Updated June 6, 2023
Introduction to React
React is a JavaScript framework used to build the Graphical User Interface of web-based applications. Mobile Applications or single-page web applications are built using this JavaScript library for the web-based framework. The programming code for React comprises components classified as functional components and class-based components. It is implemented using the Document Object Model (DOM), Virtual DOM, JSX (JavaScript XML), and Lifecycle methods such as ‘render,’ ‘shouldComponentUpdate,’ ‘componentDidMount,’ and ‘componentWillUnmount.’
Features of React
Given below are some essential and most demanding features:
1. JSX
JSX means JavaScript XML. It is an extension of JS language syntax. It provides a way to render components using a syntax similar to HTML. It uses JSX to write its components. It can use pure JavaScript also but prefers JSX. Babel uses a pre-processor to convert text similar to HTML found in JavaScript files into standard JS objects. The HTML code can be embedded in JavaScript to make HTML code more easily understandable, enhance the performance of JavaScript, and make the application robust.
2. Virtual Document Object Model
React makes an in-memory data structure cache, computes the difference between the previous DOM and the new one, and then updates the changes or mutations performed. Thus, it updates only the changes, not the whole application. This helps to increase speed and performance and reduces memory wastage.
3. Testability
React views are used as the state’s functions, where the state determines the behavior of the component. Therefore we can make changes to the state and then pass it to a view of the ReactJS and then determine the output and the actions, functions, and events. This makes testing and debugging easy.
4. SSR
It stands for Server- Side Rendering. It permits pre-rendering the initial state of the components on the server side. The browser can render without waiting for all the JavaScript to be executed or loaded. This makes web pages load faster. It helps the user to view the web pages even when React is still downloading the JavaScript, linking events, or creating virtual DOM at the backend.
5. One-Way Data Binding
It allows a one-way flow of data, i.e., one-way data binding. Due to this feature, there is better control over the application. It makes the application’s state contained in specific stores, and therefore all other components remain loosely coupled. This enhances the flexibility and efficiency of the application.
6. Simplicity
JSX files make the application simple and understandable. Standard JavaScript can be used to code, but using JSX makes it more accessible. Several lifecycle methods and their component-based approach simplify learning and execution.
7. Learning Curve
In comparison to other frameworks, the learning curve of React is low. Beginners having basic programming languages can also learn to React efficiently.
How does it Work?
- When the developer team of Facebook was building client-side apps, it found that the Document Object Model (DOM) was slow. To improve performance, React implements a virtual DOM, which is a tree representation of the actual DOM in JavaScript.
- It operates on Virtual DOM. It does not manipulate the document on the browser after the changes are made; it makes changes on the virtual DOM. When the virtual DOM is completely updated, then it updates the browser’s DOM in the most efficient way possible.
- The virtual DOM of React resides entirely in memory. When creating a React component, React transforms a virtual component into a DOM representation. The creation of the virtual component is inexpensive. It was made to be used in the browser, but with Node.js, it can also be used with the server,
How do we Use it?
Using React is simple as including a JS file in HTML.
Let us see the usage of React as a simple example.
Code:
<html>
<head>
<meta charset = "utf-8">
<title> First React Code</title>
<script src = "https://cdnjs.cloudfare.com/ajax/libs/react/15.3.1/react.min.js"> </script>
<script src = "https://cdnjs.cloudfare.com/ajax/libs/react/15.3.1/react-dom.min.js"> </script>
<script src = "https://unpkg.com/babel-standalone@6/babel.min.js"> </script>
</head>
<body>
<div id= "application"> </div>
<script type = "text/babel">
ReactDOM. render(<h2> First Code </h2>, document. querySelector ('#application')
);
</script>
</body>
</html>It doesn’t seem easy, but it is easy to implement and learn.
Who Uses React?
- It is becoming popular in today’s market, and its features are helping big companies improve their experience and interfaces.
- Internet giants like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, New York Times, Yahoo Mail, Khan Academy, WhatsApp, Vivaldi Browser, Codecademy, and Dropbox use React in one way or another. Sberbank of Russia has also used React o develop their bank’s website.
- Many websites like github.com, reddit.com, outlook.live.com, bitbucket.org, account.godaddy.com, and many more also use React.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Given below are the advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages
- SEO friendly
- It is easy to create test cases for UI
- Developers can easily reuse React components.
- Ensures faster rendering
- Debugging is easy
- Ease of migration
- Enhances productivity
- Writing components is easy
- Stable code
- Has a helpful developer toolset
- It is available for mobile app development
- Easy to learn
- Enhances performance
Disadvantages
- The high pace of development
- Poor documentation
- Additional SEO hassle
- View-oriented only
- Large size library
- The learning curve for beginners
- Requires manual processing of data changes
- I need more code in some cases
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