ReactJS vs. VueJS

Becoming a developer has been a blessing because it has helped me view the world and its many problems from a different and unique point of view, which has astonishingly improved my critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

This has not only made me a much more productive person, but it has also made me a more patient and calmer person in the face of my many challenges, which I can proudly say has made me a better person overall than I would claim to be five years ago.

Despite my joy in transitioning into the tech industry, it hasn’t been an effortless journey, especially when I’ve had to make certain decisions, which I must confess isn’t my forte. I have cried countless times trying to decide which tool to use for a project, especially when the deadline is just around the corner. I always thought a programmer spent more time smashing at their keyboards, casting, and binding codes (thanks to Hollywood, hehe), but in reality, we spend most of our time critically thinking and strategizing workflow.

One of the biggest and most tedious choices I’ve had to make was deciding which frontend technology to use, and for this particular project I was stuck between ReactJS and Vue.JS, so I did what I knew how to do best. I cried! (haha, just kidding, but this made me sad), then I made my second best move, research! My research proved to be fascinating, and this is what I discovered.

First of all, what are javascript frameworks?

JavaScript frameworks are a collection of JavaScript code libraries that contain code written in JavaScript. These frameworks make the lives of software developers significantly simpler. Each JavaScript framework provides pre-built scripts for a variety of categories and functions within the scope of software development, reducing the amount of effort spent by the developer.

As a result of the fact that they give your code structure, JavaScript frameworks are pretty much indispensable to your development. Developers make frequent use of a wide variety of helpful frameworks that are written in JavaScript. But for the sake of this article, let's focus on ReactJS and Vue.JS.

There is a clear reason why Vue.JS and ReactJS are two of the most popular JavaScript technologies used for development in 2024 (some programmers may disagree), and Angular deserves all the praise in the world (take a bow!). On the other hand, Vue.JS and ReactJS provide developers with a variety of options, powerful capabilities to work with, and vast communities of developers to support.

Nevertheless, just like the majority of things in life, every single one of them possesses its own unique combination of pros and cons. So how can you determine whether to use Vue.JS or ReactJS for a certain project?

In this essay, we’ll try to answer that question by breaking down the primary features, differences, and similarities between the two.

Here are some of the fundamental overviews of both technologies:

Overview

ReactJS: ReactJS is more than just a Javascript framework, it’s an open-source javascript UI library developed by Facebook in 2011 to build web apps with a robust interface, particularly single-page applications. It allows developers to create reusable UI components and manage the state efficiently using a virtual DOM. ReactJS is used to deal with the view layer for both Web and Mobile applications. It can be provided on the server-side along with working on the client-side. In a StackOverflow survey in 2023 ReactJS was voted the most popular frontend technology with a whooping 42.87% vote. ReactJS can be used to build Frontend Web Apps like E-commerce sites, Media sites, Video streaming platforms, SPAs etc. Used by industry Titans like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix and our very own HNG.

VueJS: VueJS is an open-source frontend JavaScript framework designed to help developers build web user interfaces and single-page applications. Created by Evan You in 2014, the former Google employee wanted to create something more flexible to replace Angular. The Versatility and simplicity of VueJS has helped it thrive among developers, the easy-to-adaptable nature of VueJS makes it the perfect choice for updating existing web app projects and even utilizing it to develop a whole new web app from the ground up.

Vue.JS can be used to build frontend Web Apps like Social media platforms, Hybrid mobile apps, Progressive web apps, Content management systems etc. Used by industry Titans like GitLab, Grammarly, Upwork.

Advantages

ReactJS

One-Way Data Binding: ReactJS guarantees easy debugging and predictable state management.

Virtual DOM: ReactJS productively updates only the changed parts of the DOM, which helps in boosting performance.

Community Support: ReactJS Offers extensive libraries, tools, and a large community support for enhanced development.

JSX: ReactJS combines HTML-like syntax with JavaScript, improving readability and flexibility.

Modularity and Reusability: Promotes reusable, modular components for organized and maintainable code.

VueJS

Ease of Learning: VueJS has an easy learning curve, making it accessible for beginners.

Simply Packed: VueJS is lightweight with a size around 20kb, making it very compatible

Power Packed: Although Vue has a tiny file size, it is actually packed with a large range of tools for support.

Performance: VueJS provides efficient rendering and optimized updates using a virtual DOM.

Simplicity: Vue has Single-File Components that encapsulates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, enhancing modularity.

Comparison Points

Learning:

React: Due to its extensive library and flexible ecosystem, this framework necessitates a deeper learning curve and a mastery of JSX.

Vue: Vue is less complicated to set up and easier to understand documentation for beginners.

State Management:

React: React makes use of built-in Context API, Redux, and MobX state management tools.

Vue: Vue provides state management with Vuex, which is easier to use and more integrated in contrast to other of React's options.

Convention and Flexibility:

React: React provides greater freedom and flexibility in selecting tools and libraries, which can present possibilities as well as challenges.

Vue: Vue offers a greater number of pre-built solutions and conventions, which facilitates initial setup but may limit flexibility in intricate situations.

Community Support:

React: React has a more extensive community offering a wider selection of third-party tools and libraries.

Vue: Although not as extensive as React's ecosystem, its community is expanding and offers a growing variety of plugins and tools.

Corporate Support:

React: React is supported by Facebook, guaranteeing continued growth and assistance.

Vue: Vue is mainly spearheaded by Evan You, and the open-source community created, maintains the software.

Conclusion

React is the ideal choice for projects with numerous interdependent state changes, the need to improve website performance, an out-of-control codebase, the need for a front-end user interface to facilitate high levels of user interaction, and the development of large-scale apps with accelerated time-to-market requirements.

Conversely, Vue is frequently the best option if you need a versatile, scalable tool to create your significant online application, have small-scale app development projects, need to rapidly migrate the current app code base, need to develop MVPs, need to integrate with significant apps, like server-rendered SPAs and MPAs, and require animation and interaction.

There you have it: ReactJS and VueJS's salient characteristics are strong and unique for various use cases. I would suggest that you consider your alternatives and choose the solution that best suits your project. Although this process may seem laborious, your best friend in this situation is research. As an African, you may also choose to surround yourself with people who can help you make these kinds of decisions. The greatest site to locate tech experts for all types of jobs to help you with your initiatives is HNG.

As a workplace that encourages growth and stimulates improvement, HNG has been incredibly beneficial to me in my career as a web developer. As I advance from a frontend developer to a full-stack developer, I hope to grow alongside HNG and contribute to the vision in whatever manner I can. You should too!