Frequently Asked Questions

Trongate MX is a lightweight AJAX and DOM manipulation library that lets you build dynamic, interactive web applications using HTML attributes instead of writing JavaScript. It follows a server-driven approach, where the server returns HTML fragments that are seamlessly swapped into the page, allowing developers to create modern user experiences while keeping most of their application logic on the server.

Trongate MX was inspired by HTMX and both libraries share a similar philosophy - they allow developers to build dynamic web applications using HTML attributes and server-rendered responses instead of large amounts of JavaScript. The main difference is that Trongate MX is designed specifically for the Trongate ecosystem, providing tighter integration with the framework and a simpler, more opinionated developer experience. HTMX is a more general-purpose library intended to work with virtually any backend technology.

No. Most developers can build highly interactive applications with Trongate MX using only HTML and server-side code. The library is designed to reduce or eliminate the need for custom JavaScript by handling AJAX requests, content updates, form submissions, and many common UI interactions through simple HTML attributes.

No. Trongate MX is designed specifically to work as part of the Trongate ecosystem, and it relies on framework conventions for routing, responses, and server-side integration. While the underlying idea is similar to other hypermedia libraries, it is not intended to be a standalone, framework-agnostic tool like HTMX.

Security is one of the areas where Trongate MX shines. Trongate MX handles security primarily on the server side, rather than in the browser. Because requests are routed through the Trongate framework, it can leverage built-in protections such as CSRF safeguards, input validation, and authentication checks. The library itself is designed to integrate effortlessly with the Trongate framework's token-based security protocols.

Yes. Trongate MX is included with every installation of the Trongate PHP framework and is fully open-source. You can find the latest version on GitHub at https://github.com/trongate/trongate-framework/tree/master/public/js. It's available in both a regular form (trongate-mx.js) and a minified version (trongate-mx.min.js) for production use.

You can use Trongate MX to build any web application that benefits from a dynamic, interactive user interface. This includes dashboards, admin panels, CRUD systems, real-time-like interfaces, form-heavy applications, and content management tools. It is particularly well-suited to applications where most logic lives on the server but the user experience still needs to feel fast and responsive.