UnConference: Beyond the React-ion

The modern web landscape is evolving fast. React continues to dominate, but is it always the right choice? The Sparkbox team recently hosted an UnConference to talk about web standards, progressive enhancement, and React’s role in the modern web ecosystem.

React remains the dominant framework in the frontend world, but it’s not always the right choice for every project. Modern web development sits at the intersection of powerful frameworks, evolving web standards, and an ever-growing need for resilient, accessible experiences.

Today’s frontend landscape challenges us to be more intentional about the tools we choose. Popular frameworks can be a great fit, but they’re not always necessary. Choosing the right approach means weighing factors like complexity, performance, maintainability, and the skills of the people who will build and support the work.

With the plethora of modern frameworks available, it’s important to not lose sight of the fundamentals. Concepts like progressive enhancement are still as important as ever. Starting with semantic HTML to deliver meaningful content, and then layering CSS and JavaScript as enhancements, creates experiences that work across devices, network conditions, and assistive technologies. Even in a JavaScript-heavy ecosystem, prioritizing a strong foundation ensures more people can access and use what we build.

At our recent UnConference, the Sparkbox team explored these ideas in a series of talks. We examined how modern standards can simplify development, how React and other frameworks fit into today’s web landscape, and how we can build sites that are accessible and dependable without losing sight of the fundamentals that have brought us where we are today.

Beyond the React-ion with Dustin Whisman and Jon Oliver

Dustin and Jon explore React’s evolving role in modern web development. They walk through the history of frontend complexity, how React solved early challenges, and why it has become both indispensable and, at times, overkill. The session covers performance trade-offs, the rise of web standards like Custom Events and Web Components, and practical strategies for choosing the right tools, whether that means vanilla JavaScript or frameworks like Next.js and Astro. Whether you’re building a simple website or a complex application, you’ll walk away with insights into where React fits best and when other approaches might be a better fit.

Progressive Enhancement in a Framework-First World with Rise Erpelding

Rise shares why progressive enhancement remains critical in today’s JavaScript-heavy web landscape. Using relatable examples and practical tips, she explains how building in layers, starting with semantic HTML, then CSS, and finally JavaScript, creates resilient experiences that work for all users, regardless of their devices, connections, or assistive technologies. The session also covers how to choose tools and frameworks that support progressive enhancement, how to test effectively, and why a solid core experience often matters more than flashy features.

From HTML First to JavaScript Everywhere with Kasey Bonifacio

Kasey reflects on how web development has evolved from simple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to today’s complex, component-driven frameworks. She explores the balance between embracing modern tools and staying grounded in timeless best practices like separation of concerns, progressive enhancement, and simplicity. The session highlights the benefits and trade-offs of frameworks, the risks of complexity and bloat, and practical ways developers can build resilient, accessible, and maintainable websites in a fast-changing landscape.