Thu Mar 09 2023
Pros and cons of React JS for web app and Website
To be effective in the web industry, it's essential to keep pace with modern technologies. React JS is leading, well-drafted, widely applicable JavaScript (JS) technology.
React.js, commonly known as React, is an open-source JavaScript library which is used for building user interfaces specifically for single page applications. It was developed by Jordan Walke at Facebook and released in 2013, and has since become one of the most popular front-end frameworks in the web development community.
React first deployed on Facebook’s newsfeed in 2011 and on Instagram in 2012. It's used for handling view layer for web and mobile apps. React also allows creating reusable UI components. React allows developers to create large web applications which can change data, without reloading the page.
The main purpose of React is to be fast, scalable, and simple. It works only on user interfaces in the application. This corresponds to view in the MVC template. It can be used with a combination of other JavaScript libraries or frameworks, such as Angular JS in MVC. React gained traction in 2014. It is supposed the rise of React in the development world of web apps because it quickly filled the gap in the year 2016.
The illustration below provides a glimpse of what React does well and where it falls short.
Pros of React JS:
- Component-Based Architecture: React follows a component-based architecture that makes it easier to break down complex UIs into smaller, reusable components. This approach simplifies the codebase and makes it easier to collaborate with other developers.
- Virtual DOM: React uses a virtual DOM, which is a lightweight representation of the actual DOM. The virtual DOM allows React to update only the parts of the UI that have changed, instead of re-rendering the entire page. This makes React faster and more efficient than traditional methods of rendering UIs.
- Reusable Components: React’s component-based architecture makes it easy to create reusable components that can be used throughout a project or even across multiple projects. This saves developers time and effort and helps maintain consistency across an application.
- Large and Active Community: React has a large and active community of developers who contribute to its growth and development. This means there are plenty of resources, tutorials, and libraries available to help developers get started with React and solve common problems.
- Performance: React is known for its high performance and fast rendering speed. The use of the virtual DOM and efficient rendering algorithms help to make React applications fast and responsive.
- Easy to Learn: React has a simple and intuitive API, making it easy for developers to learn and use. React’s syntax is also easy to read and understand, even for developers who are new to the library.
- SEO Friendly: React is SEO-friendly, as it allows search engines to crawl and index web pages. This is achieved through the use of server-side rendering or static site generation, which improves the performance and accessibility of web applications.
Cons of React JS
- Steep Learning Curve: React can be challenging for beginners to learn, especially those without a strong background in JavaScript. The learning curve can be steep, and developers may need to invest time and effort to master React’s core concepts and best practices.
- JSX: React uses a syntax called JSX, which can be confusing for developers who are not familiar with it. JSX allows developers to write HTML-like syntax within JavaScript, which can make it harder to read and understand code written in React.
- Boilerplate Code: React requires developers to write a lot of boilerplate code, which can be time-consuming and tedious. While this code is necessary to set up a React project, it can make getting started with React more challenging.
- Lack of Official Documentation: While React has a large and active community, the official documentation can sometimes be lacking in detail and clarity. This can make it challenging for developers to understand certain concepts or find answers to specific questions.
- Tooling: React has a complex ecosystem of tooling and libraries that can be overwhelming for some developers. Setting up a React project can require installing and configuring many different tools and libraries, which can be a daunting task for beginners.
- High Pace of Change: React is constantly evolving, with new features and updates being released frequently. This can make it challenging for developers to keep up with the latest best practices and stay up to date with the latest changes.
Conclusion
Considering React is a powerful and popular framework for building user interfaces. It can be easily summed up in three words: non-risky, responsive and advanced. While it has some challenges, such as a steep learning curve and boilerplate code, it offers many benefits, such as a component-based architecture, virtual DOM, and a large community of developers. The main idea behind this particular library is to build large-scale applications with data that changes repeatedly over time and it tackles the challenge well. The combination of the above-mentioned factors makes it a reasonable choice for both startups and enterprises. Ultimately, the decision to use React will depend on the specific needs and goals of a project, as well as the experience and preferences of the development team.
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