When you want to create a website, one of the main programming languages you will learn is JavaScript. This coding language has all the features and power that are necessary to create the perfect website each time.

JavaScript has proven itself time and again, and many programmers take the time to learn at least the basics. When you take power and popularity of Javascript and combine it with some of the available libraries, you will find that this coding language gets even better. One of the best libraries to consider with JavaScript and creating a responsive and impressive website with less code is to React.

What is React?

When it comes to the world of programming, it seems like there are frequently new programming languages and tools to learn about. One such tool that you should consider is known as React.

React is simply a library from JavaScript. This library is used when the programmer would like to build the user interface for any web application. Originally this library was designed and maintained by Facebook who used it for Instagram and WhatsApp. However, it is open-sourced now, meaning any programmer can use it for their project.

Why Should I Learn React?

The main reason programmers want to learn how to use React is that it allows them to work with JavaScript while reducing the code. JavaScript is known for being long and bulky, which makes it hard for many beginners to use.

React can come in and cut this down, while still getting the same work done. This makes it easier to complete your coding while also cutting out some of the waste that may confuse beginners.

Many great libraries work well with JavaScript and have been used for years. But most of them are hard to learn and take up a lot of space on the computer. This will slow down the process and may leave clients frustrated. React can handle these issues and provides a simple way to create high-quality applications in no time.

The Learning Curve with React

The good news is that when it comes to using React, the learning curve is shallow. This makes it perfect for beginners who worry that everything may be too hard. You can work with the ES6 syntax to make it easier to handle the smaller apps you want to create.

When you use React, you will code similar to how it is done with JavaScript. This means that you have the freedom to choose the tool you want to use for each part of the process. Angular does expect you to use one additional tool, known as “typescript: which is a slightly different way of doing things. But this is not necessary here.

Things to Know About React

When you choose to use React as a JavaScript extension, you will notice that it is a bit different compared to some other libraries. In addition to shortening the code to make it easier to write out, some things you need to know about React include:

React Uses a Virtual DOM

One thing that is different when using React is that it works with a virtual DOM, rather than an actual DOM. The virtual DOM will utilize differential algorithms to get all necessary calculations. This is a good thing because it frees up time and space for the real DOM to process other essential tasks.

We can see how this works with an example. Let’s say that you have a project with 10,000 nodes in it, but you only want to focus on two of those. A lot of processing can be wasted if you try to transverse with all of the nodes for just 2 of them.

With React, you would have the calculations get done by the virtual DOM. This frees up some processing power so the real DOM can jump in, find the two nodes you want to work on, and brings them straight to you.

The Performance

You will also notice the performance. When it comes to designing your web page, React has some of the best performance and rendering speed. You can make changes to the code and see instant reactions. While manipulation of DOM is one of the critical components to most responsive websites, it is slow when using JavaScript.

However, if we bring in that virtual DOM from before with the use of React, we can cut down on some of the delays.The virtual DOM will handle all the data coming in, while the real DOM can present the necessary information to the user.

Size

React itself is not a framework. This means that you can add and take away features based on your own needs. This is why many applications that are built on React are light-weight. You can build up any program or website you want and only pick the features you need.

Many programmers add in Webpack because it offers several plugins that will help to minimize the size of your site. This makes it easier for the application to work correctly, no matter who uses it.

Debugging

At some point, you will work on your code and hit a roadblock. It could be simple, and you need to add a missing bracket. Or it could be more complicated and include something like a segmentation fault.

No matter what the case is, the earlier you can catch this issue, the easier it is to fix it. This is where React will come in. It will use compile-time debugging so you can find all errors early on. This will help you catch mistakes before they show up at run-time. When this works properly, and you fix the issues, your application and website will run each time entirely.

Angular is often a great tool to use when you wish to create your websites and applications. But it is large and bulky, even with it working well in JavaScript. React is the perfect solution in terms of size, performance, and everything else you need to create the exact application that will impress everyone