Vue and React are two of the most loved and widely popular JavaScript frameworks available out there. Developers love to use these frameworks because they make it possible to design high-quality web apps at a rapid pace. Since, Vue and React framework has a lot in common, developers often find it hard to identify the right one that suits their project requirements.
Before we start comparing these frameworks, you should know that the creator of Vue drew inspiration from React while developing Vue. In fact, Evan You who developed the Vue.js framework talked about Vue and React.
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He said, “I figured, what if I could just extract the part that I really liked about React and build something really lightweight without all the extra concepts involved? I was also curious as to how its internal implementation worked. I started this experiment just trying to replicate this minimal feature set, like declarative data binding. That was basically how Vue started.”
Both Vue and React have component-based architecture and they also use virtual DOM. In addition, debugging is done with the help of Chrome Dev tools in both these frameworks. Moreover, you can even use these JavaScript frameworks to develop the exact same web apps and products too. So, let us take a detailed look into the different features and aspects of these frameworks to make an informed decision.
Coding Style
The React JavaScript library heavily relies on JSX or JavaScript Expressions to add or modify HTML within the JavaScript code. Learning JSX may seem a bit challenging to some developers especially beginners. However, since it is a lot similar to HTML, you will be able to easily grasp it within a week or two.
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On the other hand, Vue still follows the traditional approach used by web developers when it comes to coding. This implies that Vue separates CSS, JavaScript, and HTML during the process of coding. In short, coding with Vue is a lot simpler and intuitive than coding with React.
Support
React is maintained and developed by Facebook, one of the largest social media platforms in the world. Facebook has a dedicated team of expert developers who are trying to make improvements to React. In fact, a number of internal products of Facebook are also coded with React.
Vue do not receive any support from any such large organizations. However, they do have a trusted and loyal group of developers who will help you to resolve issues if any. The community of supporters of Vue JavaScript framework is keeping on increasing.
Documentation
It is true that Vue is one of the youngest frameworks out there, but that doesn’t mean that it has a weak documentation. The documentation of Vue is top-notch and arguably one of the best. The simple, detailed, and excellent documentation of this framework will surely impress you. In fact, it has even urged several newbies to opt for Vue.
The documentation of React is getting better will each new update. The expert developers who are maintaining React is putting in extra effort to make the documentation even better. However, if you are looking to select the framework with a better documentation, then it is wise to choose Vue.
Size
The size of React is a lot less when compared to Angular and other JavaScript frameworks. However, Vue is extremely lightweight when compared with the React JavaScript framework. This doesn’t mean that Vue is the smallest framework out there. Preact, which is a miniature size version of React is even smaller than Vue.
The size of React 16.2.0 + React DOM is around 97.6 kilobytes while the same of Vue 2.4.2 is just 58.8 kilobytes. So, if you are searching for a lightweight framework for your new web design project, you should choose Vue.
Flexibility
Another highlight of the React framework is its incredibly flexibility. You will not be able to find any sort of routing solutions available with React. This means that you can feel free to choose a third-party app for the same process. However, you can find a React router, but it doesn’t come as part of the official React package.
One of the major downfalls of Vue is that it is not that flexible when compared to the React JavaScript framework. Vue has a Vue Router and Vuex for the process of routing and state management respectively. However, if you prefer not to spend time looking for third-party apps or tools, then this could be a bless in disguise.
Mobile development
React Native is arguably the best option when it comes to cross-platform development. In fact, thousands of developers use it to create native mobile apps with React and JavaScript. It allows developers to reuse nearly 99 percent of JS code between iOS and Android with the React-like components.
It is true that Vue is not as impressive as React when it comes to mobile app development. However, Vue still offers plenty of solutions when it comes to mobile development. You can use the NativeScript to write Vue apps and later compile them to native iOS or Android apps.
Ecosystem
Vue is a standalone JavaScript framework that can be used for different web design and development projects. However, that’s not the case with React because it can only be used with other libraries.
In fact, React heavily relies on thirty-party tools or solutions for processes like state management and routing.
Conclusion
It is evident that both React and Vue are excellent choices when developing high-quality web applications. The vast community support of React makes it an ideal choice for creating complex and sophisticated web applications. On the other hand, the easy of use and user-friendliness of Vue makes it a suitable option for all types of developers particularly beginners.