Software development is a constantly evolving field that fortunately enjoys constant introduction of exciting technologies that are all created to make work easier and more efficient. Vue.js and React are some of the popular examples in the modern software development ecosystem, especially for creating user interfaces.
Now, there has been ongoing debate regarding which is the better technology when it comes to Vue.js vs React. How do you go about choosing the better one for your needs? Do you go for Vue or React, and why? Let’s see.
Vue vs. React
Vue.JS is a progressive framework for creating user interfaces. It is designed to be lightweight and easy to use, making it ideal for projects of all sizes. It’s an open-source project, and its development is spearheaded by an international team of passionate developers. It is composed of multiple frameworks such as Nuxt.js. Vue’s benefits include reactivity, enhanced developer experience, and standardized tools.
Vue also has component life cycles that include creating, mounting, updating, and destroying. It is simpler and more intuitive compared to React. Furthermore, it is a popular option for creating Single Page Applications and intuitive pages.
Vue.js was created in 2014 by Evan You, a former Google employee. It was released as an open-source project on GitHub. The framework was designed to be lightweight and easy to use. Since its release, Vue.js has been gaining popularity among developers and is highly regarded as one of the most popular front-end frameworks. The ecosystem is now rich with highly rated Vue.js development companies.
React is a popular JavaScript library that is used to create interactive user interfaces including elements for websites, applications, and other interfaces. React offers enhanced flexibility and scalability and can be used to create more complex user interfaces compared to Vue. It can also be used to develop single page applications (SPAs).
Developed by Facebook, React was first released in 2013 and is now used by many major companies. React has a declarative syntax that makes it easy to create complex UIs. It also offers a number of features that help to improve performance, such as virtual DOM and server-side rendering. In addition, React is highly extensible, allowing developers to create custom components and adapt the library to their specific needs. These are some of the factors that have made React one of the most popular choices for front-end development.
Main differences between Vue and React
The primary difference between the two is that Vue is a framework while React is a library. The rest of the differences include:
- Syntax: Vue uses both HTML and JavaScript Expressions (JSX) templates. React, on the other hand, only uses JSX. The option to use HTML templates is one of the factors that make Vue beginner-friendly because most developers are well-acquainted with HTML. Furthermore, Vue also sorts concerns into either HTML, CSS, or JavaScript while React’s JSX merges HTML and CSS into JavaScript. The separation makes it easy for beginners to learn web development using Vue.
- Reactivity: Vue is reactive while React is not. Reactivity is a phenomenon that enables a program to respond to any modifications in a declarative manner. For instance, setting variables in Vue updates the User Interface in real-time, simplifying state management. In extension, reactivity plays a great part in Vue’s component state modification.
- Component state modification: Vue is better at component state modification compared to React. Alliteration of the state of any component in React triggers the re-rendering of all its dependencies. In contrast, Vue actively prevents the need for re-rendering.
- Learning curve: Vue is easier to learn for beginners and has an intuitive user interface. React, on the other hand, relies on JavaScript expressions and you will need to learn JavaScript libraries to use it to optimum level. Those who don't come from a Computer Science background are likely to find Vue much easier to learn compared to React.
- Performance: Both Vue and React are high-performance frameworks. However, they differ in performance in that Vue has better memory allocation and startup times compared to React while React is better at runtime.
- Progressive design: One of the key advantages of using Vue is its progressive design. This is a phenomenon where you can migrate one feature at a time from an old program to a new technology. React falls abit short on progressive design.
Main similarities between Vue and React
- JavaScript usage: Both Vue and React are partially based on JavaScript. Therefore, JavaScript developers can easily learn both.
- Virtual DOMs: One of the greatest disadvantages of regular DOM is wastage of both time and resources because they re-render the whole page even when only a few components on the page change. Virtual DOMs solve this problem by only altering the modified objects to save on time and resources.
- Community support: Both Vue and React have supportive communities. Vue is open source with a growing community that offers constant improvement while React is backed by Facebook.
- Scalability and flexibility: Both Vue and React are scalable and flexible. Vue can be used to build large applications as well as smaller parts of applications that can be integrated to develop a larger one. However, React is more appropriate for applications that are expected to expand tremendously in the future because it is much more scalable.
Vue.js vs. React: Which is more popular and why?
Vue is currently the clear winner in the popularity game. Vue and its frameworks have been the frontend framework of choice since 2017. It currently has 200,000 stars on GitHub while React is behind it with 195,000 stars.
However, React has been gaining so much ground lately and was even ranked as the most preferred framework by hiring managers from tech companies in 2022.
Vue vs. React: Which one is better and easier to use?
While both Vue and React have mostly similar functionalities and are both flexible high-performance frameworks, Vue is easier to learn and use. This is because it has an extensive collection of documentation available to support learning and troubleshooting. The user interface is more intuitive.
Many beginners find it difficult to learn React because it requires a good understanding of JavaScript libraries.
When to use Vue?
While both frameworks would be excellent choices for any frontend project, some use cases call for Vue while others need React. For instance, if you need to build a solution as fast as possible, you should definitely go with Vue. You should also select Vue when the applications you are building do not need to be complex.
