In React vs. Angular, both React and Angular are the powerful development tools used for single-page and multi-page applications, which often connect to external APIs to receive or send data. They have many similarities but some differences too, which makes it a topic of debate that which one is better in React vs. Angular. 

Source: www.medium.com

Businesses often get into the dilemma of React vs. Angular and find it challenging to choose the right framework for their app. We’re going to check and contrast the two JavaScript frameworks and study each of them to make sure we don’t miss a single piece of data and create a comprehensive and justified choice while choosing a framework. 

In the next 8 to 10 minutes, you’ll know what separates Angular and React from each other, when to choose ‘React’ over ‘Angular’ for app development and the situations where you can benefit from choosing ‘Angular’ over ‘React.’ Let’s end the ‘React vs. Angular’ or ‘React vs. AngularJS’ debate for all. Go ahead and have a happy reading.

1. Source and Origin:

Angular

Angular is a JavaScript front-end framework which is written in TypeScript, for web and mobile development. It was developed by Google and launched in September 2016. Angular (Angular 2.0) is a complete rewrite of AngularJS (Angular 1.0), which was introduced in 2010, and the latest release took place on June 10, 2020. 

React

React, on the other hand, is a JavaScript library for UI development developed and maintained by Facebook and the community. Jordan Walke is the original author who introduced this framework on May 29, 2013. The last stable release took place on March 19, 2020.

2. State Management:

An application uses states in multiple instances. A component describes the UI of an application. What framework does is re-rendering the complete component UI when the data changes. Hence, an application ensures that the data is updated in learning about React vs. Angular. 

React

In React’s handling state, it uses Redux as the solution; the disadvantage here is that the state needs to be stored in multiple parts of the app with passing the data manually around different component tree levels. MobX, another solution offered by the state management library, offers storing only the minimal required state, while the rest can be derived.

Angular

While in the case of Angular, the Redux is not used. Component data is stored in component properties. State changes in some parts can be recognized and reviewed, but in a relatively larger application, it’s tough to track multi-directional tree series of updates. NgRx or RxJS libraries can improve the features and make sure that the data flow is unidirectional.

3. Languages:

React

React framework is based on JavaScript ES6+ combined with JSX script (syntax extension, which makes a JavaScript code resemble that written in HTML). It helps in understanding the code and identifying typos. 

Angular

Angular uses TypeScript, which is a superset of JS explicitly developed for larger projects. The code can navigate easily and typos can be spotted since Typescript is more compact than JavaScript. The code refactoring process also becomes more straightforward and faster. Hence, developers can write cleaner codes.

While React allows the reuse of the code components at distinct levels making it easier to manage the updates; Angular helps developers to write cleaner codes with the more compact Typescript. 

4. App Structure:

Angular

AngularJS comes with a fixed and complex structure consisting of three layers: Model, View, and Controller. It is suitable for experienced developers only. The framework allows developers to break down the app’s code in different files. The files’ links are written in the app directive, which displays the app’s structural logic. Respectively, Angular components are also reusable.

React

The best thing about the structure of React is that there is no “the only right structure.” Developers have the freedom to choose. Every pro has its following con. Having a no fixed structure makes it challenging to design one at the start of each project. React app has a component-based architecture; the components make the code, which is then rendered with the React DOM library. The rendered code is then directed in two ways; functional and class-based.

In React, reusing the existing code allows the developers to apply faster reloading into the process, improving the app performance and enhancing the development speed. The React framework gives you the freedom and flexibility to choose the suitable tools, libraries or repositories, and the architecture or structure for app development. React enables you to build a highly-customized app using only the features and tech stack you require.

5. DOM (Document Object Model):

Angular

Angular uses real DOM, where even if one section of it is altered, the whole tree data structure is updated.

React

On the other hand, React app development uses Virtual DOMS. Since they are lightweight and built on the server, they reduce the browser load. App development companies can easily track and update changes to the VDOM without affecting any other section of the tree data structure. 

Since Virtual DOM is also vastly considered much faster in performance than real DOM, it makes it much better for app development. This is the reason, in React vs. Angular, React ranks over Angular in the context of Document Object Model.

6. Testing:

Angular

Angular provides developers the simplicity of using one tool for the entire project’s testing. Developers use industry-standard tools like Jasmine and Protractor.

