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Discussion on: 7 Reasons Why React is King of JavaScript UI Frameworks

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brianmcbride profile image
Brian McBride

React had a place back when web components were a mess.
Now it doens't fully support the actual web standards and custom components. It isn't as fast or as small as similar libs (Preact, Solid, etc...) either.

This is why I see React as still heavily used:

  1. There are a TON of resources, libs, training materials, etc...
  2. Facebook can "do no wrong" in the web development community. No idea why. There are talented devs in FB. But also elsewhere. The general herd mentality seems to keep the momentum though.
  3. Because of the above, it is easier to hire React developers as there are more of them. For various reasons, it is a path of low-resistence just to stick with React (or Angular) for many corps.

Personally, I think we are beyond the time where the web community should focus on web component archtiecture that works with any reactive lib. There is Lit, Stencil, and others that are a very small amount of helper syntax to make working with the core Web Components easier. Imagine a popular React lib like Material-UI that was just common components that would work just as great in React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, Solid, etc...

Libs like React will still have a place. But like DOM routers, they can be a lib where you pick the "reactive" lib that you like the most to handle your lifecycle, state, etc...

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dannyengelman profile image
Danny Engelman

One thing everyone ignores. The future of Web standards are now defined by the WHATWG. So Google, Mozilla, Apple and Microsoft together set that standard. Facebook hasn't been invited yet

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHATWG

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brianmcbride profile image
Brian McBride

Facebook as an org seems to have a poor history of contributing to existing open source projects. I very much appreciate all they have given to the community. That goes for anyone who maintains or contributes to open source.

I seriously question the "invited" aspect. First, it looks like the group is mainly the people who build the browsers? And there is a process for submitting to the W3C standards.

I have no idea if it is corporate policy or corporate culture - but Facebook just seems to go their own way with little to no regard for standards unless they have no choice or just happen to like something.