
})
</script>

How It Works

data-bind connects state to the DOM.

data-action connects events to methods.

this.count++ triggers a precise DOM update.

Mutate state. The DOM updates.

Two Reactivity Modes

data-list for automatic reactivity: mutate state, DOM updates. data-pool for explicit control: plain objects, zero proxy overhead, you say what changed.

Same template syntax. Different performance profile. From interactive forms to per-frame particle systems. You choose the right tradeoff for the job.

Try it. Right-click, inspect this demo. Every dot is a real DOM element.

See full demo →

Get Started View Demos
* Build Step

Zero Toolchain

Modern frameworks ask you to install a compiler, a bundler, a package manager, hundreds of fragile transitive dependencies, and a framework-specific file format, before you write a single line of your application.

WildflowerJS was built starting from a single principle: no build step, no tooling. Ever.

WildflowerJS asks you to add a script tag.

There's no CLI scaffolding step, no config files, no .vue/.jsx/.svelte source format. You don't debug through sourcemaps or wait on a build pipeline. Your project has zero dependencies.

Performance isn't a tradeoff. Build steps optimize bundle delivery, not the runtime work that follows it. WildflowerJS writes directly to the DOM, with no virtual DOM or reconciliation pass between state change and update, so it doesn't need a build step to be fast.

The framework is full-featured without the toolchain: router, SSR, stores, computed properties, transitions, pools. You don't need a toolchain to use any of it.

my-app/
  index.html
  app.js
  style.css
  wildflower.min.js

That's the entire project. No package.json.
No node_modules. No config files. Ship it.

Zero Install. Zero Attack Surface.

Every dependency you install is trust extended to a maintainer you've never met, running scripts on your dev machine and in your CI. A typical React + Vite + UI‑lib setup pulls in 300+ transitive packages before you write a feature.

Each one is a potential intrusion vector. NPM worms, OAuth chains compromising deploy platforms, postinstall hijacking: the supply chain is now where production code gets compromised, not the deploy. And signing isn't a backstop: Mini Shai‑Hulud (May 2026) compromised 170+ packages whose malicious versions carried valid SLSA Build Level 3 provenance, because the attestation came from build infrastructure the worm had already taken over.

WildflowerJS users don't have this attack surface, by construction. There is no npm install, no postinstall script, no transitive package graph. The framework is one file you copy or pin by hash.

As of v1.1, the same holds for building the framework itself. WildflowerJS bundles with a vendored rollup and terser pipeline pulled as three SHA‑512‑pinned tarballs: no npm install, no transitive packages, no postinstall scripts in the build path. The entire toolchain is three files you verify by hash.

Zero dependencies is the absence of a problem the rest of the industry has not properly addressed.

A typical React/Vue project:

  npm install
  ├── hundreds of packages
  ├── from hundreds of maintainers
  ├── postinstall scripts run on install
  └── tens to hundreds of MB of transitive code

WildflowerJS:

  <script src="wildflower.min.js"></script>
  └── 1 file.
      No transitive dependencies.

Zero Lock-in

WildflowerJS works with the DOM, not instead of it. There's no virtual DOM intercepting your code and no compiler rewriting your markup. The render cycle is yours.

That means Leaflet, DataTables, Chart.js, D3, Three.js, any library that touches the DOM, just works. No wrapper packages or framework-specific escape hatches required. Drop in a script tag and use it.

Because your code is standard HTML and JavaScript, you're never locked in. Your skills transfer and your code is more portable. If you outgrow the framework, your knowledge doesn't expire.

This also means your "ecosystem" is all of the world of vanilla JS. Without compromises or hacks.

<!-- Use any library directly -->
<div data-component="map-view">
  <div id="map" style="height: 400px"></div>
</div>
wildflower.component('map-view', {
  state: { lat: 51.505, lng: -0.09 },
  init() {
    // Leaflet works as-is. No wrappers.
    this._map = L.map('map')
      .setView([this.lat, this.lng], 13);
    L.tileLayer('https://{s}.tile.osm.org'
      + '/{z}/{x}/{y}.png').addTo(this._map);
  }
})

Precise Reactivity

When you write this.count++, WildflowerJS updates the single DOM node bound to count. Nothing else is touched. There's no tree diffing or reconciliation pass to figure that out.

This isn't a tradeoff. You get fine-grained updates and a simple mental model. Change a property, the bound element updates. That's the entire reactivity model.