React

React requires the use of different tools for different kinds of tests. Developers have to use various tools for different types of testing, like Render testing, Code Testing, component testing, and unit testing. It increases the overall timeline of the app development process and requires more effort from the developer’s end.

Hence, Angular wins the React vs. Angular debate in terms of testing.

7. Learning Curve:

Angular

Angular has a steep learning curve due to its vast library, and learning all the concepts takes much more time as compared to the React. Angular IO framework offers different ways to solve a specific problem. It has a complex component management system, and it is essential for developers to be familiar with different concepts and languages like TypeScript, templates, dependency injection, RxJS, etc.

The framework core embeds some complicated features, which limits developers to use them before learning them. Besides, the framework is continuously developing – making it essential for the developers to check out the latest Angular ecosystem updates and upgrade their skill set accordingly.

React

React is minimalistic: no vast library, no dependency injection, no classic templates, no overly complicated features. Though it might take some time to learn how to set up a project because there is no predefined project structure, yet it’s worth it as the overall development cycle is reduced. Prior knowledge of JavaScript makes the framework simple to understand. It would be helpful if developers learn the Redux library, which is used in more than half of React applications for state management. 

Source: www.inflexion.com

Reactjs allows you to quickly learn and develop a mobile app in the React framework if you are well-versed in JavaScript. ReactJS provides various constructive resources and assets to the developers to get familiar with the framework and develop an application with the same. It is for these reasons; developers tend to choose to React over Angular. So it’s clear that in React vs. Angular based on the Learning Curve, React is better than Angular.

Source: www.edureka.com

8. Data Binding:

React

React uses one-way data binding in which allows the UI elements to be changed only when the model state is being changed. The developers’ limitation using React is that they cannot alter the UI elements without updating the corresponding model state.

Angular

Whereas, Angular uses a two-way binding approach for mobile app development. Bidirectional data-binding negatively affects the performance of Angular apps. The reason being, each of the binding is assigned a watcher to track changes, and each loop continues endlessly until all the watchers and associated values are checked. Hence, more bindings create more watchers, making the whole process cumbersome. The only good thing about the bidirectional approach is that model state changes automatically with the changes in UI elements and vice-versa.

Angular’s approach might seem easy and productive, but in the long run, React offers a streamlined data overview of larger app projects. Thus, in the context of Data Binding, React wins over Angular in the React vs. Angular debate.

9. Development Speed and Productivity:

Angular

Due to its CLI, Angular offers better development experience – and empowering the creation of a workspace and design functioning applications. Angular focuses on producing components and services with one-line commands, built-in process to solve comprehensive problems and clean coding features.

React

In the case of React, the development speed and productivity are affected by third-party libraries’ involvement. The React JS app developers need to put extra time in determining the right architecture for the app, along with the component tools. 

The toolkit for React mobile app development varies from one project to another; it means more time is consumed if the project is to be handed over to new developers for new updates.

Hence, in React vs. Angular, Angular takes over React in development speed and productivity.

10. UI Components:

React

There are many free as well as paid UI components developed by the community on the React portal. The problem with React lies in the installation of an additional library to use material design components to React. Material-UI Library & Dependencies make React a less preferable choice for app development in terms of UI components.

Angular

Angular is embedded with a built-in Material toolset, which offers a wide variety of pre-built material design components for app development. There are various layouts, buttons, pop-ups, indicators, and form controls. This makes the UI configuration simpler and faster.

Angular clearly wins the ‘React vs. Angular’ war when it comes to UI components.

11. Self-Sufficiency:

React

React is a framework for UI development, which isn’t self-sufficient in itself. Apps written with the React framework requires additional libraries as well. Redux, React Router, or Helmet revamp state management processes, routing, and API interaction. All these functions, like component-based routing, data binding, dependency injection or project generation, couldn’t work without installing additional libraries or modules.

Angular

Angular, on the other hand, is quite a self-sufficient framework for app development. It generally does not need additional libraries or modules to carry out some of its essential functions. The angular package comes as a full-fledged package. The functions like component-based routing, data binding, form validation, project generation, and dependency injection – can be implemented within the Angular package without installing any additional libraries. 

When it comes to React vs. Angular, the latter is a complete software development framework in itself that does not require the inclusion of any additional library. Therefore, the vote goes to Angular in terms of Self-sufficiency.

12. Directives:

React

React gives relief by explaining templates and logic at one place – at the end of the component. The best thing about React is that logic and templates in React are explained at the end of every component. This facility enables the readers to understand the meaning of the code even without having to know its syntax. 

