> Frameworks' key trait is that they impose limitations on the programmer. Rather than providing a set of new things the programmer can do, they establish a boundary on the things the programmer can do.

Simply stated and very insightful.

This is a way better article than the posted one.

Another way of thinking about this is that a framework is a regulating authority on a tragedy of the commons. The commons in the case of software is complexity. Too much complexity becomes impossible to manage and grinds development to a halt.

Not sure it's always the key trait. In software frameworks are so often accompanied by a rich library of packages or code that folks may consider another important trait is their baseline of functionality.

Some frameworks are "batteries included" while others are a "bag of reusable components".