lens as a concept of angular vs react comparison

SF AppWorksFeb 23, 2022 4:57:00 AM1 min read

Angular vs React: A Comparison Between Angular and React in 2022

In this article, we'll compare Angular vs React in terms of performance, maintainability, learning curve, and real-world use cases to to help you figure out which one to choose for your project.

Picking the appropriate javascript frameworks can be tricky, especially when you have a lot of options that that seem to meet the project requirements. Knowing some of the critical aspects of these JS Frameworks will help you make the right decision. We've got you covered with some key points in this post. Follow our fair argumentation below.

Both Angular, and React are incredible choices when it comes to web development, as they offer numerous features for various purposes, such as speed and performance, great tooling, web development across multiple platforms, and more.

Angular and React are the most popular frameworks up-to-date. While the languages are very different, saying unequivocally which option is better between these two is impossible. They're used to solve different problems. Read below to figure out the differences between Angular and React, and how to know which one is better for you.

What is Angular?

Angular is a framework of JavaScript that can be added to HTML pages inside <script> tags. Google developed the JavaScript framework, first released in 2010 by the name AngularJS. Google's Angular Team and the Angular developer community are responsible for maintenance. It is a Typescript-based open-source platform used for building web applications and it allows developers to use HTML inside the syntax of Angular explicitly.

What is React?

Facebook developed React in 2013 as a Javascript library to use when creating apps. Facebook still maintains it today with an open-source community of developers. React is a good choice if you're looking to build UI components for web and mobile applications. It has the advantage of speeding up the process of building interactive UI for various platforms.

Being an open-source library, basically anyone can access and master React. The framework used by React is server-side rendering, hence its performance and flexibility.

Angular vs React: Architecture Differences

There are some core architectural differences between Angular and React that can help you gain a better understanding of their uses.

Take a Sneak Peak On How Technology Inspires Us To Build Digital Products

Library vs. Framework

Angular is considered a full-fledged framework. This is because it offers you guidelines on how to structure your app. When using Angular, you don't need to decide on libraries to route to. However, this creates a huge drawback: you can only use what Angular provides.

Angular offers:

Templates
XSS protection
Dependency injection
Ajax requests
Routing
CSS encapsulation
Utilities to test components
Angular forms

React enables you to have more freedom. All it provides you is a "view" in MVC. Therefore, you can choose any library that fits your needs. The biggest drawback is that you need to take care of updates and migrations on your own. While React may seem to create more room for error, this problem can be easily overcome by consulting or working with an experienced app design company. By telling an experienced developer your needs, they can leverage the flexibility of React to design your app the way you like.

React offers:

JSX language built on top of JavaScript
XSS protection
No dependency injection
Fetch for Ajax requests
Utilities to test components

Check out SF AppWorks for help building mobile and desktop web apps from beginning to end.

Regular DOM vs. Virtual Dom

React uses virtual Dom, which makes it very fast. Why is this?

When you want to update your app, a virtual Dom looks at the difference between the previous and current HTMLs. Then, it simply changes whatever needs to be updated.

Angular uses a regular DOM instead. This doesn't compare the HTML differences. Instead, it updates the entire HTML tree structure.

App speed is a crucial component of user experience. The app will slow down considerably if there are a lot of change requests on a single page.

design_components as a concept of angular and react comparison

JSX vs HTML

React took a gamble and decided to combine both UI templates and inline JavaScript logic. This is JSX, and no one had ever done anything like it before.

This innovative concept paid off in a big way. It offers a huge advantage during the app development process. This is because you have the markup, logic, and language all in the same place. The end result? Code completion and compile-time checks work smoothly.

One Way Vs Two Way Binding

Data binding is the term used for the synchronization process between the model and the UI view.

React uses one-way binding. The model state updates, then renders the change in the UI element. However, if you want to change the UI element, the model state won't change automatically. This gives you better control for each step of the process.

Angular uses two-way binding. Regardless if you change the UI element or the model, the other will change along with it. This can make it easier to debug your app, but it means that you have less manual control.

At SF AppWorks, we're available for consultation to help you understand emerging technologies and what they can do for your app.

