Aura vs Skylight: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this Markdown code, we will provide the key differences between Aura and Skylight, two technologies commonly used in web development.

1. Deployment Model: Aura is a client-based framework developed by Salesforce, while Skylight is a server-based framework developed by Heroku. Aura is primarily used for developing applications that run on the Salesforce platform, whereas Skylight is used for hosting applications on the Heroku platform.

2. Language Used: Aura is primarily written in JavaScript and supports both server-side and client-side programming. On the other hand, Skylight uses Ruby as its primary programming language and is specifically designed for server-side development.

3. Usability: Aura is most suitable for building complex, enterprise-grade applications that require a large amount of customization and integration with the Salesforce platform. It provides features like data binding, event-driven architecture, and a rich component library. Skylight, on the other hand, is more focused on simplicity and ease of use, making it suitable for rapid prototyping or building small to medium-sized applications.

4. Community Support: Aura has a large and vibrant community of developers due to its association with Salesforce. This means there are extensive resources, documentation, and support available for developers working with Aura. Skylight, being a less widely used framework, may have a smaller community and fewer resources available for support.

5. Ecosystem Integration: Aura has built-in integration with Salesforce's ecosystem, allowing developers to seamlessly leverage other Salesforce products and services in their applications. Skylight, being developed by Heroku, integrates well with other Heroku services and add-ons, providing developers with a wide range of options for hosting, scaling, and managing their applications.

6. Learning Curve: Aura, with its extensive feature set and complexity, may have a steeper learning curve for developers who are new to the Salesforce platform or client-side development. Skylight, being a simpler framework, may have a lower learning curve, making it more accessible to developers with different skill levels.

In summary, Aura and Skylight differ in their deployment model, programming language, usability, community support, ecosystem integration, and learning curve. Aura is more focused on developing enterprise-grade applications on the Salesforce platform, while Skylight emphasizes simplicity and ease of use for server-side development on the Heroku platform.