MurJs

MurJs is an open-source JavaScript framework designed for building reactive web interfaces with an emphasis on streaming server-side rendering and incremental hydration. It provides a compact runtime and a compiler that translates templates into efficient JavaScript functions, aiming to deliver fast initial renders with minimal client-side overhead.

The project originated in 2022, developed by a collaborative group of developers who sought to improve streaming SSR and fine-grained reactivity. The name MurJs reflects a design philosophy of smooth, incremental updates. It is maintained by an open community and hosted on a public repository under an permissive license.

Architecture of MurJs centers on a component-based model and a reactive signal system. It compiles templates or components into renderable units, enabling the server to stream HTML progressively while the client hydrates sections as data becomes available. The core runtime is intentionally small, with optional elements such as a minimal virtual DOM to balance performance and simplicity.

Key features include streaming server-side rendering, partial hydration, and fine-grained reactivity via signals. The framework offers a JSX-like templating syntax called MurX, and provides integrations for Node.js and Deno. Its modular ecosystem includes adapters for routing, data fetching, and state management, enabling flexible deployment across server and client environments.

Usage typically involves writing components, configuring a rendering entry, and mounting to a DOM-like tree. The server streams HTML to clients, while the client performs incremental hydration to activate interactivity without waiting for a full bundle. Tooling consists of a compiler, a runtime, and bundler plugins to support common JavaScript ecosystems.

MurJs has a growing but niche community. It is praised for performance, simplicity, and an approachable model for streaming interfaces, while criticisms focus on a smaller ecosystem and steeper learning curve. Ongoing development aims to broaden tooling, expand ecosystem integrations, and enhance hydration boundaries.