I think it's fine to learn React before vanilla JS. However, if someone learns this way they really shouldn't believe that they 'know' JS or HTML or CSS. Learning a framework's flavor is fine as an entry point but doesn't give you everything you need to know.
In other words; if you learn vanilla JS/HTML/CSS first you will have no trouble picking up React or any other framework but if you learn React first and then want to learn another framework or vanilla JS there will be some amount of unlearning 'the React way'. Additionally understanding the language 'underneath' a framework can be very helpful in understanding how it works and why certain design choices might have been made.
This is important because nothing lasts forever. When I started out there were job postings for jQuery developers. Not too many of those these days. Being a 'React Developer' is not a great career idea in the long run. JS is the only language that runs in the browser and it will never hurt you to know it well.
I think it's fine to learn React before vanilla JS. However, if someone learns this way they really shouldn't believe that they 'know' JS or HTML or CSS. Learning a framework's flavor is fine as an entry point but doesn't give you everything you need to know.
In other words; if you learn vanilla JS/HTML/CSS first you will have no trouble picking up React or any other framework but if you learn React first and then want to learn another framework or vanilla JS there will be some amount of unlearning 'the React way'. Additionally understanding the language 'underneath' a framework can be very helpful in understanding how it works and why certain design choices might have been made.
This is important because nothing lasts forever. When I started out there were job postings for jQuery developers. Not too many of those these days. Being a 'React Developer' is not a great career idea in the long run. JS is the only language that runs in the browser and it will never hurt you to know it well.
Totally agreed