Other frameworks ask you to learn signals, accessors, memos, effects, and subscription lifecycles to achieve what WildflowerJS does with a property assignment.

wildflower.component('dashboard', {
  state: {
    users: 1420,
    status: 'healthy'
  },
  computed: {
    summary() {
      return this.users + ' users, ' + this.status;
    }
  },
  refresh() {
    this.users = 1421;
    // Only the elements bound to 'users'
    // and 'summary' update. Everything
    // else on the page is untouched.
  }
})

One Reactivity Model. Everywhere.

Components, Stores, and Plugins all share the same reactive foundation. State, computed properties, and methods work identically no matter where they live. Learn it once, it works the same way in a UI component, a global store, or a framework plugin.

Other frameworks make you learn a different system for each layer. React components use hooks, but stores need Redux or Zustand, which are completely different APIs. Vue components use reactive data, but Pinia stores have their own patterns. Every layer is a new mental model.

In WildflowerJS, there's one model. A store is a component without a template. A plugin is an entity that extends the framework itself, adding directives, lifecycle hooks, and services. The same this.count++ triggers the same reactivity everywhere.

This unlocks patterns other frameworks can't express. A store can run headless physics simulations with tick(), feeding data into a component that renders it through a pool, all using the same reactive primitives, no glue code required.

// Component: reactive UI
wildflower.component('cart', {
  state: { items: [] },
  computed: {
    total() { return this.items.length; }
  }
})

// Store: global shared state
wildflower.store('user', {
  state: { name: '', role: 'guest' },
  computed: {
    isAdmin() { return this.role === 'admin'; }
  }
})

// Plugin: extends the framework
wildflower.plugin({
  name: 'notifications',
  state: { items: [], unreadCount: 0 },
  computed: {
    hasUnread() { return this.unreadCount > 0; }
  },
  add(msg) { this.items.push(msg); this.unreadCount++; }
})
// Access globally: wildflower.$notifications.add(...)

// Same state. Same computed. Same methods.

Data Pools

Every framework wraps collection items in reactive proxies, whether the item needs it or not. WildflowerJS gives you a choice: data-list for push reactivity (automatic), data-pool for pull reactivity (explicit control, zero proxy overhead).

Pools render plain objects with the same template syntax as lists. Mutate the object, call markDirty(), and only that item updates. Full CRUD, selection, bulk operations, all faster than the push-reactive path.

And because pools use pull-based rendering, they scale to simulations, games, particle systems, and data visualizations at native frame rate. Use cases that would choke a virtual DOM. No other framework has anything like this.

<div data-component="user-table">
  <tbody data-pool="users" data-key="id">
    <template>
      <tr>
        <td data-bind="name"></td>
        <td data-bind="status"
            data-bind-class="status === 'active'
              ? 'badge success'
              : 'badge inactive'"></td>
      </tr>
    </template>
  </tbody>
</div>
wildflower.component('user-table', {
  pools: { users: {} },

  init() {
    // Populate: plain objects, no proxies
    data.forEach(u => this.pools.users.add(u));
  },

  // Optional: add tick() and the same pool
  // renders every frame. Same template, same
  // data, different rendering frequency.
  // That's the only difference between a
  // display table and a particle system.
})

Built for AI-Assisted Development

Because WildflowerJS is standard HTML and JavaScript, AI code assistants already know how to write it. There's no custom syntax to hallucinate or compiler quirks to work around. The code an AI generates runs exactly as written, with no build step between generation and execution.

We go further. WildflowerJS ships an AI-optimized reference page with patterns, anti-patterns, and examples designed for code generation context windows. Our llms.txt file follows the llms.txt convention for machine-readable documentation.

And for structured app generation, our Universal App Manifest lets you describe an entire application as a JSON schema (components, state, computed properties, methods, templates) and have an AI generate the working code from the manifest, mediated through framework-specific idiom files.

You: "Build me a todo app with
WildflowerJS"

AI reads llms.txt or ai-assistant.html
     ↓
Generates standard HTML + JS
     ↓
<div data-component="todo-app">
  <input data-model="newItem">
  <button data-action="addItem">
    Add
  </button>
  <ul data-list="items">
    <template>
      <li data-bind="text"></li>
    </template>
  </ul>
</div>
     ↓
Open in your browser. It works, and you can read and understand the code.

Props

Props provide a declarative way to pass data from parent to child components, making data flow explicit and components more reusable.

