React.js has been my go-to framework for years. I’ve built countless projects with it, from tiny prototypes to enterprise-level apps. It’s been a journey filled with learning, late-night debugging, and the satisfaction of shipping great features. But here in 2025, I’ve made a decision: I’m stepping away from React.
This isn’t some “React is dead” rant (spoiler: it’s not). It’s more like a reflection on why the framework that once felt indispensable now feels like a weight I don’t want to carry anymore. If you’re a React dev or someone deciding whether to dive into it, let me explain my reasoning.
The Ecosystem Fatigue Is Real
React’s ecosystem is huge, and for years, that was its biggest strength. Need a router? React Router. State management? Redux, MobX, Zustand, or Context. Want server-side rendering? Hello, Next.js. But over time, this "choose your own adventure" style started to feel more like a maze.
Building a simple app often means cobbling together a dozen libraries, each with its own quirks and updates. You spend more time managing dependencies and figuring out how tools fit together than actually solving the problem you set out to tackle. It’s exhausting, and honestly, I’ve had enough of it.
React Isn’t Simple Anymore
Remember when React was all about simplicity? Back in the day, you wrote class components, passed some props, and called it a day. Then hooks arrived—and they were awesome—but they also came with their own complexity. Suddenly, every blog post and tutorial was about managing useEffect dependencies or battling React’s rendering lifecycle.
And don’t get me started on server components. They’re supposed to make things easier, but they add yet another layer to an already complicated stack. At some point, React started feeling less like a “library for building user interfaces” and more like a convoluted framework trying to be everything at once.
The Market Is Overcrowded
If you’ve been job hunting recently, you’ve probably noticed that React is still everywhere. That sounds like a good thing, right? Plenty of jobs, lots of demand. But the reality is that everyone and their dog knows React now. The market is so saturated that standing out as a React developer has become incredibly hard.
Meanwhile, newer frameworks like Svelte and Solid are carving out niches where demand outpaces supply. Learning them feels like investing in a smaller, less crowded pond where you have a better chance of catching a big fish.
The Alternatives Are Just Better
Over the past couple of years, I’ve dabbled in frameworks like Svelte, SolidJS, and Qwik, and honestly? They’re a breath of fresh air. They’re simpler, faster, and often more intuitive than React.
Take Svelte, for example. No boilerplate, no useState, no useEffect. You write what you mean, and the framework takes care of the rest. It feels like coding in React’s early days, but without all the baggage that’s piled up over the years.
Or look at SolidJS—it’s like React on steroids. It uses the same component-based architecture but with better performance and smaller bundle sizes. And then there’s Qwik, which is rethinking how hydration and rendering work entirely. These frameworks are innovating in ways that make React feel… old.
The Community Shift
The React community has always been one of its strengths, but even that’s started to change. With so many tools and libraries in the ecosystem, the community feels fragmented. Everyone has their own “best practices,” their own stack, their own way of doing things. It’s harder to find a shared sense of direction or even solid advice that works universally.
Meanwhile, communities around newer frameworks feel more unified. They’re smaller, sure, but there’s a sense of excitement and collaboration that reminds me of React’s early days. It’s invigorating to be part of something that feels fresh and full of possibility.
React Is Still Good… Just Not for Me
I want to be clear: React isn’t bad. It’s still an incredible tool for many developers and projects. If you’re working on a large app with an established React codebase, there’s no reason to rip it out. If you’re just starting your journey in web development, React can teach you a lot about modern front-end practices.
But for me, it’s time to move on. I want simplicity. I want to spend less time configuring my stack and more time building things that matter. I want to explore frameworks that feel designed for 2025, not 2013.
What’s Next?
I’m doubling down on Svelte and SolidJS. They align with what I want out of my tools: speed, simplicity, and innovation. I’m also keeping an eye on Qwik and frameworks like Astro, which offer exciting new ways to think about web development.
If you’re still using React and loving it, that’s great. But if you’re feeling frustrated or burnt out, know that there are other options out there. Explore them. Play around. You might find something that reignites your passion for coding.
What about you? Are you sticking with React, or have you started exploring alternatives? Let’s talk in the comments.
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