I’ve built and sold two companies. I’ve invested in over 200 more, including some of the biggest names in AI. And I can tell you that some of the most important decisions you make in a startup are the ones that seem small at the time. Like choosing a frontend framework.
Sounds trivial, right? Pick one, get coding. But the wrong choice can cost you months in development time, kill your performance, and make it impossible to scale. I learned this the hard way at RemoteTeam. We picked a framework that was popular, but it turned out to be a nightmare for our specific needs. We ended up having to re-write a huge chunk of our frontend, and it almost killed our momentum.
So when it comes to Vue, I have some strong opinions. There are a lot of great frameworks out there, but there’s one that I keep coming back to, and it’s probably not the one you think.
The Usual Suspects
When people talk about Vue frameworks, they usually mention a few names:
- Nuxt.js: The big one. It’s powerful, it’s got a huge community, and it’s packed with features. It’s the “safe” choice.
- VuePress: Great for static sites and documentation. It’s simple, fast, and easy to use.
- Gridsome: Another static site generator, but with a focus on data-driven sites. It uses GraphQL to pull in data from different sources.
I’ve used all of them. And they’re all fine. But “fine” doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to build a world-class product.
My Problem with "Fine"
Nuxt is a beast. It can do everything, but that’s also its weakness. It’s heavy, it’s complex, and it has a steep learning curve. For a small startup team, that’s a lot of overhead. We spent more time fighting with Nuxt at RemoteTeam than we did building features for our customers.
VuePress and Gridsome are on the other end of the spectrum. They’re simple and fast, but they’re also limited. If you need to build anything more than a basic static site, you’re going to hit a wall. I’ve seen startups try to build their entire application on top of a static site generator, and it always ends in tears.
The Counterintuitive Truth
So what’s the answer? What’s the framework that’s powerful enough to build a real application, but simple enough to not slow you down? For me, it’s Quasar.
I know what you’re thinking. Quasar? Isn’t that for building mobile apps? Yes, it is. But it’s also for building web apps, desktop apps, and even browser extensions. And it does it all from a single codebase.
That’s the counterintuitive truth. The best Vue framework for building a web app is the one that’s not just a web app framework.
Why I Bet on Quasar
Here’s why I’m so bullish on Quasar:
- One Codebase, Many Platforms: This is the big one. With Quasar, I can build a web app, and then with a few commands, I can have a native-looking mobile app for iOS and Android. I can even build a desktop app for Mac and Windows. This is a massive advantage for a startup. It means I can reach more customers on more platforms without having to hire more developers.
- Batteries Included: Quasar comes with a huge library of high-quality UI components. They’re all designed to work together, and they’re all themed to look great on every platform. This saves me a ton of time. I don’t have to go hunting for a component library, and I don’t have to worry about whether it’s going to work with my framework.
- Performance: Quasar is fast. It’s built on top of Vue, so it’s already got a great foundation. But the Quasar team has done a lot of work to optimize performance, and it shows. My Quasar apps are always snappy and responsive.
- Developer Experience: The developer experience with Quasar is top-notch. The CLI is powerful and easy to use. The documentation is excellent. And the community is friendly and helpful.
A Real-World Example
At one of my portfolio companies, we were building a tool for AI researchers. We needed a web app to manage and visualize complex datasets. We also wanted to have a desktop app for power users who needed to work offline. We started with Nuxt, but we quickly ran into problems. The performance wasn’t great, and we were struggling to get the desktop app to work the way we wanted.
We switched to Quasar, and it was a night-and-day difference. We were able to build the web app and the desktop app from the same codebase, and they both performed beautifully. We launched the product three months ahead of schedule, and it was a huge success.
My Advice to You
If you’re starting a new Vue project, I urge you to give Quasar a try. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s not as well-known as some of the other frameworks. It’s a hidden gem.
Of course, Quasar isn’t perfect for every project. If you’re building a simple blog or a marketing site, VuePress or Gridsome might be a better fit. And if you’re a large enterprise with a team of experienced developers, Nuxt might be the right choice.
But for most startups, I believe that Quasar is the sweet spot. It’s the perfect balance of power and simplicity. It’s the framework that will help you build a better product, faster. And in the startup world, that’s the only thing that matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.