In addition, Vue is an ideal choice for applications that need to be extremely fast or for teams that need to migrate an older project to a new technology but have little time or limited resources.
The overall team experience also plays a role. If your team has many junior developers, Vue is also a better choice for you.
When to use React?
React is your best choice if you need to develop a complex application or a Single Page application (SPA). You will also need React if you require flexibility. That is, it is the appropriate choice if you will need to expand the functionalities of your applications in future.
Moreover, React is best suited for JavaScript development teams that consist of more experienced developers or those that prefer JavaScript over HTML. It’s also the best alternative if you need to develop a mobile app.
Popular users of Vue
Since its introduction in 2014, Vue has been a popular choice for developing SPAs and intuitive interfaces. Its progressive design and open source nature have attracted many developers over the years.
Examples of popular websites that use Vue.js include:
Alibaba
Alibaba, one of the world's largest online and mobile commerce companies, was actually one of the early users of Vue.js. It’s important to note that Vue was initially promoted heavily in the Chinese software development ecosystem and this perhaps explains why Alibaba went big on Vue and still continues to use it till today. The commerce giant uses Vue on several of its services as well as internal tools.
Grammarly
Grammarly has used Vue.js extensively to improve the user experience. Its online Text Editor is built on Vue.The Editor is a web-based tool that helps users to proofread and edit their documents in real-time.
BMW, Xiaomi, Nintendo, The Motley Fool, Adobe, Gitlab, and Vice are the other popular users of Vue.
Popular users of React
React has also gained a lot of popularity thanks to its ability to develop interactive elements and single page applications. What sets React apart is the flexibility it provides with its components.
Examples of popular websites that use React include:
Has to be, after all it’s Facebook that created React. Facebook uses React in two major ways: the front end of their web site, and the Facebook Ads Manager app. For the front end, React is used to create a dynamic user interface that updates in real time as users interact with it. This allows for a smoother and more responsive experience for users, as well as reducing the amount of code that needs to be written. For the Facebook Ads Manager app, React is used to create a cross-platform application that can be used on both iOS and Android devices. This allows for a consistent user experience across all devices, and makes it easier for developers to maintain the codebase..
Reddit is one of the most popular social networking sites on the internet, with millions of users worldwide. The site has a wide range of content, including news, memes, and discussions on a variety of topics. In order to provide an optimal user experience, Reddit started using React around the middle of 2021. In fact they rebuilt their new app entirely on React.
The other popular platforms that use React include Bloomberg, BBC, Uber Eats, Paypal, Discord, AirBnB, Skype, Instagram, and Walmart among many more.
Common challenges with Vue
- Limited resources and documentation — While Vue.js has grown in popularity over the past few years, it still lags behind other frameworks when it comes to resources and documentation. This can make it difficult for developers to find the information they need to get started with Vue.js or troubleshoot issues they're experiencing. This problem is probably caused by the fact that many of the elements seem to be in Chinese, which makes it complicated for users of other languages.
- Lack of backwards compatibility — Vue.js doesn't always maintain backwards compatibility between major versions, which can make upgrading to new versions a challenge. This can lead to developers having to spend extra time rewriting code to ensure that their applications are compatible with the latest version of Vue.js.
- Difficulties working with large applications — Because Vue.js is designed as a lightweight framework, it can be challenging to use it for significantly large-scale applications. This can require developers to invest extra time into ensuring that their code is organized and scalable.
- Issues with browser compatibility — While Vue.js is designed to work with most major browsers, there are still some compatibility issues that can arise. This can be especially problematic for developers who need to support older browsers.
- Limitations on tooling and libraries — Of course the growing number of tools and libraries available for Vue.js is impressive, but there are still some limitations when compared to other frameworks. This can make it difficult for developers to find the right tool for their needs or integrate existing libraries into their Vue.js applications.
- Too much flexibility - Well, flexibility is great. But how much flexibility is good and how much is bad? As much as Vue is highly flexible, this comes with the risk of developers having the freedom to use so many approaches. This can lead to delays in code and overall lagging in project completion.
Common challenges with React
- Fast changes: React is constantly being updated with new features and bug fixes. This can be difficult to keep up with, especially if you're already comfortable with an older version of React.
- Documentation: The React documentation is not the very best as it can be confusing and hard to navigate, sometimes. This can make it difficult to find the information you need or figure out how to use a certain feature.
- Complexity: React can be complex to learn and use, especially if you're not familiar with JavaScript. There are also many popular tools that don't support React, which can make it difficult to use them in your React projects.
- JSX issues: One of the distinctive features of ReactJS is that it uses JSX, a syntax extension that allows developers to write HTML tags within JavaScript code. While JSX can be convenient, it can also be a barrier for some developers, as it requires a certain level of understanding in order to use it effectively. In addition, JSX may not be supported by all browsers, which can further complicate things for developers who are trying to build cross-browser compatible applications.
Conclusion
Vue.js and React are both powerful tools for developing amazingly interactive user interfaces. As for which is better and easier to use between Vue vs. React, this depends on a couple of factors. For instance, you have to consider the specific use case, business needs, environment, developer abilities, budget, and the deadlines.
However, in general, Vue is better for smaller projects while React is better suited for larger projects.
