Web App Development using React.JS and Angular.JS – A Comparison

The emergence of various technologies and trends in the market has led to a huge surge in the number of Web Apps being consumed by users daily. Due to this and many other contributing factors, there has been a visible boom in the web app development scenario overall as well. People prefer to use web apps for almost all their major online activities. It has come to a stage where we can hardly imagine a day without accessing some of our most frequented web apps like Gmail and Facebook. So you can imagine the fan base ( or, in business terms, prospective customers ) you could get once you have a high performing, user friendly and fully functional web app in place for your business.

There have been a lot of rises and falls when it comes to efficient web app development frameworks. According to predictions and case studies, the most leading and popular front end frameworks for web app development in 2020 is going to be angular.js and react.js. 

React.js and Angular.js are the most commonly used frameworks for app development in recent times. Even though both are similar in function, each framework brings to the table a few distinct features.

React was an open-source JavaScript that was introduced in 2011 by Facebook. The initial purpose of React was to create a clever user interface. It helps the developer upgrade certain components over time rather than manually writing javascript every time. Even as a front-end end framework, its main priority is to stack HTML elements into components. 

Angular, on the other hand, was a framework created and maintained by Google as a typescript. It is one of the most coveted Javascript frameworks there is. Even though it is a client developed Javascript framework, It is executed only by the browser. Angular makes single page application development easier. Its architectural framework is aimed to be compatible with a variety of code editors and for creating dynamic web interfaces.

If you need clarity on which technology would be the best option for your organization/project, talk to our experts at Metric Tree Labs, a premier app development company in Kochi. 

Let’s now draw a comparison among the two so as to better understand which among these will be the perfect fit for our requirements.

Ease of Using

React is easier to grasp especially for a beginner, largely due to the fact that there is very little to learn from a huge core of information. React.js provides you with a lot of extra modules and easier scripts. One major advantage of react over other frameworks is that there are so many methods to achieve the same output.

Angular due to its large framework will require a lot of learning. Its complexity can be intimidating even with the vocabulary (Injection, directives, decorators, etc). Angular.js uses a typescript, which is a superset of java scripts. This helps in adding types such as strings, numbers, etc, Angular is more pompous compared to react. So there are not a lot of methods to execute, which is convenient for some Mobile apps.  

New Releases & Updates

Angular.js comes with a new release in like, every six months and at times, each of these releases is very different from the previous one and there are chances where a feature you used in the previous version may not be available in the current or future one. Angular is well supported by Google and its active communities.

Coming to React.js, it’s upgrades and releases are maintained by Facebook and it’s supported communities. The upgrades and releases of React are much easier to adapt to when compared to Angular.

The Framework vs Library Factor

React.js is not exactly a framework. In fact, it is a Javascript library. Hence, react.js requires a certain number of integrations and supporting tools to perform what is expected of it. React makes use of Redux, which is a container used for rendering, prompting React’s work in large apps, and also manages the components in apps with certain dynamic elements. 

Angular, on the other hand, is a full-fledged MVC framework entirely written in JavaScript that has everything you will need to start developing an app. Angular makes use of RxJS which is ideal for optimal resource consumption but one needs to be well versed with the library to put it to good use in Angular.

DOM (Document Object Model)

Angular.js works on top of a Real DOM which means that when the development team makes any kind of changes in a single data structure, the entire tree gets updated on its own. The feature can be useful or a headache, depending on your use case. For instance, if there’s a case of a user making multiple data requests on a single page, the real DOM will affect the performance and may not be able to give a pleasing user experience.

Coming to the case of react.js, it makes use of a virtual DOM which is like an abstract version of a real DOM. When a virtual DOM is used, in the case where the development team makes some changes to the application, it does not affect the other parts of the interface. This makes it a popular choice for those looking for high-performance user experience.

Popularity

Comparing the popularity of the two, react largely outweighs Angular by a large scale on almost all popular developer platforms and communities.

You can also check the popularity and preferences of these among developers involved in such projects to get some honest reviews and their takes on various use cases. Talk to the development team here, at Metric Tree Labs, an app development company based in Kochi, Kerala for a better insight on the same.

Development Time, Speed, and Productivity

Angular makes use of Angular Command Line Interface (CLI) which is a great boosting factor for its productivity. 

React’s productivity and speed is also great but is slightly affected due to the inclusion of some external libraries. If one can onboard the right tools and architecture, this is also a wise choice which doubles the development speed.

These are some of the metrics we used for comparing React.js and Angular.js. Both are great and efficient in their own way and bring to the table a unique set of features that makes our lives much easier. Making a choice between the two should come based on your use case, requirements, and priorities.

For small businesses or anyone, for that matter, we would recommend giving it a lot of consideration and a detailed analysis of your project before making your decision on the framework to use. Carefully examine the use cases, requirements, resources, deadlines, and priorities of the client in selecting your option. It is also highly recommended to consult with subject matter experts before making the decision. This will save a lot of time and effort for you and your team. This is a highly recommended practice, especially for the budding startups and small business groups who are active on the web app development front.

For creating a web / mobile app for your organization (small business to MNCs), head over to the professionals in the arena – Metric Tree Labs, the leading app development company in Kochi, Kerala.