There has been undeniable growth in the software development of web and mobile applications. In many of these projects, including those we have worked on, React has become one of the most popular front-end programming languages. With this, there has been an increase in React developers and React development services, as businesses have recognized the advantages of this fast-growing JavaScript library.
This article explores the rising popularity of React JS in recent years and some of the key benefits.
What is React JS?
React JS is an open-source JavaScript library created by Facebook with the aim of building interactive user interfaces for software applications. It is quickly growing to become one of the most widely used languages by developers across the globe. React allows developers to create user-friendly components. Since its creation in 2011, it has remained a top front-end development platform for developers.
With React, developers can simplify the development of large web applications by breaking down the UI (User Interface) into smaller components that can help maintain large codebases. In React, developers also have access to making updating the UI more efficient through the Virtual DOM. Virtual DOM is a virtual representation of where the UI is preserved with the real DOM, which is referred to as ReactDOM.
React is popular in specific areas such as the development of interactive user interfaces, having a component-based approach where developers can use components to manage the UIs to deliver a quality finished product, and the ability for developers to write new features without altering or rewriting existing code.
Why is React JS so popular?
Statista reported in a recent survey that 40.6% of respondents use React JS, following Node.js as one of the web application frameworks. Recent Google Trends also show growth in the search for React JS developers globally in comparison to Vue and Angular developers. React JS has been adopted by some of the world's largest tech organizations, such as Meta, Instagram, and Netflix.
It has proven to be the best choice for software developers looking to build an interactive web interface and application. It is fast and secure, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. Here are some other reasons for the growth of React JS in recent years.
Easy, Flexible and Simple to Use
React JS allows for interactive UI designs. It follows a component-based approach where each component has its own controls. This makes the code easily understandable for both new and experienced developers. Developers who are familiar with JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and web development will find React easy to use. JavaScript makes it seamless to visualize the UI within the JavaScript code.
React uses the declarative programming style. This style enables developers to tell the program what needs to be done, rather than how to do it. In React, updates are made to the DOM to match the developers' requests. This declarative approach makes the code more predictable and easier to debug, reducing unexpected events.
React is easy to use because it uses a Virtual DOM, which means when a developer changes a component in the UI, React updates the virtual DOM instead of the "real" or actual DOM. After this, React makes only the necessary changes after comparing the virtual and actual DOM, making it more efficient and faster.
React is one of the developers' best choices for web applications due to its one-way data binding approach, which ensures easy transfer of data from the parent components to the child components.
React has a rich library and strong community
React has a rich library and strong community support. React JS boasts a rich set of component libraries and NPM packages. Developers can take advantage of pre-built component libraries, allowing them to quickly craft sophisticated UIs without building every component from scratch. These libraries streamline development, especially under tight deadlines. React's library resources are very extensive and help developers stay updated and tackle any front-end challenge.
React is also considered popular due to its strong community support. The React community consists of millions of developers who are well-supported with documentation, forums, and online groups. In this community, there is an active knowledge-sharing opportunity for updates, tips, and trends to help React developers build interactive user interfaces.
React Native transformed mobile development
React Native is an extension of React JS. It has transformed how mobile applications are built over the years. While React JS is focused on building web applications, React Native is used for mobile app development, allowing developers to create native apps for both Android and iOS. All these can be done while using a single JavaScript codebase. React's cross-platform capability means developers can write code once and deploy it on multiple mobile platforms, significantly speeding up the development process and reducing costs.
React Native enables seamless integration of native device features, like the camera and GPS, while maintaining high performance akin to native apps. This blend of native functionality and the efficiency of JavaScript has made React Native a game-changer in mobile app development. Developers familiar with React JS find it easy to transition to React Native, leveraging their existing skills to create immersive mobile experiences.
React allows for scalability
A key benefit of using React for building web applications is scalability, which is the ability to manage complex applications with ease. Using React, software developers can improve the software application as demand grows.
React employs a modular architecture that enables developers to simplify the application into smaller components. This ensures easy maintenance and updates over time as changes occur, without altering the entirety of the software application.
React also helps improve the performance of web applications. With its Virtual DOM, it allows for efficient rendering of components, which can elevate the performance of large applications. This ensures that the application is fast, secure, and meets the demands of the business.
React is well-known for its reusability by creating modular UI components that can be used numerous times within an application. This saves time and effort in development, making the application easier to maintain. In addition, it allows for consistency and the creation of similar functionality.
React enables easy testing
React JS is easier to test than many other front-end frameworks, enhancing the efficiency of the development process. Software developers can rigorously test their code before it progresses to the quality assurance (QA) team, ensuring higher quality and stability. React enables developers to conduct tests on individual components as well as complex user interactions within the application.
The component-based architecture of React simplifies unit testing. Each component can be tested in isolation, which is essential for identifying and fixing issues early in the development process. This modularity also means that changes in one component have minimal impact on others, making the debugging process more straightforward.
With React, developers have access to Jest, an inbuilt testing feature that can be installed for new and pre-existing applications. Jest is designed to work seamlessly with React's structure, allowing developers to simulate user actions and verify the behavior of components under various conditions. For example, Jest offers a fast and focused testing experience.
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React Frameworks
React frameworks, also known as React meta-frameworks, are designed to help developers build applications in addition to React, where they can tackle customers' pain points and improve the performance of web applications.
Two main React frameworks and libraries have been developed to enhance React's capabilities, making it even more powerful and flexible for developers. Key among these are Next.js, and Gatsby.
Next.js
Next.js is a React framework that enables developers to build full-stack web applications. It is designed for building production-ready applications that are optimized for performance and SEO. It simplifies the process of setting up a React application, offering features like automatic static optimization. With this feature, developers can use Next.js to develop hybrid applications that can have both server-side and statically generated pages.
Next.js allows for a great user experience that is easy to navigate and fast, providing optimal performance and scalability to develop additional features for future development. In the developer community, Next.js is seen as one of the fastest-developing React frameworks, and companies such as Netflix, Uber, and Twitch use this framework in their software development.
Gatsby
Gatsby is another popular framework that uses React. Gatsby is an open source react framework that helps developers build fast and secure websites and apps. It's known for creating high-performance websites and applications. Gatsby is a static site generator, which means it pre-builds pages into static content, leading to incredibly fast loading times. It integrates well with content management systems and APIs, making it a go-to choice for developers building content-driven sites.
Conclusion
React JS will continue to grow in popularity because it has proven to be a perfect tool for building high-performance applications. What makes React stand out is how it simplifies the development process. Its user-friendly, component-based approach has made it a favorite among both novice and seasoned developers.
This simplicity doesn’t come at the expense of functionality; instead, it allows for creating complex, interactive user interfaces with relative ease.
React Native has transformed mobile app development. It leverages the same principles, enabling developers to build native mobile apps with a single JavaScript codebase. This cross-platform compatibility is a game-changer, reducing development time and resources.
In essence, React JS's blend of performance, usability, and community support positions it as an indispensable tool in the modern web and mobile development landscape. As it continues to evolve and adapt, its role in shaping the future of application development seems more certain than ever.
