Vue and React are popular framework packages for new and seasoned developers and engineers. Some businesses struggle to decide which framework would best suit their business structure. While the frameworks have similarities, there are also many differences. Both frameworks are popular, but when it comes to Vue vs. React popularity, which one is best?
Important factors to consider when comparing whether to use Vue vs React for your core teams include the following:
- Vue vs. React syntax
- Vue vs. React ease of use
- Vue vs. React speed
- Vue vs. React market share
- Which companies favor which framework
What Is Vue?
Vue.js, or Vue, is a progressive JavaScript-based framework used to build reactive user interfaces (UIs) and single-page applications (SPAs) on top of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript languages. Harnessing these languages, Vue can offer developers a collection of powerful tools to help them build interactive applications.
Vue works on a simplistic model-view-view-model (MVVM) foundation, offering the bare minimum of what is typically required of a JavaScript framework. It was initially released in 2014 by Evan You, who had gained experience working with AngularJS at Google. You took inspiration from his favorite aspects of AngularJS and combined them with his desire for a lightweight framework. Thus, Vue was born.
Vue Frameworks: Basics & Functions
Vue is flexible and adoptable. Because Vue is an open-source framework, it can be used in several ways and provides developers access to the following features:
- Components: Users can use components to build reusable HTML-based custom elements by writing and combining JavaScript objects and HTML-based template syntax.
- Computed Properties: Computed properties are an essential feature of the Vue framework. Users can create computed properties to help create, change, and display data within components without additional coding. It allows users to do this in a readable and effective way, allowing them to determine and list specific values.
- Data Binding: Data binding allows users to assign or manipulate values to HTML attributes. It also allows users to change styles and assign classes. Assigning classes using the data binding feature is done through v-bind, a binding directive.
- Directives: Vue comes packed with built-in directives which allow users to perform several frontend actions based on their needs. Some of the most common directives include v-if, v-else, v-show, v-on, v-bind, and v-model. These directives can be used for various actions. For example, v-if can be used to conditionally render a block, while v-model can be used to build a two-way data binding between a value in data property and a value in a template.
- Transitions: Vue provides users many ways to implement transitions to HTML elements. These transitions can be added, updated, or removed from the DOM. Vue comes with built-in transition components to help with this. Users can also apply third-party libraries. These transitions allow interfaces to become more interactive.
- Virtual DOM: Virtual DOM (VDOM) is a lightweight programming concept representing the Document Object Model. Instead of making changes to the DOM, users make initial changes to the VDOM, which improves optimization by allowing changes to be made faster than if they were implemented through the real DOM. Changes made to the VDOM are compared to the original data to ensure minimal errors before being released to the real DOM.
Vue Pros & Cons
Vue is a persistently growing framework that has continued to rise in popularity, though it does have some downsides.
Pros
There are many pros when it comes to using Vue, including:
- It’s lightweight: One of the most notable advantages of using Vue is its tiny size. Because it’s made to be small and light, it’s fast and easy to download and install and also helps with a user’s SEO and UX. Since it’s lightweight, it can also be used in any project.
- Good performance: Vue’s performance is among the best when compared to other frameworks. It has been optimized to perform better in memory allocation, startup time, and DOM operations.
- Use of components: Vue uses a component-based architecture (CBA) that helps when writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. The CBA allows these codes to be written without separating them into different files. This helps with reusability, readability, and unit testing.
- It’s flexible: Vue is flexible and adaptable and requires only JavaScript to work, meaning it can integrate easily with existing applications. There are no other tools needed to operate Vue. Additionally, Vue can be written with templates using HTML, JavaScript, and the JavaScript syntax extension.
- Comes with powerful tools: Vue has been around since 2014, so it’s no surprise it has amassed a powerful set of tools that developers can use to their advantage. The tools provide users with various features that speed up the development cycle. Vue also has added features, such as browser debugging tools, server-side rendering, and an official state management core library called Pinia.
- Easy to learn: Vue offers users a smooth learning curve. All that’s required to dive into Vue is an understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There’s no in-depth knowledge required. Vue also has active and supportive communities willing to assist newcomers with any questions they have through forums, guides, and courses.
Cons
Like most components in the software and tech worlds, Vue has its own controversy, with several cons noted by the active community. These cons include:
- Resources are limited: Vue isn’t as big as other frameworks, such as Angular and React. As such, the resources for Vue tend to be more limited than other frameworks. There are fewer plugins, libraries, and components available for developers to work with.
- Less seasoned developers: Since Vue is still relatively new, there aren’t as many experienced developers compared to other frameworks. Additionally, Vue is continually being updated, which means that developers must stay up-to-date on the latest features and versions.
- There’s a language barrier: While Vue has increased in popularity, a lot of its success can be attributed to China, where it was initially developed. As such, many of the conversations and instructional documents surrounding Vue can be found in Chinese. Without proper knowledge of the Chinese language, this can prove to be a language barrier for those who speak other languages, and many individuals may need to turn to translation software to understand Vue’s overall concepts.
What Is React?
React.js, or React, is another open-source JavaScript-based library. It can create and maintain interactive web applications and user interfaces effectively. React allows users to develop these applications and interfaces with less code than a typical JavaScript application would require.
React is a popular library chosen by many developers to build their applications. Facebook’s Jordan Walke created it in 2013 to help developers build dynamic web applications by providing them with an organization and structure.
