Gaurav Varma

Basecamp introduced Stimulus 1.0 as a lightweight JavaScript framework tailored for enhancing server-rendered applications—especially those built with Ruby on Rails. Unlike heavier frontend frameworks, Stimulus doesn’t aim to take over your application. Instead, it works with your HTML to add just the behavior you need.

What is Stimulus?

Stimulus is a "modest" JavaScript framework that adds structure and interactivity to HTML. It observes the DOM and wires up behavior using HTML attributes like data-controller, data-action, and data-target.

It is part of the Hotwire stack, designed to support fast, modern web apps without heavy JavaScript tooling.

Why use Stimulus with Rails?

Stimulus complements the Rails philosophy:

Embraces server-side rendering
Minimal JavaScript setup and configuration
Clean integration with Rails views
Pairs naturally with Turbolinks (now Turbo)

A simple example

Given an HTML element like this:

1<div data-controller="hello">
2  <button data-action="click->hello#greet">Greet</button>
3</div>

You could have a controller like:

1// hello_controller.js
2import { Controller } from 'stimulus';
3
4export default class extends Controller {
5  greet() {
6    alert('Hello from Stimulus!');
7  }
8}

No need for DOM selectors or event listeners in JavaScript—Stimulus handles it via declarative attributes.

Key features of Stimulus 1.0

Simple and declarative: Use HTML attributes to bind behavior.
Automatic lifecycle management: Stimulus connects/disconnects controllers as elements appear or disappear.
Data-targets and data-values: Use the DOM as your state tree.

Use cases

Form toggles
Dynamic validation
Real-time UI updates (when paired with Turbo)
Alerts, counters, or light interactions

Summary

Stimulus 1.0 is a perfect match for Rails developers who want JavaScript enhancements without abandoning server-rendered views. It provides structure and maintainability while keeping complexity low.

For more, visit stimulus.hotwired.dev or explore how Basecamp and 37signals use it in production.