Why Props?
  • Explicit data flow visible in HTML
  • Child components don't need to know parent names
  • Type validation catches errors early
  • Default values simplify component usage
  • Easier testing with mock data

Basic Props

Pass data from parent to child using data-prop-* attributes. The child defines expected props and accesses them via this.props:

<div class="card">
  <div class="card-body">
    <!-- Parent component with state -->
    <div data-component="user-profile">
        <p>Name: <span data-bind="user.name"></span></p>
        <p>Role: <span data-bind="user.role"></span></p>

        <button class="btn btn-primary btn-sm" data-action="changeUser">
            Change User
        </button>

        <hr>

        <!-- Child receives user via props -->
        <div data-component="user-badge"
             data-prop-user="user"
             data-prop-theme="primary">
            <!-- Child component HTML is inline -->
            <div class="d-flex align-items-center gap-2">
                <span class="badge bg-primary" data-bind-class="badgeClass">
                    <span data-bind="initials"></span>
                </span>
                <span>
                    <strong data-bind="props.user.name"></strong>
                    <small class="text-muted">(<span data-bind="props.user.role"></span>)</small>
                </span>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
// Parent component manages user state
wildflower.component('user-profile', {
    state: {
        user: { name: 'Alice', role: 'Admin' }
    },

    changeUser() {
        const users = [
            { name: 'Alice', role: 'Admin' },
            { name: 'Bob', role: 'Editor' },
            { name: 'Carol', role: 'Viewer' }
        ];
        const current = users.findIndex(u => u.name === this.user.name);
        this.user = users[(current + 1) % users.length];
    }
})

// Child component receives data via props
wildflower.component('user-badge', {
    props: {
        user: { type: Object, required: true },
        theme: { type: String, default: 'secondary' }
    },

    computed: {
        initials() {
            return this.props.user.name.split(' ')
                .map(n => n[0]).join('').toUpperCase();
        },
        badgeClass() {
            return 'badge bg-' + this.props.theme;
        }
    }
})
Live Preview

Props vs $ Accessor

Both approaches enable component communication, but serve different purposes:

Props - Explicit Data Flow 
<div data-component="avatar"
     data-prop-user="currentUser">
  • Data flow visible in HTML
  • Child doesn't know parent name
  • Highly reusable components
  • Easy to test in isolation
$entity.path - Named Access 
<span data-bind="$user-manager.currentUser.name">
</span>
  • Access by entity name in HTML
  • Works for stores, components, plugins
  • Works across the tree
  • No computed wrapper needed

Prop Value Resolution

Prop values are resolved automatically:

  • State path. If the value is a valid identifier that exists in parent state, it resolves reactively: data-prop-name="userName"
  • String literal. If the value contains spaces or isn't found in parent state, it's treated as a literal string: data-prop-title="Hello World"
  • Number / boolean. Numeric and boolean values are parsed automatically: data-prop-count="42", data-prop-visible="true"
  • Explicit literal. Wrap in quotes to force a literal when the value matches a state name: data-prop-label="'name'"

Passing Multiple Props with data-props

Pass multiple props in a single attribute using object expression syntax:

<!-- Object expression: values resolve from parent state -->
<div data-component="card"
     data-props="{ title: cardTitle, color: accentColor }">

<!-- Equivalent to individual attributes: -->
<div data-component="card"
     data-prop-title="cardTitle"
     data-prop-color="accentColor">

Values resolve from parent state and update reactively when the parent state changes. Quoted string values can contain commas: data-props="{ label: 'hello, world', color: color }".

data-prop-* attributes override data-props values when both are present on the same element.

Default Values

Provide defaults for optional props. Use factory functions for objects and arrays to ensure each instance gets its own copy:

<div class="card">
  <div class="card-body">
    <div data-component="defaults-demo">
        <div class="d-flex flex-column gap-3">
            <!-- Card with all defaults -->
            <div data-component="info-card">
                <div class="card border-primary" data-bind-class="cardClass">
                    <div class="card-header bg-primary text-white" data-bind-class="headerClass">
                        <span data-bind="props.title"></span>
                    </div>
                    <div class="card-body">
                        <p class="mb-0">Count: <strong data-bind="props.count"></strong></p>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>

