Pros of floatThead

• More feature-rich, offering advanced options for table header floating
• Better performance for large tables with many columns
• Actively maintained with regular updates and bug fixes

Cons of floatThead

• More complex setup and configuration compared to sticky
• Larger file size, which may impact page load times
• Steeper learning curve for basic implementations

Code Comparison

sticky:

$(".sticky").sticky({
  topSpacing: 0,
  zIndex: 100
});

floatThead:

$('table').floatThead({
  position: 'fixed',
  top: 50,
  scrollContainer: function($table){
    return $table.closest('.wrapper');
  }
});

Summary

floatThead is a more powerful and flexible solution for floating table headers, offering advanced features and better performance for complex tables. However, it comes with a steeper learning curve and more complex setup compared to sticky. sticky provides a simpler, more straightforward approach for basic sticky elements, not limited to table headers. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project, with floatThead being more suitable for complex table-specific needs and sticky for general-purpose sticky elements.

Pros of Stickyfill

• More comprehensive polyfill for CSS position: sticky
• Supports both top and bottom sticky positioning
• Actively maintained with recent updates

Cons of Stickyfill

• Larger file size and potentially more complex implementation
• May have a slight performance impact due to its comprehensive nature

Code Comparison

Sticky:

$(document).ready(function(){
  $("#stickymenu").sticky({topSpacing:0});
});

Stickyfill:

var elements = document.querySelectorAll('.sticky');
Stickyfill.add(elements);

Key Differences

• Sticky is a jQuery plugin, while Stickyfill is a vanilla JavaScript solution
• Sticky focuses on simple top-sticky functionality, while Stickyfill aims to fully replicate CSS position: sticky behavior
• Stickyfill offers more flexibility and browser support, but may be overkill for simple use cases

Use Cases

• Choose Sticky for straightforward top-sticky elements in jQuery projects
• Opt for Stickyfill when needing comprehensive sticky positioning support or working without jQuery

Community and Support

• Sticky has more GitHub stars but hasn't been updated recently
• Stickyfill has fewer stars but is actively maintained and has more recent contributions

Pros of sticky-kit

• More feature-rich, offering additional options like bottom boundary and recalculation on window resize
• Supports multiple sticky elements on a single page
• Provides callbacks for various events (stick, unstick, bottom, unbottom)

Cons of sticky-kit

• Larger file size due to additional features
• May have a slightly steeper learning curve for basic use cases
• Requires jQuery as a dependency

Code Comparison

sticky:

$("#sticker").sticky({topSpacing:0});

sticky-kit:

$("#sticker").stick_in_parent({
  offset_top: 0,
  bottoming: true,
  recalc_every: 50
});

Key Differences

• sticky is more lightweight and straightforward for simple use cases
• sticky-kit offers more customization options and advanced features
• sticky-kit requires jQuery, while sticky can be used as a standalone script

Use Case Recommendations

• Choose sticky for simple, lightweight sticky element implementations
• Opt for sticky-kit when you need advanced features or multiple sticky elements on a page

Community and Maintenance

• Both projects have been relatively inactive in recent years
• sticky-kit has a larger user base and more open issues/pull requests
• Consider exploring more actively maintained alternatives for long-term projects

Pros of fixed-sticky

• More robust and feature-rich, supporting both top and bottom positioning
• Better cross-browser compatibility, including older versions of Internet Explorer
• Actively maintained with recent updates and bug fixes

Cons of fixed-sticky

• Larger file size and potentially more complex implementation
• Requires additional CSS for proper styling and positioning
• May have a steeper learning curve for beginners

Code Comparison

sticky:

$(".sticky").sticky({
  topSpacing: 0,
  zIndex: 100
});

fixed-sticky:

<div class="fixedsticky">
  <div class="fixedsticky-top">Top content</div>
  <div class="fixedsticky-bottom">Bottom content</div>
</div>

$(function() {
  FixedSticky.tests.sticky = false;
  $(".fixedsticky").fixedsticky();
});

Summary

While sticky provides a simpler implementation for basic sticky positioning, fixed-sticky offers more advanced features and better browser support. fixed-sticky is more suitable for complex layouts and projects requiring broader compatibility, while sticky may be preferable for simpler use cases or when minimizing file size is a priority.

Pros of ScrollToFixed

• More customizable with options for offsets, limit, and bottom spacing
• Supports both horizontal and vertical scrolling
• Provides callback functions for various events (e.g., preFixed, postFixed)

Cons of ScrollToFixed

• Larger file size (11KB vs 4KB for Sticky)
• More complex implementation, potentially harder to set up
• Less actively maintained (last update in 2017 vs 2022 for Sticky)

Code Comparison

ScrollToFixed:

$('.selector').scrollToFixed({
    marginTop: 10,
    limit: $('.footer').offset().top - $('.selector').outerHeight(true) - 10,
    zIndex: 999
});

Sticky:

var sticky = new Sticky('.selector', {
    topSpacing: 10,
    bottomSpacing: 10,
    className: 'is-sticky'
});

Both libraries aim to create fixed-position elements on scroll, but ScrollToFixed offers more advanced features and customization options. Sticky, on the other hand, provides a simpler, more lightweight solution with a more recent update history. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project, such as the need for advanced features versus a simpler implementation.