Why Do Developers Prefer To Use React

Under Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2020, React is in second place among the famous frameworks. But for seven years of its open-source existence, this tool has become perhaps the most convenient for user interface (UI) development. More than a million specialists around the world are actively taking advantage of the library. But wait, why were we talking about the framework first and then consider React as a library? First things first. Let's look at who and why created React, what it is, and its strengths.

Advantages Of React You Need To Know

React.js is a JavaScript library created by Facebook in 2011. It's built based on a Model-View-Controller pattern. The company team has developed it for personal purposes. As the Facebook platform has grown, new tools were needed to provide users with a responsive and easy-to-use interface. Engineers have considered all drawbacks of other similar instruments (libraries and frameworks for user interface creation) and develop React to cover all that programmers lacked. So, React was an experimental instrument for UI design first. But, in 2013, the company opened the source code and allowed its free usage.

Facebook.Inc periodically improves the tool. So, what can React do now? - Actually, the same above primary function, but much better. By the way, the owner company has a unique approach to version releases. Major versions are re-released approximately once a year. The entire focus is on minor ones. They always contain fresh features. Thus, new opportunities are gradually implemented to gather all amendments in one major version. The last major version is React 17, the minor one - React 17.0.1.

For those who still don't know how to call React - it's rather a library than a framework. Yes, it forms a fantastic three together with Angular and Vue frameworks, but they have a different nature. React opens more opportunities for specialists than a typical framework can. Thus, it's not so correct to name React a framework.

Developers love to React. Many specialists find it much easier and more convenient than Angular. They are right. The library gives almost complete freedom of action and creates a high-quality interface for any application. Let's focus on what exactly React can boast of.

• Ease. Because of the JavaScript base and component architecture, this library is clear for using and studying. React.js allows for step-by-step development and enables "moving" from less complicated elements to more difficult ones. It's possible to use early designed components in further development procedures.

• Flexibility. React code can be applied for both frontend and backend components. Moreover, the library can be used with different toolkits to build a robust, complicated app.

• Dynamic. React enables changing one component independently from others. That's why it's a convenient instrument for the creation and support of dynamic elements.

• No Requirements. React does not impose requirements for development procedures. It gives programmers complete freedom of action and the ability to create a stack that meets specific needs.

• Declarative Programming. React works in the following way: the developer specifies data about how the interface components should look. The library reacts to any changes in these components following the specified parameters.

• Learn Once. Write Anywhere. Exactly this Facebook corporate slogan describes building UI for web, mobile and cross-platform applications with React. In the first case, ReactDOM comes to the rescue; in the second one - it's React Native. The hybrid application interface is designed with Electron.

This list is not meant to be complete because React has a lot of merits. That's why there are a considerable number of famous technical cases, where React.js was used.

The library's features are such that it must be used with other tools. Besides, the technology's popularity is growing all the time and provokes frequent changes in minor versions. Some specialists consider these factors as drawbacks, but the majority admit they are additional React benefits.

Which Top Companies And Areas Are Using React

Due to its properties, the library is needed to develop an application for a natural, dynamic, and simple interface. But who really uses React? Following SimilarTech data, there are now over 1 million websites and more than 300K domains.

Credit to: SimilarTech

The following companies are actively using React for web, mobile and hybrid apps development:

• social nets and messengers (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp)

• mass media (Forbes, NY Times, BBS)

• beauty (Estee Lauder)

• automotive (Tesla, Toyota)

• finance (PayPal, Visa)

• environmental protection (Carbon LightHouse)

Thus, React is one of the most popular UI development tools globally, mainly due to its simplicity and flexibility. In this field, it is superior to Angular, for example. In the next article, we'll take a closer look at the React/Angular capabilities and compare them to feel the difference.