4 Important ReactJS Specifics That We Should Keep in Mind
Overtaking jQuery and with 40,14% of software developers relying on it, ReactJS was the most popular framework for web development in 2021. The popularity of ReactJS in the developer scene comes as no surprise given its many advantages. React is actually not a framework but a JavaScript front end library and thanks to its remarkable speed, top performance and flexibility, it is a top preferred choice for web development of many established businesses and emerging startups.
Working in a bespoke software development company focused on React as a front end technology, and after I’ve talked with our developers, I’m ready to share all its exciting benefits.
First of all, it can be used as either a purely locally or globally installed library, meaning it can easily be integrated into existing code in JavaScript to extend its functionality. In addition, however, complex projects can also be planned entirely on the basis of the software, which means that ReactJS provides the user with options similar to frameworks like Vue.js and jQuery or more fully-functional frameworks Angular or Ember. Now, let’s find out more about the specifics of ReactJS.
- ReactJS Stands Out with Fast Performance
React is a JavaScript front end library for building creative, engaging and intuitive User Interfaces (UIs) that are distinguished by high performance. React’s speed is largely due to the use of a virtual DOM. A DOM (Document Object Model) is a programming API or viewing agreement (how information is stored and then presented) for the documents that form data inputs and outputs. DOMs define the logical structure of documents and how a document can be accessed and manipulated.
React uses a virtual DOM, which works much faster than traditional DOMs. In the case with a “real” DOM, whenever pages are updated with new information, the entire page must be rewritten from start to finish and then rendered. However, suppose the web application works with React’s virtual DOM. In that case, only the section containing the updated data on the UI needs to be rewritten, speeding up the overall app’s performance.
- React is a Good Choice for SPAs
No, we’re not going to the spa, we aim to build a Single Page Application (SPA) using React. A Single Page Application is a type of website that combines the content of a traditional website with a smooth User Experience (UX) of a native mobile application. In contrast to traditional multi-page web applications, SPAs only load individual parts of a website, making the entire app a lot faster. A popular choice for creating Single Page Applications are ReactJS, Vue.js, Ember,js or Angular. It’s often the case that both React developers and business clients prefer to build a SPA application for their new project as they come with a handful of benefits. For starters, SPAs are fast and they “feel” like desktop or mobile apps for the end-users, which contributes to a more satisfactory UX. Plus, SPAs provide quick responses to user interactions and the path from a SPA to a native app is significantly shorter.
Let’s give a practical example of the SPA page loading. Imagine that a user wants to click on a sign in link in the navigation bar. In a case with a traditional web application, a new page containing the sign in view would have to be loaded. However, with a SPA, clicking on sign in simply changes the active view depending on the state, making the loading of separate page redundant. But what do we mean by states in React? Let’s find out below!
- React’s States and Props
States and props are simple JavaScript objects used in ReactJS to control the flow of data from components. Props (short for properties) are variables passed from the parent component to a React component, making them similar to function parameters. React props extend functionality and can be used as variables within a function, making React reusable components, which is another amazing feature of this front end library that accelerates the development of web applications.
A React state is also a variable, but it is initialised and managed directly in the component (similar to variables declared in a function). The states and props data are used to render the component using dynamic data. A component’s mutable internal data that affects the state of the view is stored in that class’s state member variables. When the state changes within the component, the rendering function is automatically called again and immediately displays the latest values of this data. Ever wondered how ReactJS got its name? It is all precisely thanks to this reactive quality. Besides, since its 16.8 version, React has introduced Hooks that allow logic sharing between different components and reusing this logic without any structural changes, making the software development process a lot more pleasant for React developers.
- ReactJS is a Future-Proof Technology
When you’re looking for a ReactJS software development company, you should always keep in mind the tech stacks your potential vendor is using and whether they are future-proof. Among other things, a rich pool of potential employees with top-notch tech expertise is a key factor in future-proofing any software project. On average, the more popular, secure and reliable a technology is, the less risk you take when starting a new project.
In essence, ReactJS is considered to be one of the most future-proof technologies in front end software development. This is due to the fact that there is a constantly growing number of React developers, at least compared to other technologies, considering that there is a general shortage of qualified software developers. One more aspect that makes React future-proof is that the library is managed by Facebook, which is one of the largest and most powerful companies. In addition, a robust online open-source community has formed due to the increasing number of React developers on a global scale. The combination of Facebook’s continuous support and a large and engaged community means that React is constantly being updated and improved, making it highly unlikely to become obsolete anytime soon.
Author Biography Aleksandrina Vasileva
Aleksandrina is a Content Creator at Dreamix, a custom software development company, and is keen on innovative technological solutions with a positive impact on our world. Her teaching background mixed with interests in psychology drives her to share knowledge. She is an avid reader and enthusiastic blogger, always looking for the next inspiration.
