What Are The Reasons Of React Popularity?

ReactJs & React Native were developed by a Facebook software developer, Jordan Walke. The aim of this web and mobile app development technology was to simplify & speed up the development process and deliver an exceptional user experience. Before we get into React's popularity, let’s try and briefly understand what it is.

As they say, necessity is the mother of all inventions and React’s creation is a perfect example of that. While integrating Facebook Ads with more features, the developers started running into some code-related issues. It became rather difficult to keep up with the increasing needs of their web and app development & the necessity of an out-of-the-box approach became imperative. 

One of the developers, Jordan Walke, took matters into his hands and created React to solve the problem. Its earlier version was implemented in Facebook Ads Org’s development process and the results were quite promising - It enhanced functionality at the user end and took care of the code maintenance too. Since its inception in 2011, React's popularity has been growing rapidly. 

According to surveys, React is downloaded over 7.9 million times each week and it is the second-best programming language according to developers.

The fame has fueled popular discussions such as React vs Angular, Vue & jQuery and has had businesses outsource ReactJs development companies or hire ReactJs developers to optimize their applications. So why is it a favorite in the developers’ den? That is exactly what we are going to learn today. Here’s why React is a developer’s best friend.

Key Features Contributing To React’s Popularity

So how does React work? Unlike other platforms such as Cordova, React allows for heavy feature integration through native modules and completion of remaining code via JavaScript without using WebView. It makes native mobile controllers easily accessible and results in a much cleaner and more native feel.

Reusable Components

These React components can be used more than once in your app development process. Starting with smaller components such as login/sign-up buttons and menu lists to bigger and more complex aspects like the wrapper components. 

One of the biggest benefits of ReactJs here is that these elements are reusable and can be implemented in any area of the app. This translates into easy, time-efficient, & cost-effective app development and also results in uniformity throughout the app.

Virtual Dom

DOM (Document Object Model) refers to a hierarchical & logical arrangement of files in formats such as HTML or XML. DOM allows internet browsers to convert different XML, HTML, or XHTML syntax into a comprehensible and viewable form. The shortcoming of the traditional process, however, is the way it conducts processes like queries and user inputs. Every time these queries or changes are made, a server performs checks on these changes to keep the application stable and responsive. In doing so, it requires a constant updating of the entire elements of the tree. Taking into the account magnitude of the DOM trees today, this arrangement is not viable.

One reason for React's popularity is its ability to use abstract copies of these DOM trees (Virtual Doms) to perform these checks. What this means is that these updates do not influence the entire tree and allow for fast updates and a very responsive & dynamic user interface. A common example of it is when you see constantly refreshing status and feeds while also chatting with a friend during let’s say a Facebook chat.

Robust and Dynamic Web Applications

Creating an interactive and immersive in-app user experience is easier said than done. Conventional ways demand complex coding while keeping the arrangement of specific HTML strings intact.

 With the magical combination of ReactJs & JSX, however, developers can create the strings within the JavaScript setting. Below are examples of code with and without JSX.

Hooks API

It wasn’t long ago when the only way to define the state in web application development was to either use tools like Redux or MobX or specify a local state. That, however, changed with the release of Hooks API. With it, developers can now specify logic between varying components without the need for redesigning the entire code. 

Another reason for React's popularity is that Hooks API allows developers to reuse logic between elements without renovating it entirely. It also makes it possible to break down specific components of the tree into various smaller branches and make the process more simple to work with.

One of the most notable benefits of ReactJs, however, is that it eliminates the need for writing code for every aspect and allows developers to enjoy all the useful features of React without mastering the theory of JavaScript.

Some of the most well-known and successful apps built with React Native include the likes of Instagram, Food delivery app UberEats, online movies & TV show streaming platform Netflix, and Airbnb.

What started as a simple problem-solving idea back in 2011, has now turned into a globally accepted solution for a smoother and more efficient web and app development process. If you are struggling with your app performance and need an expert opinion on enhancing its functionality, get in touch with InvoZone and transform your application into the best web app on Apple App Store & Google Play.