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Matthew Palmer
Matthew Palmer

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React.js VS Angular.js

There has been plenty of debates online about whether React.js or Angular.js is a preferred tool among devs. I think it is important to cover this topic since we are comparing apples with oranges here. Now, I'm experienced in React, but I have never touched Angular. However, I am experienced in Ruby on Rails which is a MVC (Model - View - Controller) framework. That's the keyword here: FRAMEWORK! Angular follows a similar setup known as MVVC (Model - View - View - Controller) whereas React is a library.

There are some pros and cons for each tool you use. Angular, with the release of Angular 9, has cut down on bundle sizes and often gives users no real issues on larger applications. However, React offers many other benefits such as an easy learning curve, the virtual DOM, as well as generally prioritizing certain page tasks. The con with React comes down to testing. Angular uses one tool while React sometimes requires multiple dependencies for testing depending on whether you're aiming to test components or pure code.

This doesn't necessarily make one better than the other since "one size doesn't fit all", as the saying goes. Improvements are consistently being made to both tools. Time is the great determining factor over which tool becomes ideal for application development. Truth be told, next week could mean all the difference if Facebook's React Dev team (or even the general community) releases a multi-purpose testing tool. This is what make being a developer a journey rather than a destination.

If you're wondering which tool you should use, my best recommendation is to try out both and take your needs into consideration while also being open-minded about the growth of both tools. Being a developer isn't as much of a race as it is about keeping pace. Learning how to use both technologies can prove to be more beneficial than only learning about one! That is a goal of mine in the very near future, and I recommend making it a goal of yours too! Embrace all of your challenges with a growth mindset over a fixed one. That will separate you from those who place limitations on themselves.

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