It’s been several years since React was first introduced to the web development world, and there’s no doubt that the framework has managed to gather quite the following of developers in the meantime, something that’s likely to continue in the near future as well.
React has been gaining popularity since its inception in 2013, and it’s been very popular in the last few years with more than 60,000 stars on GitHub (at the time of writing). In this article, I’ll be giving you 9 reasons why React is still popular and why it will continue to be an important tool to learn if you’re looking to become a web developer. Let’s dive in!
What is React?
React is a JavaScript library created by Facebook in 2011 to address issues developers faced when building large web applications using more traditional methods of managing DOM trees. React is comprised of small, highly modular and composable units, as well as a new type of code called JSX that runs on the same principles as HTML. React’s declarative programming provides for a less complex but more readable way to write rich interfaces, making it popular among web developers and content creators.
Top 9 Reasons Why React is the Most Popular
1) Easy To Learn
React is easy to learn due to its efficiency. The only programming language that a developer needs in order to build an app using React Native is JavaScript, which is what most developers are already familiar with.
This means that anyone who has ever coded an HTML page can start building a React app without having to learn another language like Java or Swift. It’s also good for non-coders, as it’s the most popular JavaScript library available on the market.
2) Easy To Maintain
React components are written in JavaScript, which means that developers who already know the language have an advantage over those who don’t. Components are also easy to maintain because they’re built with a strong emphasis on testing. Changes to any given component can be verified before production by leveraging React’s Virtual DOM.
3) Great For Startups
Many startups are making the decision to go with React. And, it’s not surprising why so many have made this choice. The list of reasons below outlines some of the top reasons why start ups are going with React.
This framework doesn’t try to dictate how you build your application, but instead focuses on creating a stateless app. It allows you to render anywhere in the UI, meaning that rendering can be done on page load or when data changes.
4) Backed By Facebook
React has been backed by Facebook since 2013, which lends itself to a level of trustworthiness. Facebook’s 15 engineers that focus on the library have made it possible for many developers to create efficient and elegant code
5) Angular 2+ Alternative
The Angular 2+ Alternative: React. If you’ve been following the developments in front of this framework, you might not be surprised to hear that it has continued to see incredible growth with a 450% increase in jobs requiring knowledge of it just last year. That’s big news for any developer looking to stay current and relevant. But what about those who can’t afford to spend time learning a new language?
6) Can Use Without Learning JavaScript
React can be used without learning JavaScript, making it easier for those who are not knowledgeable in the language to make a website.
React speeds up web development time significantly with code that updates easily every time the user makes a change. To add, there are many dedicated front end developers specializing in React, ensuring that the framework will live on for years to come. Finally, the quick decision time to see the preview of an app has made it very popular among others.
7) Large Community
A huge benefit of using React is that you are not the only one. There are tens of thousands of people contributing to it everyday, making sure there are enough experienced developers for everybody else.
The larger community also translates into faster learning opportunities as you have more people to ask for help with anything related to coding or software development. You will also be able to find detailed tutorials on every aspect of the tool, as well as a great number of live courses available at your fingertips.
8) Productivity Gains
Developers no longer have to worry about constantly monitoring. What parts of their code are changing as they build. Because all of that magic happens in one place – the component.
And then there’s the fact that updates are propagated automatically, which eliminates a lot of redundant programming logic. You won’t find many developers out there who would want to go back from this solution!
9) Open Source
Facebook’s open source library, React, has been an invaluable tool for developers in the web development world. The library was created by Facebook in order to solve many of the constraints faced by other web frameworks. Since its release, other browsers such as Mozilla and Google have contributed towards improving this wonderful library. Even Microsoft has taken interest in adopting it for use in Azure’s website content management system.
React vs Next JS
React’s design has always been to be faster, but more importantly to be simpler. React vs Next JS: What makes the two popular JavaScript frameworks so different? If you want a lightweight solution, then NextJS may be for you. React requires less boilerplate code in order to render your application’s components. This will also help cut down on page load time as there are fewer requests going back. And forth with the server to get a new page ready.
React vs Angular
React is know as a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Which might make it sound a little outdated, but there are still many reasons to love React. The big reason for React’s popularity is that it can be easy understand than Angular. Creating web pages with React also works in a modular fashion. Which means you can focus on one piece of functionality at a time.
Conclusion
React has experienced a strong popularity over the last few years and continues to be in demand. There are many reasons why React is still popular, such as its community’s responsiveness to changes with new releases. There are also other important considerations like project timeline, budgeting, team skill set, etc. You need to take into account when deciding between React vs Next JS.
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