React vs Vue in 2023

Today, React and Vue are among the most popular options in web development. Companies seek to contemplate the use of updated tools to reach their goals. Sometimes saving time and quality on the same scale is harsh, but it's possible with JavaScript frameworks like React.js and Vue.js. JS is ideal for building web pages, mobile apps, and other digital products. Moreover, Javascript has interactivity and dynamism at its very core. Yet, how do each of these frameworks take advantage of these features? Let's compare React and Vue!

What is React?

While often called a framework, React is a JS library. Its uses revolve around creating exemplary user experiences for both mobile and web applications. At its core, React is fast, declarative, interactive, and flexible. Given the latter, it's no surprise that big names like The New York Times, Discord, and Reddit  use it. Furthermore, React allows reusable components to use across multiple projects. This feature makes processes more efficient and cost-effective, and you can see its outcomes in Gatsby, Notebook, and Spectacle, among others.

Usually, frameworks and libraries have a wide range of tools and utilities. Thus, there are some devs' most common means to refine their React work. One example is React Redux, a scalable and robust platform that controls the state of a JavaScript application. Likewise, react-hook-form reduces the amount of coding by cutting needless repetitions. In turn, it isolates component renders and accommodates faster component assembly. And, as the last of many React tools, react-hot-loader allows editing JSX files during development processes.

Besides, React offers endless advantages! Among the most common benefits of React, we can see speed, flexibility, performance, and usability. In terms of speed, React works in individual parts, so changes don't affect the applications' logic. Meanwhile, React is cost-effective and easy to maintain, and its modular structure makes it a remarkable choice in terms of flexibility. When discussing performance, its Virtual DOM and server-side allow complex applications to run, and since especially easy to learn and use when knowing JavaScript, it's great in terms of usability.

What are React Components?

As mentioned before, React components enhance the possibility of reuse code by dividing the interface into several parts. React components go hand in hand with the design principle of Separation of Concerns (SoC). As a result, it addresses concerns separately. Components generally have their main characteristics. As the name states, the first one is reusability.

This feature allows using an area element in another area, speeding up development processes. Components also have method rendering to define and specify the elements' representation in the DOM, and nested components, which allow for components to contain other components. React Components have two main types: function and class components. Let's review them!

● React Function Components. To specify a React component, it's necessary to define a Javascript function. Once executed, it's essential to return the React element. This way, the React component should always return a React element. Otherwise, it will show an error.

● React Class Components. This type of component must contain the following statement: extends 'React. Component'. At the same time, this statement configures the component's subclass. This configuration allows the component to access its functions.

What is Vue?

Vue is a Javascript framework, ideal for building user interfaces, that works under the HTML, CSS, and Javascript standards. Since it's a declarative programming model, its components ensure efficient development. This framework tracks automatic state changes in Javascript. After executing these changes, it then takes care of updating the DOM. 

In turn, Vue extends HTML standards through a template syntax. Likewise, you can describe the HTML output according to Javascript's state. Many well-known companies are currently betting on the use of Vue. Some examples include Facebook, Xiaomi, Netflix, BMW, and Nintendo.

Being ideal for developing and administering projects thanks to its interface, Vue.js also has several tools to make processes accessible in cost, time, and effort senses. 

1. Vite. Vite eases the management of components. This component library uses Bits CLI to push stand-alone components to any local project. In turn, the dependencies of each component go through a tracking process. Its main goal is to run tests in sandbox environments.

2. Nuxt.js. Nuxt.js allows server-side rendering of Vue.JS apps. It has over 50 modules and allows you to create rendered applications such as SSRs, SPAs, and PWAs. It is ideal for building static sites.

3. Vuex. This tool centralizes all the functions of state management. Vuex includes debugging over time without any specific configuration and has an extensive repertoire of available tools. 

In terms of advantages, Vue.js has several benefits, like being intuitive, lightweight, and having extensive functions. Further, the benefits of Vue include being easy, having extensive libraries, great rendering capabilities, and massive collaboration tools. Since Vue is progressive and adaptable, it's quite easy and ideal for developing applications from scratch. The JavaScript framework also an extensive framework of functionality needed while developing, and due to its rendering, synchronizing the Virtual DOM is more suitable than updating it. Last but not least, Vue has its own Discord server, 72K questions in Stack Overflow, and over 132K members on GitHub!

What are Vue Components?

Vue components are reusable instances with custom HTML elements. Calculations, monitoring, and data management are applicable within these components. In terms of usage, Vue has two main types of components. While local components only apply when creating a new component, global components keep a record within the application for usage without exportation. You can create a global component with seen.component('name of component, {properties}').

Further, components on Vue also have accessories. These props are ideal for moving data from parent to child components, preserving a one-way flow. Let's check its types!

● Vue.js Single File Components. The single file component is better when developing an application with many functionalities. So, it is possible to have the templates, scripts, and styles in a single file.

● Vue.js Dynamic Components. Thanks to the components' dynamism, it's easier to make changes between components without using a router. This operation works with the syntax <component v-bind:is="currentComponent"></component>. Here, it's essential to use the tag component, an attribute that takes the current component and modifies it. When discussing components, we should consider the two ways to apply them. The first one, Kebab, follows a my-component-name structure, while Pascual goes by MyComponentName.

Vue vs React Differences

Before delving into their differences, let's begin with some relevant edges these two tools have in common. Among their standard elements, one that takes the limelight for both is the Virtual DOM. This DOM-tree representation supposes an HTML DOM abstraction, where each HTML element is a JavaScript object. Likewise, since they're component-based, both tools are lightweight. This feature enhances faster data processing! And, of course, both have extensive communities ready to share knowledge and help out fellow developers.

Now, back to the hot topic. What are the differences between React and Vue?

*When writing this article, the idea of using Pinia also started to rise among devs.

Both options are powerful tools that have marked a before and after in the development world. They're tools that have gone through a constant updating process. However, choosing one or another depends on the project's features. What are you trying to achieve?

Vue is simpler than React, which makes it more accessible for new programmers. React has an even steeper learning curve and requires a lot of practice. Despite the difficulty of learning React, this last is still more flexible than Vue. If you want to create reusable components, your best option is React. In this case, React is compatible with JSX, making it easy to develop custom components. It is impossible to define which is the best. For sure, it all depends on the functionality and goals that you're looking for.

Conclusion

React and Vue, without a doubt, are spectacular on a functional level. In this scenario, it's impossible to determine a winner with precision. First, it's necessary deciding the use case and the final goals. React supports major corporate endorsements globally. It contemplates a high degree of complexity. In this way, it enables the development teams to create complicated business apps. For its part, Vue is a sensation within front-end web development. It has built-in functions, good documentation, and syntax classics. Which option will you use in your next project, React or Vue?