Why choose to rewrite CSS functionality in JavaScript?
While it may not be immediately noticeable, JavaScript is typically slower than CSS in performing styling tasks. As the complexity of a web page increases, with more elements requiring modification, the performance gap becomes more apparent. This is due to the overhead involved in running JavaScript code to select elements and apply event listeners, compared to the optimized hardware acceleration capabilities of CSS.
Another factor to consider is the impact on development and maintenance efforts. It's common for developers and designers to expect certain behaviors to be handled by CSS, so bypassing this convention can lead to confusion and increased troubleshooting time. Users accustomed to inspecting stylesheets for desired effects may struggle to locate custom JavaScript implementations, leading to inefficiencies in workflow.