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I have been using OpenLayers and the ESRI's JavaScript API and found that both using different set of JavaScript libraries have some implications on the quality of application that they deliver. Dojo has three dominions, including dijit and dojox but there is no such aspect in ExtJS.

What I have come to believe is that, this is the most prominent feature that distinguishes Dojo from ExtJS. This provides the opportunity to change the look and feel of Dojo based apps more easily as compared to ExtJS. The look and feel of ExtJS can be very easily noticed.

I am still at a pretty early stages of learning and so might have a wrong notion, but I would definitely appreciate if you could suggest as to what makes ExtJS framework different from Dojo Framework?

Also, I keep stumbling on these terminologies of Framework and Libraries, could you also clarify, when are they Framework and when are they Library or do both mean the same?

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For what kind of application? – Pablo Aug 16 '12 at 11:33

2 Answers

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OpenLayers is not built on ExtJS in the same way ArcGIS Javascript API is built on top of dojo. I would instead compare GeoExt with dojox.geo.openlayers. If your question is which framework is better I can say that dojo documentation has vastly improved thanks to SitePen and that dojo provides the tools to create MVC instead of an actual MVC architecture provided by ExtJS.

In the same way, GeoExt seems to favor widgets:

  • form, grid, tips, tree
  • Action
  • FeatureRenderer
  • LayerLegend
  • LayerOpacitySlider
  • LegendImage
  • LegendPanel
  • MapPanel
  • Popup
  • PrintMapPanel
  • UrlLegend
  • VectorLegend
  • WMSLegend
  • ZoomSlider

And dojox provides tools:

  • Collection
  • Feature
  • Geometry
  • GeometryFeature
  • GfxLayer
  • GreatCircle
  • JsonImport
  • Layer
  • LineString
  • Map
  • Patch
  • Point
  • TouchInteractionSupport
  • WidgetFeature

I believe the dojo community is missing a project similar to GeoExt. gmaps-utility-gis is the effort of a single developer and I'm not aware of anything else like it for either ArcGIS JSAPI or OpenLayers.

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This StackOverflow question has pretty much all the bases covered: Which JavaScript framework (jQuery vs Dojo vs … )?

Most important to note is that ExtJS is not free unless you open-source your project (or meet one of the exceptions), see their licensing page: http://www.sencha.com/products/extjs/license/

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Also what about the framework and library – Sam007 Aug 15 '12 at 23:11
A framework is generally more extensive than a library. A framework usually involves a specific architecture, development tools and can consist of many libraries. – blah238 Aug 16 '12 at 0:47

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