Introduction
React this, React that, React is all over its hard to ignore back then you could just learn HTML, CSS, and javascript without any frameworks and you would be alright, These days that is not enough you need to learn React frameworks to be relevant. React has become dominant in web development in 2024 you can not talk about frontend development without React being discluded in the discussion unless you just hate React, this was possible back in the day but these days react is as important as a mobile phone. It empowers developers to build dynamic and interactive user interfaces. Its popularity stems from its efficient component-based architecture, virtual DOM for optimized performance and strong community support. However, in today's landscape (2024), the question arises: what are the consequences of not being familiar with React? Yes you read that right "consequences" Let me explain and before I go any further if you know HTML, CSS, and javascript(which you must know already) you can learn to react with ease
The Dominance Of React
React's influence is mesmerizing. It boasts a significant market share, with a substantial portion of websites utilizing its capabilities, you know the way WordPress boasts about how about 1.98 billion sites are using it on the internet, well react has a whooping 14 million using it 😅 sounds a bit small compared to WordPress right? well, that is because it is small but does understand that while WordPress is used more widely than React, react is used by companies large companies actually unlike React which is mostly used by small- to medium-sized businesses while React is common for enterprise businesses 😁 makes sense right? In other words, it's like having gasoline cars used by the majority of people and most of them are regular people(WordPress) while (react) is an electric cyber truck used by rich people and celebrities. This widespread adoption is evident in the vast ecosystem of React libraries and frameworks that have emerged. These tools cater to diverse development needs, from state management (Redux, MobX) to routing (React Router) and UI component creation (Material-UI, Ant Design). This rich ecosystem empowers developers to build complex and scalable web applications without reinventing the wheel, one can use React without third-party apps to build apps. Additionally, major companies like Facebook, Netflix, and Airbnb have all embraced React, further solidifying its position as a leading technology in the industry. Imagine not using one of the most influential technologies.
Potential Career Limitations
In the current job market (2024), a lack of familiarity with React can limit your opportunities in front-end development, unless you have been living in a cave this should not come as a surprise to you. Here's why:
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Demand for React Developers: Many job postings prioritize React experience. Companies are increasingly seeking developers with expertise in building interactive and dynamic user interfaces, which React excels at. This translates to a larger pool of opportunities for those with React skills compared to those without. If you want to experiment go to Indeed and see how many jobs do not require you to know react you will agree with me.
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Competitive Advantage: Understanding React equips you with a valuable skill that sets you apart from other candidates. It demonstrates your ability to adapt to modern web development trends and proficiency in a widely used framework. Just shows that expertise you know. Your resume has a picture of you looking all formal and in the tech stack we have maybe nextJS, MongoDB, TailwindCSS blah blah then finally REACT 😮
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Relevancy: understanding and ability to use React will make you a relevant developer, it will allow you to collaborate with other developers since a lot of developers in 2024 are very familiar with React. Knowing React just shows that you are a developer in 2024 not knowing React will make it look like you are not serious with your profession and will make you outdated, heck you won't even be able to analyze the code of sites that use React.
Slower Development Process
The absence of React in your toolkit can translate to a slower development process compared to developers who leverage its capabilities i mean it and am talking from experience React is faster compared to raw HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Here's how:
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Building UI Components from Scratch: Without React, you'd be responsible for manually constructing UI components using vanilla JavaScript or a different library. This can be time-consuming, especially for complex interfaces. React, with its component-based architecture, allows you to break down the UI into reusable components, promoting faster development and easier maintenance. Allow me to explain this further, you know the way we use the same navbar all over the project's pages? Well with React you do not have to copy the entire HTML code and paste it into each page you just call the component by writing something like <Navbar/> instead of <nav>[html code]<nav/>. This makes your code look very clean and allows the component to be reused over and over
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Re-inventing the Wheel: A rich ecosystem of React libraries exists, offering pre-built solutions for common functionalities like state management, routing, and animations. Without React, you might find yourself dedicating time to develop these functionalities from scratch, hindering development speed. React developers can leverage these libraries, focusing their efforts on core application logic instead. Like I said earlier in the introduction you do not need to code some things from scratch or scout the internet for third-party technologies no you just relax learn the react technologies and use them
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Virtual DOM Diffing: React's virtual DOM plays a crucial role in optimizing performance. By only re-rendering components with actual changes, React minimizes unnecessary DOM manipulations. Developers working without React might need to implement their own solutions for efficient updates, potentially leading to slower performance and a more complex codebase, in short, react is its own live server. It was not a joke when I said react is the dessert, appetizer, and main meal 😊.
Alternative Technologies
For those always looking for alternatives for some reason, it's important to acknowledge the existence of other popular front-end frameworks like Vue.js and Angular, yea React is not the only front-end framework. Both offer robust features and passionate communities. Vue.js is known for its ease of use and flexibility, while Angular provides a comprehensive framework for building large-scale enterprise applications.
However, despite their merits, React's current market dominance is undeniable. Its extensive ecosystem, strong community support, and focus on performance make it a highly attractive choice for businesses of all sizes. If you would like you can conduct an experiment by going to YouTube and searching react full course observer the number of courses then clear the search bar and search for vue/angular observer as well which one has more videos? React of course duh. This widespread adoption translates to a larger pool of React-based job opportunities and a more readily available talent pool for companies seeking React developers
Conclusion
In today's web development landscape (2024), not being familiar with React can have several consequences. It can limit your career prospects by reducing the pool of job opportunities available to you. Additionally, the lack of React knowledge can lead to a slower development process compared to developers who leverage its efficient component-based architecture and rich ecosystem of libraries.
However, it's important to maintain a balanced perspective. While React holds a dominant position, alternative frameworks like Vue.js and Angular offer strong capabilities and passionate communities. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.
If you're looking to stay competitive in the front-end development market, considering learning React is a strategic move. Its widespread adoption translates to a valuable skillset and opens doors to a wider range of opportunities. However, if alternative frameworks like Vue.js or Angular better align with your interests and project requirements, then delving into those options might be a more suitable path. Regardless of your decision, continuous learning and upskilling are crucial for success in the ever-evolving world of web development
But for real learn react
