Do Frameworks Matter Anymore?

The post asks whether web frameworks still matter in the age of agentic programming and concludes that they do. It argues that if you do not use an explicit framework, an LLM will create an implicit one anyway, so the real question is what kind of framework should shape the work.

It treats frameworks as providers of abstractions, structure, and constraints, and says those qualities are still useful when building with agents. The author also says there is still room to improve on existing options and that new frameworks can matter if they help AI produce code that is easier to reason about.

Reading notes

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• The text questions whether, with agentic programming and better models, it still makes sense to use web frameworks.
• The central thesis is that frameworks remain useful because they offer abstractions, structure, and constraints for building sites.
• The author argues that if there is no explicit framework, the LLM itself will end up creating an implicit framework.
• He says this makes it more relevant to decide what kind of framework should guide the work, and not whether there will be some framework layer or not.
• The text states that React, Next.js, and other existing options are used because they still deliver practical advantages, but they do not close the discussion.
• The author argues that there is still room for new frameworks, especially if they are full-stack, based on web standards, and easy to use with AI.