Choosing the right libraries

Choosing the right external library to install can be a real challenge. It’s a challenge we’ve all faced or will all face one day. The reason is simple: there is no point in reinventing the wheel. The reason we want to install an external library is usually the same. We have a specific problem that we want to solve as cleanly as possible. Here, two situations arise:

• We know how to solve the problem, but we don’t want to have to rewrite everything when tools already exist to solve our problem simply
• We have no idea how to solve the problem because we lack theoretical or practical knowledge

It is then interesting to call upon an external library whose role is to bring us a very specific solution to our case. The advantages are multiple, as outlined here:

• The person(s) who develop(s) the external library may have thought for several days or weeks about the best way to provide a solution. It may even be their...