Can I use EmberJS or other frameworks without gettting its server up?

Question

I want a javascript framework which has features like below:

• MV*
• Well structured
• Html file as template
• Rendering fast(maybe virtual dom?)
• Combine and compatible with other plugins or libraries
• Edit on tablet IDE apps and view in browser immediately by refreshing page after I changed code

When I am at home, I use PC to develop my client-side(or front-end) applications.
When go out, I use my tablet(I have no note PC), so I want to develop my applications outside.
*There are some excellent IDE apps on the Android Market.

Before I know Ember, I have been using pure javascript(jquery) + css + html to develop client-side application for daily practices or work.
But recently, when I began to learn EmberJS, a Javascript MVC framwork, I am lost.
It seems that EmberJS have to get its own server up to compile something, which generate static contents for browser rendering.
I just want to get my client-side code(files) rendering in the browser, but why I have to 'run' it as if I get apache started to serve as a php back-end.

I have googled hundreds of pages to find a solution, nothing expected result discovered.
Including Angular, backbone or any other popular Javascript MV* frameworks, they all must compile there applications.

Is there anyone who has encountered this situation? Then any advice, please?

Answer 1

Finally, I found a nice solution(framework) that is Durandal.

Really, pure HTML+Javascript without built and server up(anyhow, a web server needed if I wanted to publish it in my hosted web server).

.html extension and designer friendly.
I can upload its source files directly in to S3 and browse the html pages.
Just found some nice examples with well structured project on github is here.
And I can work smoothly with my dear designer friends.

Though its next generation Aurelia will also be built and serve it up like Ember or others, but the current generation is enough for me.

Hope those one got help from this;)

Answer 2

Increasingly most Javascript frameworks are shifting to doing a "compile step" as part of using them. This allows you to do a variety of changes to your Javascript files, which in turn makes it easier for you as a developer. An example of this is that you can use ES2015 classes and then have your compile step "transpile" them to older Javascript that will work in all browsers.

The side effect of this though is that you need to have npm running on your computer to be able to do this well.

If you really don't want to have the compile step, then I would suggest looking at VueJS. It's the only recent Javascript framework that allows working with simple non-compiled JS files. But you'all be missing out on some of the best changes to Javascript as a result (ES2015 has made life much better)