What should you choose for web development: React.js or Angular? We, at Tecorb Technologies work extensively with both the tools. Thus, in this article, we have decided to give you a clear picture on “React or Angular” question. Here is what we have to review:

Additionally, we will be explaining about which framework helps us cut on the development time (and cost) and how. Let’s get it started:

Table of Contents

1. A brief overview of React.js vs. Angular
2. What is Angular?
3. What is React?
4. Tech Side: Angular vs. React.js
5. Performance and DOM
6. Data Binding
7. Component Architecture
8. Bundle Size
9. Backward Compatibility
10. Scalability
11. Popularity: React vs. Angular
12. Angular 2 or React: NPM, Stack Overflow, Rates on GitHub
13. Popularity among Developers: Angular vs. React.js
14. Usage: Angular vs. React
15. Known Instances
16. Then Which One is Better: React or Angular?
17. Why choose React?

A Brief Overview of React.js vs. Angular

Before getting into this, let us first figure out what both Angular and React Actually are.

What is Angular?

First, not to confuse everything up here, we are talking about Angular 2, and not AngularJS which is a very different and older framework.

Right now, the term Angular 2 is used as an umbrella term for all the versions of Angular released after AngularJS. These include Angular 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 (released on February 6, 2020).

Obviously, now you need to know what exactly Angular 2 is. It is known as an open-source framework which is mainly used to create web applications, single-page web apps, and hybrid apps. It is built on TypeScript and is developed and maintained by Google. It is a full-fledged toolkit which has everything that developers need in order to build large-scale apps. It is of no wonder that it has gain popularity. Leading companies like Forbes, Xbox, BMW, and more have chosen Angular over react for their front-end development. Projects built under Angular include:

• Microsoft Office Home
• Samsung Forward
• Forbes
• BMW Driveaway Price Calculator

What is React?

ReactJS (also known as React.js or React) was developed by Facebook in the form of a front-end Javascript library that is used for building user interfaces (UI). React makes use of a declarative style of programming to describe the UI state.

Using React, programmers are allowed to figure out how their app is going to look for the end-users and how they will be able to interact with it. It is also used in order to build web app, native-rendered apps, and also mobile applications.

Adding on to the reusable library code, which helps in saving development time and cut downs on the chance for coding errors, React acquires two main features; virtual DOM and JSX. We will review both of them later.

Facebook has been using React over Angular in production for years, along with Instagram, Netflix, and other giants of technology. However, it works for small projects as well.

Here are a few small companies that can give you an idea:

• BMI Calculator
• Radix Converter
• Unit Converter
• Course Learn Page

Just like Angular, React is an open-source project. This stands that anyone will be able to download and modify its source for free. React libraries are inclusive of collections of individual UI features and complete React.js templates that help build UI from the ground level.

Thus, no matter which specific UI function a developer is going to address with React, there is a whole library for their needs.

Tech Side: Angular vs. React.js

Bringing it forward, let us now compare Angular 2 with React.js in regards to their performance.

• Performance and DOM

Factually, both Angular and React are perfect for front-end development. Also, they do equally well when it comes to creating large-scale applications.

However, there is one great difference between Angular and React. On one hand, React makes use of virtual DOM (known as Document Object Model) which allows accessing and changing document contents, layout, and structure. On the other hand, Angular 2 operates on real DOM.

For instance, you wish to update user profile details, for example, their last name. Instead of changing just that bit of information, Real DOM updates the entire tree structure of HTML tables until it reaches the needed data. In this case, it is the last name. On one hand, virtual DOM will allow us to update the changes without rewriting the entire HTML code virtually. This ensures faster performance, not considering the application’s size.

Even though Angular is a full front-end framework, the real DOM feature makes the app slower while dealing with a ton of data requests.

• Data Binding

Data binding is all about synchronizing the data between UI and logic. One major difference between React.js and Angular is that Angular 2 makes use of both one-way and two-way data binding. This brings a change in data impacts view and a change in view triggers changes in data.

On the other hand React makes use of one-way data binding. This means that when designing a React app developer often nest child components within higher-order parent components.

One-way data binding ensures that the code is more stable and it makes sure of debugging an app build with React versus Angular app much easier. But still, one-way or two-way data binding of Angular is simpler to work with and makes the framework more flexible.

• Component Architecture

Reacts works on building UIs by the way of breaking them into smaller components. Let us explain it to you how it works. You create and build components that manage their own state and structure them together to create complex UIs. But if the project architecture is constructed using React, you will require multiple integration and supporting tools. Some of these are as follows:

1. Babel: this converts JSX into JavaScript for the application to be understood by the browsers
2. Redux: it is a state container which speeds up the work of React in larger applications
3. Webpack: this is a standard module bundler

Not like React, Angular 2 acquires a full-fledged framework which comes with many out-of-the-box features. These include:

1. Angular CLI: it is a powerful command-line interface
2. RxJS: this introduces the concept of reactive programming to JS
3. Angular Universal: this is used for server-side rendering

Most commonly, Angular as well as React.js come with robust ecosystems. React is much easier to grasp, however, it requires many integrations like Redux to make use its potential completely.

But since React is a library, you can integrate it into any project, even if the project is written in Angular. However, why to do this is a completely different debate but such an opportunity exists.