            <!-- Card with custom title (plain text = literal) -->
            <div data-component="info-card"
                 data-prop-title="Custom Title"
                 data-prop-variant="success">
                <div class="card border-success" data-bind-class="cardClass">
                    <div class="card-header bg-success text-white" data-bind-class="headerClass">
                        <span data-bind="props.title"></span>
                    </div>
                    <div class="card-body">
                        <p class="mb-0">Count: <strong data-bind="props.count"></strong></p>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>

            <!-- Card with state-driven props -->
            <div data-component="info-card"
                 data-prop-title="cardTitle"
                 data-prop-count="clickCount"
                 data-prop-variant="warning">
                <div class="card border-warning" data-bind-class="cardClass">
                    <div class="card-header bg-warning text-white" data-bind-class="headerClass">
                        <span data-bind="props.title"></span>
                    </div>
                    <div class="card-body">
                        <p class="mb-0">Count: <strong data-bind="props.count"></strong></p>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <button class="btn btn-primary mt-3" data-action="incrementCount">
            Increment Count (affects 3rd card)
        </button>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
wildflower.component('defaults-demo', {
    state: {
        cardTitle: 'Dynamic Card',
        clickCount: 0
    },

    incrementCount() {
        this.clickCount++;
    }
})

wildflower.component('info-card', {
    props: {
        // Primitive default - use directly
        title: {
            type: String,
            default: 'Default Title'
        },
        count: {
            type: Number,
            default: 0
        },
        variant: {
            type: String,
            default: 'primary'
        },
        // Object default - MUST use factory function!
        // This ensures each instance gets its own copy
        config: {
            type: Object,
            default: () => ({ showBorder: true })
        }
    },

    computed: {
        cardClass() {
            return 'card border-' + this.props.variant;
        },
        headerClass() {
            return 'card-header bg-' + this.props.variant + ' text-white';
        }
    }
})
Live Preview
Important: Always use factory functions () => ({}) for object and array defaults. Using a direct reference like default: {} means all instances share the same object, causing bugs when one instance modifies it.

Type Validation

Props support type checking with String, Number, Boolean, Array, Object, and Function. In development mode, type mismatches throw errors; in production, they log warnings:

<div class="card">
  <div class="card-body">
    <div data-component="validation-demo">
        <!-- Progress bar with validated props -->
        <div data-component="progress-bar"
             data-prop-value="progress"
             data-prop-show-percentage="true"
             data-prop-animated="isAnimated">
            <!-- Child component HTML inline -->
            <div class="progress" style="height: 25px;">
                <div class="progress-bar-inner" data-bind-class="barClass"
                     role="progressbar">
                    <span data-bind="displayText"></span>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="mt-3">
            <button class="btn btn-danger btn-sm" data-action="decreaseProgress">
                -10%
            </button>
            <button class="btn btn-success btn-sm" data-action="increaseProgress">
                +10%
            </button>
            <button class="btn btn-secondary btn-sm" data-action="toggleAnimation">
                Toggle Animation
            </button>
        </div>

        <p class="mt-2 mb-0 small text-muted">
            Progress: <span data-bind="progress"></span>% |
            Animated: <span data-bind="isAnimated"></span>
        </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
wildflower.component('validation-demo', {
    state: {
        progress: 45,
        isAnimated: true
    },

    increaseProgress() {
        this.progress = Math.min(100, this.progress + 10);
    },

    decreaseProgress() {
        this.progress = Math.max(0, this.progress - 10);
    },

    toggleAnimation() {
        this.isAnimated = !this.isAnimated;
    }
})

wildflower.component('progress-bar', {
    props: {
        // Number type with custom validator
        value: {
            type: Number,
            required: true,
            validator: (v) => v >= 0 && v <= 100
        },
        // Boolean type
        showPercentage: {
            type: Boolean,
            default: true
        },
        // Boolean type
        animated: {
            type: Boolean,
            default: false
        }
    },

    computed: {
        barClass() {
            var cls = 'progress-bar';
            if (this.props.animated) {
                cls += ' progress-bar-striped progress-bar-animated';
            }
            return cls;
        },
        displayText() {
            if (this.props.showPercentage) return this.props.value + '%';
            return '';
        }
    },

