Polymer Web Components. Temporary Fad, or Tool of the Future?

[httpwebwitch]

Seeking opinions whether I should build out a giant pile of functionality using Polymer Web Components.

Does Polymer have enough traction that it's going to be a ubiquitous tool of the future, or is it just another dev fad? If I'm going to build dozens of complex components, I want to know if I'm going to regret the time investment in two years.

[graeme_p]

Web components are a standard, but not supported by all browsers (but there are polyfills). They look to useful not to take off, so I think you can count on web components staying around.

Google seems committed to Polymer, and Mozilla to X-tags, but its early days yet for web components, so its hard to guess what will happen. It is quite likely that multiple libraries will survive - JQuery may be very popular, but it has not killed off all other JS libraries, I suppose it comes down to how much work Polymer will save you compared to alternatives.

[httpwebwitch]

Another factor: I'm building these components for public consumption. ie I expect other people to use them to embed *my* useful content on their own websites. So I really should be offering something that's more than just simple - it has to be completely effortless and impossible to screw up.

I'm uncertain that the typical blogger is going to be keen enough to instal bower and do command-line installation crap.

[graeme_p]

Polymer does not require bower, although it is recommended. You could presumably create a distributable file.

X-Tag has distributable files that do not require bower (unless you want a custom build).

You could just use plain JS and the Polymer polyfill.

A lot of people would make their lives easier if they did "command line installation crap". Yes, I know you want to get people to use your components, not start a campaign to get people to change their habits, but I think its something that is worth saying.