What does vanilla mean?

Question

The vanilla adjective appears in many places: plain-vanilla java, vanilla javascript: what does it exactly mean?

From context, is seems to stand for something "plain".

When is a specific code considered vanilla and when is it not? Plain, like not wrapped in a framework?

For example: Vanilla Javascript, not using JQuery and alike. — Menno, Dec 30 '13 at 08:46
@QuestionEverything Those are 3rd-party libraries, so: no, not "vanilla" Java. — user2864740, Dec 30 '13 at 08:47

HelloWorld123456789 · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-27T23:43:21.017

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Computer software, and sometimes also other computing-related systems like computer hardware or algorithms, is called Vanilla when not customized from its original form, meaning that it is used without any customizations or updates applied to it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_software

edited Oct 27 '21 at 23:43

answered Dec 30 '13 at 08:47

HelloWorld123456789

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This is correct for software, but doesn't exactly match the usage when used with programming languages ;) – Polygnome Dec 30 '13 at 08:51
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Customization is too generic in this context. I would rather say: vanilla refers to using plain code, without 3rd party libraries or frameworks. – Sam Jun 09 '18 at 10:13
That's weird. I'm 100% certain that when I programmed on the Commodore Amiga some 35 years ago, VANILLAKEY meant (pre)processed ASCII codes obtained through the keymap from the RAWKEY codes. Thus, the opposite: Vanilla = processed, as opposed Raw = origin. – Max May 23 '22 at 06:41

Polygnome · Answer 2 · 2013-12-30T08:59:37.783

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Vanilla often refers to pure or plain. So in terms of programming languages, it means either without the use of 3rd party libraries or without the use of frameworks.

edited Dec 30 '13 at 08:59

answered Dec 30 '13 at 08:48

Polygnome

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This is Java specific. My answer talks about programming languages in general and prefixed the statement with "often". – Polygnome Dec 30 '13 at 11:30
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In context of JavaScript it still hold true, 'pure JS' often refers to 'without JQuery / Prototype / ', while 'vanilla' often also refers to the environment, e.g. Rhino or else. – Polygnome Dec 30 '13 at 14:22
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It's a mistake to limit this question to just a couple of languages – Chuck Le Butt Jun 05 '17 at 12:03

score 29 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 05 '17 at 11:24

It derives from the time when, of the various flavours of ice-cream available, vanilla flavour was the most common, simple and often even the only one available. Other flavours were rarer and more exotic.

In programming terms it does not refer to anything specific but implies any or all of:

No bells and whistles
No extra (perhaps unnecessary) features
Uses no external libraries
The pure language without any extras

Despite how boring "vanilla" might be seen in terms of ice-cream, it's rarely used derogatively in programming.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 25 '21 at 10:04

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I know this a very old post but for posterity purposes. Simply put Vanilla is the raw, un-altered, plain, form of a thing without modification. E.g : vanilla js means javascript as it is without frameworks like react, jquery, etc and vanilla sql means sql without orm like laravel eloquent for instance.

answered Apr 25 '21 at 10:04

Chukwuezugo Okpara

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Except on the AmigaOS/Intuition where VANILLAKEY codes are the "cooked" ASCII codes obtained according to the keymap from the RAWKEY codes issued by the keyboard... – Max May 23 '22 at 06:45

score -4 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 10 '20 at 09:11

In computer science, vanilla is the term used to refer when computer software and sometimes also other computing-related systems like computer hardware or algorithms are not customized from their original form, i.e., they are used without any customizations or updates applied to them. (Wiki)

What does vanilla mean?

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