The React.js framework has not lost its popularity since its inception in 2011. Behind the enthusiasm of its users is the array of very specific benefits it offers to developers. It’s also a framework whose familiarity increasingly appears among employer requirements in offers for well-paid positions.
What are JS frameworks?
JavaScript is a language without which it’s hard to imagine front-end or full-stack programming, but its applications by no means end with websites. It also appears in a number of other projects, such as IoT devices, which soon have a chance to create most aspects of our everyday life.
Working in JS is greatly simplified by frameworks – a kind of framework on the basis of which you can create an infinite number of applications. Thanks to JS frameworks a developer has at his disposal (predefined code usually for simple and repetitive operations), he saves time and energy, devoting them to developing his own, more creative solutions.
Simply, we can say that JavaScript frameworks consist of a set of modifiable components, on the basis of which you can create a virtually infinite number of applications. JS developers use many different frameworks, among which popular are Dojo, Angular JS, Node.js, or, described below, React JS.
What is React JS?
React JS is a relatively young and very popular framework (or library – opinions are divided) used in front-end programming to create UI (user interface). However, it was created by employees of Facebook, a company that does not like to share its ideas; two years after its creation, Facebook decided to distribute it as an open-source project. It didn’t take long for developers to respond – React JS was loved by the entire front-end world.
Why so much interest? As it turns out, the design and ease of use of React.js is exactly what the development community was missing before.
What are the main advantages of React JS?
Both professionally and for hobbyist projects, developers reach for a variety of JavaScript frameworks and libraries. However, some of them require from a developer a lot of experience, not to mention the time spent on getting to know the specifics of the framework itself. On this background, React JS comes out very encouraging, and its availability as open-source is by no means the only decisive factor here.
This framework is characterized by being intuitive to use, component-based design, unidirectional data flow, and considerable flexibility. Therefore it doesn’t intimidate people who are just starting their adventure with the front-end.
And while the first successes in React JS must be followed by a deeper understanding of how it works, the simplified debugging, simplicity of tracking the application structure, and components that can be used indefinitely work hard to motivate newcomers.
There is also a dynamic community around React JS where one can look for support and inspiration. Virtual DOM inherent in React JS is similarly useful – thanks to the virtual image of the object model, code changes and debugging happen expressly in real-time.
The advantages of React.js can be listed for a long time, so let’s just mention SEO, important for developers offering ReactJS development services to create applications for business customers. Fast rendering in React JS translates into virtual approval from Google’s algorithms. And nowadays, the basic currency of this approval is a high position in organic search results.
There’s no denying it – good technical SEO gives results for which companies are willing to pay a lot.
What are the drawbacks of React JS?
Does such a beloved JavaScript framework have any disadvantages at all? Of course, it does – the search for the perfect framework or library is rather doomed to failure. When it comes to React.js, not everything about it turns out to be newbie-friendly in practice.
The use of JSX, used in this framework to code HTML and XML, can at first discourage people who have not met with this language before. The community built around React.js developers, the mass of available components, and the endless stream of documentation (often fragmentary at that) can be overwhelming.
On one hand, getting started writing in React.js is not difficult. On the other hand, however – the level of freedom of movement in this framework will depend largely on the extent to which you are able to manage your own projects. Working with React JS will undoubtedly mean a lot of googling, reaching out to other libraries, and fixing bugs. However, a lot of fans of the framework convince us that it’s worth it!
What other frameworks are worth considering for your project?
The last point to consider: if not React JS, then what? Everything here depends on the goal of the project, as the developer must match the most optimal JavaScript tools to it. Although this framework is rated as extremely lightweight anyway, it also has an even lighter version – React Lite, with great compatibility with elements of React JS itself.
Another frequently used framework, for example, is Ember JS with its templates, which are even more powerful for saving time when repeating certain code elements. Developers who focus on creating modern, user-friendly UIs reach mostly for Vue.js, another open-source product, also relatively easy to learn.