How to set up hot reload in Miso?

Use WASM browser mode with ghciwatch by cloning the miso-sampler repository and running nix commands, as described in the hot reload section for rapid development workflow.

Miso vs Elm: which is better for functional web apps?

Miso offers full Haskell power and multi-platform support, while Elm is more beginner-friendly but web-only; choose based on team Haskell expertise and need for mobile or WASM targets.

Can I build mobile apps with Miso?

Yes, via the miso-lynx repository which integrates with LynxJS, allowing Haskell code to run on iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS devices for cross-platform mobile development.

What's the performance of Miso compared to React?

Benchmarks show Miso is competitive with vanilla JS and React, using efficient virtual DOM diffing, but it's researching staged meta-programming to further optimize allocations.

How to handle HTTP requests in Miso?

Use the Fetch module for simple JSON APIs or servant-miso-client for type-safe client functions based on Servant APIs, as outlined in the interacting with HTTP APIs section.

Is Miso production-ready for large applications?

Yes, the README mentions it's used in production with up to 200,000 lines of code and 10,000+ users, indicating scalability for enterprise projects.

How to integrate Miso with a backend server?

Miso supports isomorphic setups; use one cabal file with multiple executables for client and server, and leverage servant for type-safe API definitions, as shown in the architecture section.

Open-Awesome

Miso

BSD-3-ClauseHaskell1.13.0

A small, production-ready, reactive Haskell front-end framework for building interactive single-page web and mobile applications.

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2.4k stars170 forks0 contributors

What is Miso?

Miso is a Haskell front-end framework for building interactive single-page web and mobile applications. It provides a reactive, component-oriented architecture with a virtual DOM, type-safe routing, and support for real-time features like WebSockets and Server-Sent Events. It solves the problem of applying functional programming principles to modern web development while maintaining performance and developer productivity.

Target Audience

Haskell developers looking to build interactive web or mobile applications, and functional programming enthusiasts seeking a type-safe, pure alternative to JavaScript frameworks.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Miso for its strong type safety, pure functional architecture, and ability to compile to both JavaScript and WebAssembly. Its performance is competitive with vanilla JS, and it offers a seamless development experience with hot reload and multi-platform support.

Overview

:ramen: A tasty Haskell web and mobile framework

Use Cases

Best For

Building highly interactive single-page applications in Haskell
Developing cross-platform mobile apps using Haskell and LynxJS
Creating real-time web applications with WebSockets or SSE
Implementing type-safe client-side routing
Building games or graphics-intensive web apps with Canvas/WebGL
Migrating from Elm or React to a Haskell-based frontend

Not Ideal For

Teams without Haskell expertise or where functional programming adoption is a barrier
Projects requiring extensive integration with JavaScript npm packages or existing JS-heavy codebases
Applications needing abundant pre-built UI components or rapid prototyping with popular design systems
Environments where server-side rendering must avoid client-side JavaScript execution entirely

Pros & Cons

Pros

Efficient Virtual DOM

Uses a recursive diffing/patching algorithm for performant UI updates, with benchmarks showing competitiveness against vanilla JavaScript.

Type-Safe Architecture

Pure-by-default with side effects managed via the `Effect` type, leveraging Haskell's strong type system to reduce runtime errors and enhance reliability.

Multi-Platform Support

Compiles to JavaScript and WebAssembly, with mobile support via LynxJS for iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS, enabling cross-platform development from a single codebase.

Hot Reload Development

Integrates WASM browser mode with ghciwatch for rapid iteration, as highlighted in the README's quick start guide, improving developer productivity.

Built-in Real-Time Features

Includes native support for WebSockets and Server-Sent Events, making it suitable for interactive applications without additional library dependencies.

Cons

Unstable Component API

React-style components are added in version 1.9 but not yet released, requiring development against the master branch which may introduce breaking changes or incomplete features.

Complex Setup Process

Requires Nix or GHCup for environment management and detailed configuration files like cabal.project, creating a steep initial barrier for newcomers.

Limited Ecosystem

Compared to JavaScript frameworks, Haskell's frontend library ecosystem is smaller, restricting access to pre-built components and third-party tools.

Documentation Gaps

Heavy reliance on Haddocks and a wiki; lacks beginner-friendly tutorials, making onboarding difficult for developers new to Haskell or functional programming.

Frequently Asked Questions

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