jQuery vs ShareThis
Side-by-side comparison based on real-world adoption data from 109,253 detections across analyzed websites.
Market Share Distribution
jQuery
LibrariesFast, small JavaScript library simplifying DOM manipulation, event handling, and AJAX. Still used by 77% of the top 10M websites.
ShareThis
LibrariesShareThis provides free engagement and growth tools (e.g., share buttons, follow buttons, and reaction buttons) for site owners.
Our Analysis
jQuery is significantly more popular than ShareThis in our dataset, appearing on 111021 websites compared to 2431. 1624 websites use both technologies together (1% overlap). Both are in the Libraries category, making them direct alternatives.
jQuery vs ShareThis: In-Depth Analysis
The technical landscape of jQuery and ShareThis reveals a clear distinction between foundational web scripting and specialized engagement utilities. jQuery remains a dominant force in the industry, maintaining a presence on 12999 sites and appearing in 12935 detections within this dataset. As a fast and small library, it streamlines critical tasks like DOM manipulation and AJAX, a capability utilized by 77% of the top 10 million websites. In contrast, ShareThis serves a more targeted role, providing free growth tools for 437 sites. While jQuery focuses on the underlying mechanics of event handling, ShareThis is engineered for user interaction, offering pre-built share and reaction buttons. The 272 sites that utilize both technologies simultaneously, including 112.ua and 2checkout.com, highlight a common architecture where broad library support from jQuery is paired with the specific social features of ShareThis to drive site growth.
Key Differences
- Primary Utility: jQuery is a general-purpose library for simplifying JavaScript tasks like DOM manipulation and AJAX, whereas ShareThis is a specialized library for engagement tools like share and follow buttons.
- Market Scale: jQuery has a massive footprint with a site count of 12999, which is significantly larger than the 437 sites currently utilizing ShareThis.
- Feature Set: jQuery provides a framework for custom event handling and scripting; ShareThis provides ready-to-use UI components such as reaction buttons for site owners.
- Implementation Focus: jQuery is used for core site functionality and architecture on sites like 007.com, while ShareThis is implemented for social growth and user interaction on sites like 17track.net.
- Adoption Density: jQuery shows a detection count of 12935, reflecting its role as a ubiquitous infrastructure tool, while ShareThis has 438 detections, indicating its status as a niche growth utility.
When to choose jQuery
Select jQuery when your development team requires a lightweight, reliable library to handle low-level JavaScript operations. It is the superior choice for projects that need to simplify DOM manipulation, manage complex event handling, or execute AJAX requests across varied environments. With its massive adoption across 12999 sites and its reputation for being fast and small, jQuery is the standard for maintaining architectural stability and ensuring that custom scripts function consistently across the web's diverse ecosystem.
When to choose ShareThis
Choose ShareThis when the primary goal is to increase user engagement and site growth through social interaction tools. It is the ideal pick for site owners who need to quickly deploy share buttons, follow buttons, or reaction buttons without the overhead of custom development. Because it provides these engagement tools for free, it is highly effective for publishers and growth-focused platforms like 404media.co that prioritize social sharing and community feedback over general-purpose scripting frameworks.
Market Insight
Market data shows that jQuery and ShareThis are frequently used as complementary libraries rather than competitors. With a shared count of 272 sites, nearly 62% of all ShareThis users also implement jQuery. This co-usage is visible on diverse platforms such as 24-7pressrelease.com and aaos.org. While jQuery provides the essential JavaScript foundation with 12935 detections, ShareThis is added as a specific growth-oriented layer, demonstrating that developers value the specialized engagement features of ShareThis alongside the broad utility of jQuery.
Sites Using Both (1624)
The Verdict
jQuery and ShareThis serve distinct but non-conflicting roles within the library category. jQuery provides the necessary infrastructure for DOM and event management, while ShareThis delivers specialized tools for social engagement. The data confirms that jQuery's massive scale of 12999 sites does not preclude the use of niche libraries like ShareThis for growth. Engineering and SEO decision-makers should leverage jQuery for foundational site interactivity and ShareThis to drive social reach and user engagement effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ShareThis replace the functionality provided by jQuery?
No, they serve different purposes. jQuery is a general-purpose library for DOM manipulation and AJAX, while ShareThis is a specialized tool for engagement features like share and follow buttons.
How many websites are currently using both jQuery and ShareThis?
According to the market data, there are 272 sites that utilize both libraries simultaneously, including 270towin.com and aappublications.org.
Which library has a larger presence in the top sites dataset, jQuery or ShareThis?
jQuery has a significantly larger presence with a site count of 12999 and 12935 detections, compared to 437 sites and 438 detections for ShareThis.
Are jQuery and ShareThis considered direct competitors?
No, they are both categorized as libraries but fulfill different roles. jQuery simplifies JavaScript development, whereas ShareThis provides specific engagement and growth tools for site owners.
What kind of tools does ShareThis provide that are not part of jQuery?
ShareThis provides specific engagement components such as share buttons, follow buttons, and reaction buttons, which are not native features of the jQuery library.
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