It all started in 2017 when our developers began playing around with React, and slowly it conquered our codebase. At present, we have shipped over 100+ web applications, and React complements most of them. 

In this article, we will talk about how Reactjs, a javascript-based UI library, changed the dimensions of web development. We will understand what are its benefits and where should you use it in your next application project. 

Let’s get started!

How has React changed web development? 

Over the last 20 years, the web changed, and so does the tech-stacks.  More and more logic moved from the server-side to the client-side.

First, frameworks like Angular came and brought the client-side revolution. Then Reactjs came to the limelight and brought back the server-side revolution, which was lost years ago. 

Let’s understand this in terms of the timeline:

Web before Reactjs

Let’s take a walk down to the technology space before 2015 when web development was all about scripting and rendering. The time when languages like HTML, CSS ruled the frontend and PHP ruled the backend.

Web development was so easy back then. All we needed to do was to put static HTML pages in some folders and render them using PHP. Although that’s not a unique and intuitive way to develop websites, you were still able to establish a two-way connection between client and server. All the credit goes to Server-Side Rendering (SSR). We’ve been building web applications this way for decades, but what we didn’t see coming is the revolution of websites after Javascript libraries like Reactjs. 

The dawn of Single page apps (SPA), Javascript, and Reactjs

Ever since the Javascript revolution took over, you can do a lot more with Javascript than you could ten years ago. 

So what brings the change? 

The answer is: writing web apps with client-side Javascript. 

Yes, we are referring to the development of Single Page Apps (SPA) using Javascript. While many Javascript frameworks let you write client-side javascript, Angular was the only one that promoted this approach. 

Imagine being able to fetch some data via Javascript, add some attributes to your markup, and voila!: you have built a dynamic website without messing up with PHP and servers. 

But, no matter how popularized this approach seemed to be, DOM manipulations (a way to render several components) remained not so fast. 

Enter Reactjs!

The Isomorphic javascript library, introduced in 2015, enabled developers to build dynamic web applications with blazing speed.  

React was primarily used to render views in web or mobile applications. It allowed developers to create reusable components that are independent of each other. So when any critical feature of a web application broke, they were still better off with the remaining elements. Also, React brought this fantastic feature called Virtual DOM that enabled developers to implement SSR without needing to update the whole view each time during an update.

What’s so revolutionary about this, you ask?

For instance, while building a dynamic front-end or a SPA, you also want client-side routing to ensure a quick navigational experience for the end-user. Now, navigation is not something you would want to lose when you implement SSR. Thankfully, you can still use Reactjs on the client-side and implement navigation. What this means is that the initial render uses SSR, and the subsequent navigations behave like a SPA. Also, with React, you are not moving away with SSR; you are just utilizing it whenever needed. 

To sum this up: Reactjs shines in building dynamic and engaging web interfaces and triumphs over other javascript frameworks (such as Angular, Ember). The reason is: Virtual DOM facilitates updating components whenever a user does any interaction without affecting other parts of the interface.  

“After having used static HTML based pages for over 20 years, we are finally able to build web pages that render server-side, navigate quickly, and consume lesser development time. Thanks to React!”

Why use React? – React usage benefits

Now that you found out the origination of this ground-breaking library, let’s find out the benefits of React and why should you use it for your web application projects:

• It’s Easier to Learn for developers : One of the main concerns developers have is choosing a framework (or library) that is easier to learn and implement.  React is easy to grasp for developers who are familiar with Javascript. So if you have a team of developers that are very well-versed with Javascript, Reactjs should be your best bet. However, even if developers don’t know Javascript, React can be the right place to start. Unlike Angular, React holds a smooth learning curve.
• React enables developers to reuse components: In React, your application comprises of components. Ideally, you start with building small components like buttons, checkboxes, dropdowns, menus, etc. and create wrapper components around these smaller components. And as you go on writing the higher level wrapper components, you will have a single root component and several hierarchical components. Now, here’s a no brainer: each component in React has its own logic. So if you want to re-use the button component through your app, you are good to go. I am pretty much confident everybody wants reusability in their project. Now you know which library offers that, don’t you?
• It provides a unique Abstraction Layer: Another lesser-known business-related benefit with React is that it allows for a good abstraction layer, which means an end-user can’t access the complex internals. Your developer only needs to be aware of some basics, and they’d better off knowing the internal functionalities. Moreover, it does not dictate any architectural patterns like MVC, MVP, and MVVM. Your developer is free to design an app’s architecture in any way he sees fit.
• It’s well established with a vibrant ecosystem of Developer tools: React consists of a rich and vibrant ecosystem. Developers can find dozens of ready-made and customizable charts, graphics, documentation tools, and other components that allow them to build a web app in lesser time without reinventing the wheel.