Hello, coders! How many titles like «Angular VS React 2020», «Difference between Angular and React», «React VS Angular» have you already read? A lot, I bet. What are these posts missing is that there is no reason to compare two completely different platforms that may be used for different aims.
When you ask Google which is better: React or Angular, don’t be disappointed if you still would not make a decision. Exactly for this aim I have written this post with the aim to help you to understand the reasons to choose whether Angular or React is better according to your needs. Let’s start.
If you need to:
Create a web or a mobile application
React and Angular are suitable for mobile as well as web development. What concerns the last one, you can build single-page, as well as multiple-page sites using both of them. But the situation with mobile development is different. Angular has a huge and powerful functionality to create complicated mobile apps. In the meantime, to work in a proper way with mobile development in React, you need to have an additional framework – React Native.
You may think, „Why do I have to take much trouble over some additional frameworks, if I can accomplish everything just in Angular?”
Is React Native worth your attention? Let me weigh up React’s Native pros and cons.
Pros
Speed. It works really fast and not to sing the same song again and again I just want to tell you that there is an experiment to prove that. The same app was created with the help of React Native and Swift. The last one took 33% more time to create the application and it was still working only on iOS.
Multiple platforms. React Native allows users to reuse the code for Android as well as for iOS. This feature makes it easier to launch cross-platform applications.
Simplified User Interface. I consider that it requires no explanation that this point provides the users with a feeling of comfort while using the application.
Cons
Instability. React Native has already been tested by development giants like Facebook, but it is still in the beta phase. Developers often come in contact with some weird bugs and issues, which will definitely get better in future.
Lack of some modules. Despite its good functionality and opportunities for development, it still lacks some components to work with all forces.
Also, according to such principles as size and functionality, you can decide what is better for your purpose, because both React and Angular solve different problems. React’s size is nearly 100 kB, so it is perfect for development of not just very complicated mobile apps for iOS and Android. Angular is about 500 kB, which is perfect to develop feature-rich hybrid and web applications.
Work in a development environment, suitable for you
When you are making your first steps in programming, one hundred percent that your first impression will depend on the user interface of the working space. React is rather easy to learn as there are no super complicated features if you already learnt JavaScript. However, because of the quite unstructured and chaotic system, possession of React will take some time. React is easy for reading, writing as well as for integrating with other JavaScript frameworks. React is a space for the imagination itself because here you can show how atypically your way of thinking can be in this flexible development environment.
Gaining experience and working skills in Angular might be hard for beginners. As a rule, it takes a lot of time to feel free while using it. However, in the process of working most developers come to the conclusion that React is easier to learn, but hard to use; Angular, in turn, is quite easy to use, when you follow the strict rules, declarative code style, directives of its own ecosystem. In addition to this, developers need to put some extra learning effort because the framework is constantly updating.
Minimize the possible bugs
This point concerns such definition as data binding type. For developers it’s not a secret, that the most boring part of application development is describing the behaviour of the UI, depending on the logic of data changes. The only way out of the jungle of bugs is to make these things work in an automatic way. This makes possible the minimization of the number of bugs while connecting the code between UI and the logic of the application.
React uses one-way data binding. It means that the information flows only in one direction, typically, from a data source to the control. This has the effect of making the read-only information from the user’s perspective. In simple words, anything that users do with the control won’t affect the information that it displays.
Angular uses two-way data binding. The information flows in both directions, from data source to the control and from the control to data source. Anything that the users do with the control can affect the information it displays.
Work fast
What about speed? In this case, I need to tell you that both are quite equal in this point. React is fast because of the way it is designed. Angular is not as fast as React, but still considering the fact that it includes all stages from creating a project to the optimization of the code, the speed is very satisfying.
Have a perspective for the future as a developer
To start earning money, you may have a basic knowledge of JavaScript and get a job working in React. But on the other hand, the programming development market is constantly changing and moving on. In this case, Angular is a better choice because you may become a demanded and well-paid specialist. In addition to the knowledge of this popular framework, you will master the concept of MVC (model-view-control), which has a lot of benefits nowadays.
Conclusion
To summarize, there is no better framework. It is like comparing Mercedes with BMW or Ronaldo with Messi. Both are good in their own way. The matter is how a developer uses the opportunities of the frameworks to stamp each of the products with his own personality.
Furthermore, both React and Angular have enormous support from programmers. It may be a good idea if you get acquainted with some of the react and angular developers so that you can intercept their experience.
Thank you for your interest in this topic! Don’t forget to challenge yourself and keep up with the great universe of development. Stay safe!
