Thoughts on Particle.js Library?

I used the particle.js library and coded my own parameters from scratch. A senior dev, told me that it was very junior of me to use and copy and paste particle.js into my website… I didn’t copy and paste, I downloaded the library, then I coded parameters from scratch… he said "it is super junior of you "… “it screams that you are a junior”.

What makes someone a junior for using the Particle.js library?
The github repo has 1.8k stars, 26 contributors, and is used by many “senior devs”, or developers who have been coding for many years…

Particles.js is not an easy library to implement unless you have a high level knowledge of JavaScript and theres a learning curve to implement it. Plus it can do so much more then just particles… it can do amazing things with images, text, shapes, and other graphics.

So does someone have to code an entire library to be a senior? I am super confused.
What are your thoughts on Particles.js library? Whether you are a beginner, junior, senior, or a unicorn? Do you think Particles.js is for beginners only?

For the record, I was not meaning to imply that using a library is inherently “junior” - I use a lot of libraries on my sites. But that that particular library gets used on a lot of beginners’ sites - in fact that is the only place I remember it being used. And by my (conservative tastes) it seems tacky in this professional context. Perhaps if the site had been up to my standards of what I would expect a portfolio site to contain, that might have been different. But to my eyes, it follows a pattern on beginning sites to try to “show off” with a lot of CSS craziness. Furthermore, it was the most striking feature of the site. My impression (if I was a hirer and that came across my desk) is that someone is trying to hide a lack of experience with fireworks. To me a developer portfolio site should be to sell yourself as a developer. What I saw did not impress me and I felt like fancy graphics were trying to hide that. I (having somewhat conservative tastes) found that odd. I wasn’t talking about your skill as a developer or what you can do - I was commenting on what my impression was when I saw in the site that was presented. I tend to focus more on content than flair.

But I am not perfect. Calling me a “senior” would be “generous” at best. I’m just a guy that’s seen a lot of portfolio sites from beginners, seen a lot of portfolio sites from professionals, and been involved in a little bit of the hiring process. Maybe you’re right - maybe I’m way off base. Maybe people will be impressed by what you presented. But you said that you haven’t been able to get an interview and asked for some input - that was my input, for what it is.

People are welcome to disagree with me. Let’s see what other people think. I don’t really want to argue it again, but it will be interesting to hear what other people think.

The library has just been overused. It happens all the time not just in code but in popular culture (clothes, music, art, whatever). Usually, overuse makes it less attractive.

Comic Sans wouldn’t be lambasted as some horrible font was it not for it being so overused (and improperly used). Its inspiration was literally from comic books and it looks just like it’s supposed to. In all fairness, it’s not even that bad of a font. But if you use it now, pretty much on anything, you’re guaranteed to get criticized for it.

Sometimes things just go out of style.


Not sure I agree with that. The home page has a UI builder and the config is downloadable. Which makes it something almost anyone can add to a page and make it look “special”. But because of its overuse, it doesn’t look “special” anymore, it looks like a bunch of other pages. This is why the page might be interpreted as a beginner trying to “show off”.

Not saying you can’t add your own config that you build from scratch and doing so would take some knowledge and time. But unless you come up with something super unique no one will see it like that. To most, it will look the same as all the other pages.

Don’t take it too personally. I get it, it’s not fun to be criticized for something you made. But being receptive to criticism is a good way to learn and grow. It’s never (shouldn’t be) an attack on you as a person, even though it might feel like it.

Anyway, if you like it I suggest you keep it. It’s your page, so make it yours.

hummm, i was not trying to show off, I actually like particles.js and wanted to learn how to use it and implement it in my project. not sure why it gives the “show off” vibes to some people. but really my question is - why would this make you look like a beginner? because of it’s over use? Or because it might be easy for some to implement it into a project? For me I made a Vue.js version and React.js version. Vue was very easy to implement particles.js, but it took me 4 hours to get it working in React… and I am more versed in React. I didn’t add the particles because it looks special, I added it because I was learning how to use it, how it worked, and what made it interactive. I don’t think that should be looked down as beginner or lower level.

I like particles too. I’m actually a huge fan, I love it in compositing and 3D software. You can do super neat things with particle systems.

But they do tend to get overused and misused. You can see it in wannabe YouTube videos as well. They will have some cheesy intro with lots of particles.

It’s all about how you use them. I’m sure you can come up with some more unique usage of Particles.js that doesn’t just scream “Hey look at me, I’m using Particles.js”.

I am not using it in the context of hey “look at me”, I am using it, because I am learning how to use it, how it works, what makes it interactive. that should not be looked down upon. I guess that is my main point.

Then I would suggest you add it to one of your projects and not your portfolio.

Remember we a talking about this from a potential employer perspective. The last thing you want is for your page to look like something they have seen a million times before from (no offense to anyone) a lot of less than serious beginner developers.

As @kevinSmith mention what you should be focusing on is the content, the projects, and your code. It can be a super boring page and still show off some amazing work. In the end, all that matters is your projects, the code, and who you are as a person (very important).

Anyway, I think I have said all I can on this subject.

I do appreciate your feedback. And again we all here to learn. It would be nice to get opinions from non-moderators tho… or anyone who has used Particles in their projects. I would love to learn how you used them.

You shouldn’t have taken these constructive critics so personally at the beginning. For me, first, when I saw Particle.js on people’s website, it looked amazing, but now it looks boring because I have seen it a lot even though I’m not advanced.

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yes, I guess it would be boring after seeing a lot. I guess I havent seen them enough tho to make me bored… lol

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