• Bundle Size

The very first question you might come up with is that why does size matter? Well, to explain you in simple terms, smaller the file is, the faster it loads. And, the faster it loads, the higher is the ranking and ultimately the conversion rate and margin.

Angular provides a solution to this problem by not including the entire bundle of Angular framework in the user’s application panel. As a part of the build process, it helps in getting rid of:

1. Development utilities
2. Unused modules

Afterwards, compression and minification take place allowing the framework to perform extra optimizations.

On the other hand, React uses webpack, which splits your code into smaller components, tree shaking, and dynamic imports that reduce the bundle size.

Tree shaking, also known as dead-code elimination means that unused modules will not be included in the bundle during the building process.

Using dynamic imports, the application loads the code needed in the starting and the rest of the load on demand.

• Backward Compatibility

It is very important for every developer to analyse the possibility to update architecture to add new libraries and modules.

A major difference between Angular and React is that it is possible to jump from Angular 2 to Angular 7. But first, you are required to install updates between the versions, one by one.

No why is React better than Angular? React is more of a library and it acquires a backward compatibility. You have the ability to add different releases of the libraries to the application and update the old ones.

In case you are planning to enhance the project step by step by adding new features, React may be the best choice since it has absolute backward compatibility.

• Scalability

While choosing a tool, always keep in mind the scope for future of the project. As we have said prior, React, as compared to Angular, relies heavily on third-party tools. Similar is the case if you need to scale your app.

Still, a maintainable architecture with server-side rendering can be easily developed using React. React is used by many companies like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Each of these is a large application at a global scale.

However, on the other hand, Angular, as compared to React, comes in a pack with all the important features that developers might require for scaling an application by adding new functionalities.

Popularity: React vs. Angular

Stack Overflow considers React.js as the most loved and most wanted framework by developers (74.5%). However, Angular has a lower rate, which is 57.6% of the developers who are interested in working with it.

Angular 2 or React: NPM, Stack Overflow, Rates on GitHub

Depending on React, NPM counts 53,647 packages. The fact that there have been 8,140,830 downloads looks very impressive too. That was about React. Now what is the situation with Angular 2? Well, not that great. The facts lay that there have been just 1,609,139 weekly downloads and 10,128 dependents.

Here are a few more details to strengthen these facts:

1. Loved: Angular 57.6%, React 74.5%
2. Dreaded: React 25.5%, Angular 42.4%
3. Wanted: Angular 12.2%, React 21.5%

Now, how many developers actually use Angular or React.js?

Popularity among Developers: Angular vs. React.js

According to the survey by Stack Overflow, more developers have mentioned that they would choose React over Angular. 31.3% of developers go in favour of React.js and 30.7% go in favour of Angular.

Apart from this, here is what the survey by stateofjs.com (with 21,717 respondents) show us:

1. React: 71.7% of the respondents had used React before and would like to use it again (satisfaction of

9.33% for 16,099 users)

• Angular: 21.9% of the respondents had used Angular before and would like to use it again (a satisfaction level of 37.95% for 11,582 users)

Usage: Angular vs. React

One another survey by JetBrains (with 7,000 developers) shows that:

1. 54% of the developers regularly use React
2. 23% of the Developers regularly use Angular 2

In conclusion, we can say that React.js is a more popular option and is highly regarded. Additionally, every year, more developers agree to use React rather than Angular.

Known Instances

Tech giants also try to keep up with the trends and their developers use both React and Angular. Here are some of the biggest examples in the world:

For React:

• Airbnb
• Facebook
• Uber
• Netflix
• WhatApp
• Instagram
• Khan Academy
• Dropbox

For Angular

• Nike
• Google
• Forbes
• Paypal
• General Motors
• Telegram

And that is it. Both Angular and React are two titans of this industry. Both of them are doing great and are among the best technologies in today’s market.

Then Which One is Better: React or Angular?

To make sure that you understand better, I’ve made a table to sum up everything.

Developers love both Angular and React as they are wonderful tools. Both of them have tons of advantages, however, so far, we would say that React does a better job.

Clearly, React is used more. It keeps on evolving and remains trendy. Additionally, React.js receives a great support from developer community. React is way better than Angular in terms that its virtual DOM implementation and rendering optimizations. Moving between React’s versions is very easy, also. You will not be required to install updates one by one, similar in the case of Angular.

Conclusively, along with React, developers acquire myriads of existing solutions they can use. This speeds up the development time and cuts the number of errors.

Why choose React?

Since we are a web app development company, our team acquires enough expertise with both Angular and React. You can never go wrong with either one, but we as well would prefer React over Angular 2. And here is why:

The best thing about React is that it allows isolated debugging, which helps developers achieve the application’s stability. Moreover, the component-driven architecture of react lets you re-use components, and thus, save up on development time and cut on costs.

TecOrb is a one of the reputed Mobile app Development Company prioritizing on developing intuitive mobile apps. Our few recommended application solutions are taxi application solution, grocery delivery app, food delivery application, and OTT video platform etc. Get in touch with our experts to know more about our application services. We have a tech qualified team of developers, who work around our customer’s need and requirements and serve them the best system solutions by testing applications on real devices emulators, and simulators.