Angular

In the case of Angular, the syntax is complex, and it makes it difficult for a reader to comprehend who doesn’t have any prior experience working with this technology. Under Angular, each template is returned with an attribute – a directive of how the object has to be set. 

The complex syntax of Angular’s makes it incomprehensible for the new developers, and therefore in React vs. Angular comparison React is preferred over Angular when it comes to directives.

13. Popularity:

As per Google Trends, React has more searches than Angular. While people show more interest in Angular due to the availability of ample ready-made solutions, both the technologies are developing, which means both are popular in the market. So for now, the answer to Angular vs. React popularity would be equal on both sides, i.e., Angular popularity = React popularity (at least in the current time). 

React

React is an extensively used framework, used for software development (both web and mobile app). However, Mobile app development requires it to be incorporated with Cordova. 

React is known for its multiple uses; for example, it can be used to build both single-page and multiple-page web applications. Moreover, for mobile app development, there is an additional framework – React Native.

Angular

Angular is suitable for web and mobile app development. Ionic has done a significant amount of work in mobile development. Similar to React, Angular can also be used for both single- and multiple-page web apps. Angular also has an additional mobile development framework, which is NativeScript.

Hence, it’s tough to choose a real winner between React vs. Angular, and we will call it a draw situation.

14. Toolset:

React

React uses multiple code editors like Sublime Text, Atom, and Visual Studio. It uses the Create React App (CLI) tool for bootstrapping a project, while the server-side rendering is done with Next.js framework. For testing the app written in React, calls for multiple tools for different elements. 

Angular

Angular, like React, also uses different code editing tools like Sublime Text, Aptana, and Visual Studio. The project is set up using Angular CLI, while the server-side rendering is done through Angular Universal. 

The Angular IO testing and debugging for a complete project are possible with a single tool like Jasmine, Protractor and Karma. But, this is not possible in the case of React js app development. A set of tools is required for performing different sets of testing.

For example, you will require Jest JavaScript code testing, Enzyme and Unexpected-React for component testing, Skin-deep for Render testing utils, React-unit for unit testing, and so on. This increases the efforts and time required in the testing process.

But the point of difference between Angular and React technology is that Angular can be tested entirely with only one tool. It can be either Karma, Protractor, or Jasmine. It is also one of the unique Angular advantages over React. So, the winner of this React vs. AngularJS war is Angular.

15. Community:

React

In React vs. Angular, React is one of the most popular JS frameworks globally, and there is a large community of developers developing it and using it for app development. Working with React, you have to be an active learner since the framework is continuously evolving, and new updates are being released.  

Keeping pace with all the changes is sometimes difficult, even when the community moves forward with the latest documentation. The community support on thematic forums helps in solving the issue of lack of documentation. 

Angular

Angular, on the other hand, has less community support than React. It faces a lot of cynicism, partially due to the low popularity of Angular 1.0. Due to its steep learning curve, developers used to dismiss the framework as a complex framework. What works in building Angular’s reliability is that the framework has been developed by Google. 

Google acts as a godfather and provides all-time support to the framework and reiterates it. Documentation often falls behind because of its continuous updates.

GitHub is the most popular community network by developers, coders and React has much broader community support than Angular on GitHub and GitLab. This upholds React at a slightly higher position than Angular when it comes to community support.

To wrap it up, it’s quite clear from the benefits point of view, in the React vs. Angular war, React has won by more no. of votes. Higher community support, more popular, customizable, flexible, more comfortable to learn, and to top faster development cycle makes React a preferred framework for app development. 

React vs. Angular: The Brand Game

Before you make your choice for framework between React vs. Angular, take a look at which are the brands that use React and the ones which use Angular. 

Source: www.google.com

So, now you know the advantages and disadvantages of both the front-end frameworks, you can better decide on which framework you would like to develop your app based on your project. We have expert React and Angular developers, which you can hire directly. Hire React developers from EngineerBabu and get started with building an excellent app for your business. If Angular developers are more suitable for your project, then hire dedicated Angular developers who are experienced and knows how to build an app that gets a million downloads. If you any questions, feel free to reach out to us and discuss your idea. Don’t you worry, your idea is well protected under NDA. So, what are you waiting for? Hire dedicated developers now. EngineerBabu is known for delivering world-class products and giving the clients more than their expectations.

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