    // Called when any prop value changes: useful for imperative
    // DOM updates that can't be expressed with data-bind
    onPropsChange() {
        this.updateBarWidth();
    },

    updateBarWidth() {
        var bar = this.element.querySelector('.progress-bar-inner');
        if (bar) bar.style.width = this.props.value + '%';
    },

    init() {
        this.updateBarWidth();
    }
})
Live Preview

Supported Types

Type JavaScript Value Example Prop Value
String 'hello' data-prop-name="John" (literal) or data-prop-name="userName" (state)
Number 42 data-prop-count="42" or data-prop-count="itemCount"
Boolean true / false data-prop-visible="true" or data-prop-visible="isShown"
Array [1, 2, 3] data-prop-items="todoList"
Object { key: 'value' } data-prop-config="settings"
Function () => {} data-prop-on-click="handleClick"

Function Props (Callbacks)

Pass parent methods as props to enable child-to-parent communication. This is the recommended pattern for children to notify parents of events:

<div class="card">
  <div class="card-body">
    <div data-component="counter-parent">
        <p>Parent count: <strong data-bind="count"></strong></p>

        <!-- Child receives callback to notify parent -->
        <div data-component="counter-buttons"
             data-prop-on-increment="handleIncrement"
             data-prop-on-decrement="handleDecrement"
             data-prop-on-reset="handleReset">
            <button class="btn btn-danger" data-action="decrement">-1</button>
                <button class="btn btn-success" data-action="increment">+1</button>
                <button class="btn btn-secondary" data-action="reset">Reset</button>
        </div>

        <hr>

        <!-- Another child with different callbacks -->
        <div data-component="counter-buttons"
             data-prop-on-increment="handleBigIncrement"
             data-prop-on-decrement="handleBigDecrement">
            <button class="btn btn-danger" data-action="decrement">-10</button>
                <button class="btn btn-success" data-action="increment">+10</button>
        </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
// Parent manages state and provides callbacks
wildflower.component('counter-parent', {
    state: {
        count: 0
    },

    // Callbacks passed to first child
    handleIncrement() {
        this.count += 1;
    },

    handleDecrement() {
        this.count -= 1;
    },

    handleReset() {
        this.count = 0;
    },

    // Callbacks for second child (bigger increments)
    handleBigIncrement() {
        this.count += 10;
    },

    handleBigDecrement() {
        this.count -= 10;
    }
})

// Reusable button component - calls parent callbacks
wildflower.component('counter-buttons', {
    props: {
        onIncrement: { type: Function },
        onDecrement: { type: Function },
        onReset: { type: Function }
    },

    increment() {
        if (this.props.onIncrement) {
            this.props.onIncrement();
        }
    },

    decrement() {
        if (this.props.onDecrement) {
            this.props.onDecrement();
        }
    },

    reset() {
        if (this.props.onReset) {
            this.props.onReset();
        }
    }
})
Live Preview

Props Definition Reference

Full Syntax

wildflower.component('my-component', {
    props: {
        // Full definition with all options
        propName: {
            type: String,              // Constructor: String, Number, Boolean, Array, Object, Function
            required: false,           // Boolean - throws/warns if missing when true
            default: 'value',          // Default value (use factory for objects/arrays)
            validator: (v) => true     // Custom validation function
        }
    }
})

Shorthand Syntax

For simple props, use type-only shorthand:

wildflower.component('button', {
    props: {
        label: String,      // Shorthand: just the type
        disabled: Boolean,
        onClick: Function
    }
})

Prop Value Formats

Format Example Resolves To
State path data-prop-user="currentUser" Parent's state.currentUser
Nested path data-prop-name="user.profile.name" Parent's state.user.profile.name
String literal data-prop-title="Hello World" 'Hello World'
Number literal data-prop-count="42" 42
Boolean literal data-prop-visible="true" true
Computed property data-prop-total="computed:orderTotal" Parent's computed orderTotal
Parent method data-prop-on-click="handleClick" Parent's handleClick method (bound)

Best Practices

Do
  • Use props for parent-to-child data flow
  • Define types for documentation and validation
  • Use factory functions for object/array defaults
  • Pass callbacks for child-to-parent communication
  • Keep props minimal and focused
  • Use required: true for essential props
Don't
  • Modify props directly (they're read-only)
  • Use object literals as defaults without factories
  • Pass too many props (consider restructuring)
  • Use props for global state (use stores instead)
  • Forget to handle missing optional props

Ready to learn more?

Now that you understand props, explore how components communicate in other ways and manage their lifecycle.

Component Basics Lifecycle Hooks Global Stores
Previous Slots
Next Configurable Templates
Related patterns: Parent-Child Props