HTMX offers a middle ground between raw HTML limitations and JavaScript framework complexity. By adding HTML attributes that trigger server requests and swap in HTML responses, you can build interactive web apps without bundlers, state management, or massive dependencies. A case study shows a company reduced their codebase by 67% and improved performance by switching from React to HTMX. The approach works best for typical CRUD apps, dashboards, and forms—not highly interactive applications like Google Docs. The core idea: let the server return HTML fragments and use hypermedia architecture as originally intended.