JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground
HTML
<button>Native Attribute Operat</button>
<button>JQuery Attr Operat</button>
<script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.6.1.min.js"></script>
JavaScript
var dbtn = document.getElementsByTagName('button');
dbtn[0].onclick = function(){
this.setAttribute("followed", true);
var f = this.getAttribute("followed");
alert(f+'\n'+(f===true));
};
dbtn[1].onclick = function(){
$(this).attr("followed", true);
var f = $(this).attr("followed");
alert(f+'\n'+(f===true));
};