React Framework: Basics & Features
React.js is primarily used to create single-page applications and mobile applications. It uses the model view controller architecture to handle these applications.
React provides developers with many features, including:
- Components: React allows users to create condensed components through JavaScript instead of templates. These components can manage their own state and create complicated UIs from them.
- Debugging: React has a larger user base, which makes testing and debugging applications easy. There’s also an extension that allows users to debug React applications even faster.
- Declarative views: React provides declarative views to its users, allowing for a more predictable code that is easier to debug.
- Extensions: React provides users with access to many extensions, including server-side rendering, Flux, and Redux. React also has a mobile-based version called React Native, which allows users to create cross-compatible mobile applications.
- Hooks: React hooks are a newer feature that allows users to use certain features without writing a class.
- JavaScript Syntax Extension (JSX): JSX helps developers write HTML structures within JavaScript code. It’s a popular choice for many developers, especially since it provides users access to a familiar syntax.
- VDOM: React also uses a virtual DOM component, which allows users to manipulate object changes in a virtual environment before releasing them to the real DOM environment. This allows users to move quickly in the development phase.
React Pros & Cons
React has been a favorite library among developers thanks to its many features, but also has its disadvantages.
Pros
There are many advantages when using React, including:
- It’s user-friendly: React is easy to learn and use. Most people who have experience in JavaScript can easily adapt to using React as their library. It also has a well-established community, meaning it has plenty of documentation, tutorials, and training resources for newcomers.
- Building interactive web applications is easy: React requires less code than traditional methods when creating interactive web applications. Despite requiring less code, React still provides users with more functionality.
- Offers reusable components: React has plenty of reusable components that allow users to build and maintain apps quicker and easier. These reusable components can be used whenever needed and can even be nested within other components.
- Has enhanced performance: The VDOM allows users to write, run, and test components before releasing them to the real DOM. This optimizes and enhances performance, allowing it to run more smoothly and quickly.
- Features many tools: React features many tools that help make tasks easier for developers. These tools come as Chrome and Firefox dev extensions known as The React Developer Tools and allow users to inspect React component hierarchies inside the VDOM and select, examine, and edit specific components.
- Is SEO-friendly: Many frameworks and libraries have had problems with search engine optimization. Search engines generally have difficulty reading applications made with JavaScript. However, React fixes this issue and allows search engines to find their applications.
Cons
Despite its popularity, React also has several disadvantages, including:
- Fast-paced development: React’s environment constantly evolves and changes, which can cause discomfort among developers. Many developers aren’t up to the task of relearning how to perform certain tasks through React. Because React constantly changes, developers must learn to adapt quickly and stay up-to-date with new skills.
- Lack of documentation: React is always changing, so it’s hard to update and make proper documentation.
- JSX creates a barrier: React relies on JSX. Unfortunately, JSX has complexities that many new developers struggle to learn and adapt to.
Differences Between Vue and React
Vue and React have many differences, the biggest being their syntax: Vue primarily uses HTML templates, whereas React relies on JSX. Another big difference separating React from Vue is that React requires external libraries, and Vue is a standalone framework. Finally, Vue is used to create web-based applications, whereas React is used to create interactive web and mobile applications.
There are a few smaller differences as well, including:
- Architecture: Vue is adaptable and allows various complex features to be incorporated into its architecture. React supports various state management libraries for complicated features.
- Speed: Vue is faster and smoother.
- Release: React is one year older, having been released in 2013, while Vue was released in 2014.
Choosing the Right Framework for Your Team
Choosing between two frameworks can be difficult. When deciding, it’s important to know all the facts. Countless big-name corporations have used both Vue and React. React has been used by PayPal, Instagram, and Netflix, while Alibaba, Trustpilot, and GitLab have used Vue.
But which one should your team use? Deciding between React vs. Vue can boil down to a few factors.
Level of Experience
When deciding which framework to use, the first thing to look at is the team's experience. Vue is lightweight and more user-friendly than React in many aspects. Developers can use Vue with just a little knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, while they’ll need a deeper understanding of JavaScript to use and adapt to React.
Security Needs
How important your security needs are should be your next determining factor. While both React and Vue have their own security flaws, Vue is easier to protect. Vue users can easily clean HTML code before deploying it so that assaults are less likely to occur. React, on the other hand, will require its developers to follow specific security standards to protect their applications.
Mobile Applications Goals
If you intend to create mobile applications for your business, it’s important to understand your goals when deciding on which framework to use. Both React and Vue can be used to create mobile applications, but the processes are different. React focuses more on reusable UI components, while Vue provides users with front-end tools.
Testing and Debugging Requirements
Vue and React both use VDOM, which can assist in testing and debugging applications. However, there are specific requirements that both Vue and React have when it comes to testing and debugging.
React comes with a React Testing Library, which helps users to identify and manage test errors. Alternatively, Vue relies more on automated tests.
How Revelo Can Help
Choosing the right framework can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding your goals, vision, and team experience, can help make the decision between Vue and React easier. However, if you’re still unsure, Revelo can help. Whether you're in the market for a new framework or need to know the difference between technical terms such as SQL and MySQL, Revelo has you covered.
Find out more about how Revelo works, and let us help you choose the best framework for your mission.
Contact us today for more information.
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