Eleva.js – A 2.3KB JavaScript framework with signals and no virtual DOM

Hello HN,

I've been working on Eleva.js, a minimalist frontend framework that just hit v1.0.0.

What it is: A 2.3KB (gzipped) vanilla JavaScript framework with signal-based reactivity and direct DOM patching.

Why I built it: I wanted something between writing raw DOM manipulation and using React/Vue. No JSX, no compiler, no virtual DOM — just native template literals and a simple reactivity primitive.

The mental model is intentionally small:

  const app = new Eleva("App");

  app.component("Counter", {
    setup({ signal }) {
      const count = signal(0);
      return { count, inc: () => count.value++ };
    },
    template: (ctx) => `
      <p>${ctx.count.value}</p>
      <button @click="inc">+</button>
    `
  });

  app.mount(document.body, "Counter");

Technical choices:

- Signals for reactivity (similar to Solid/Preact signals) - Direct DOM diffing instead of virtual DOM - Render batching via queueMicrotask - No build step required — works with native ES modules - ~0.5KB/row memory overhead in Chrome benchmarks

Trade-offs:

- No SSR yet (client-side only) - Template strings aren't as composable as JSX - Smaller ecosystem than established frameworks

Links:

- Docs: https://elevajs.com - GitHub: https://github.com/TarekRaafat/eleva - npm: npm install eleva

Happy to answer questions about the implementation or design decisions.