Get A Free Copy Of 'CIO's Handbook On How To Stay On Top Of IT Trends'

TypeScript vs. JavaScript/Flow

If you want to use Angular, you'll need to use TypeScript. This is a statically typed language. This means you need to define every variable's string, number, array, etc. As a result, this can bog down an app's code.

React, on the other hand, uses JavaScript. This is a dynamic language, so you don't need to define a variable's type. You can also use Flow to enable type checking in your React project. JavaScript is easier to use and read, plus, it minimizes turnaround time.

Comparing Angular vs React · Application

developer as a concept of angular vs react

When it comes to building an app, knowing the key differences in development modes can help you narrow down which option is best for you.

App Development

Angular incorporates the ability to use Ionic for developing hybrid mobile apps. It provides a robust UI component library. This makes it straightforward to set up mobile apps.

Since Facebook created React, its platform is native mobile friendly. React creates a truly native UI. Even if React may seem more complicated to use, the payoff is usually worth it. And, once again, you won’t have to worry about the nuances of using React during the development process by teaming up with a great app development company.

Related: App Development Services

Web Development

When it comes to web apps, you can still use Ionic to develop. However, the result is a web app inside of a web view container. This can make the app lag and slow down for the user if you choose Angular.

Related: Web development Services

Get A Free Copy Of 'How To Tackle A Website Redesign'

website redesign resource image (2) (1)

Testing

Facebook uses Jest to test code within React. It doesn't require any configuration and provides a powerful mock library. You can also use Jest with Enzyme.

To test Angular code, you can use Jasmine. The result is many options you need to sift through. It can provide useful solutions, but it can also be very difficult to read.

Angular vs React: Examples of Use

You can find real-life examples of both React and Angular, which are some of the biggest companies in the world. Here are a few examples:

React:

Facebook
Airbnb
Uber
Netflix
Instagram
WhatsApp
Dropbox

Angular:

Google
Nike
Forbes
Upwork
General Motors

Compatibility

React is pure JavaScript logic. Even though it doesn't work with DOM, it's still popular, even in DOM based libraries.

React can be used in both web and mobile development. For mobile development, though, you need to incorporate Cordova. You can also use React to build single and multi-page web apps.

Angular is a little less compatible. This is due to it requiring Typescript and type definitions for every library you use.

You can use Angular to create both web and mobile apps. However, when you use it for mobile apps, a lot of the work is done by Ionic. Angular can also be used for single and multi-page web apps.

Scalability

Angular is pretty easy to scale. This is due to its design and powerful CLI (Command Line Interface).

React is also easy to scale because of its testability. Since React uses a virtual DOM and a React library, it can look into further scalable development. It's a great way to build reusable and scalable components.

Work with SF AppWorks to develop a multifunctional, scalable app.

Here's an infographic on Angular vs React comparison:

Popularity

Currently, Angular has 40,963 stars and 732 contributors. The flip side is that it has 2,162 issues. On average, Angular gets 35 stars a day.

On the other hand, React has 111,927 stars and 1,242 contributors. Since it's only a view library, it has far less issues than Angular (only 287). React also gets about 97 stars a day.

React is becoming the most popular in full stack and millennial communities. It's a great choice for native JavaScript mobile and desktop apps.

Related: Redis vs MongoDb

Angular vs React: Which is Right for You in 2022?

Both React and Angular are useful, but React is preferred when it comes to flexibility, speed, and control. However, here is a useful list to consider:

Are you a passionate developer? React will probably let you have more freedom in creativity.
Are you a start up? Go with React.
Do you like to use templates? Angular would be a better choice.
Do you like JavaScript? Go with React.
Do you like more flexibility? Use React.
Are you partial to object-oriented programming? Angular would probably be better for you.

Comparing Angular and React · Conclusion

Angular is a full-fledged framework that will help you with every step of development. React is a framework for UI development that lets you incorporate your own libraries. It can turn into a full-fledged solution with more flexibility to fit your needs.

React seems like a simpler option and the best one when it comes to creating mobile-friendly apps. It does take a shorter time to start your work. That being said, you will have to learn how to use other frameworks and tools to complete a project. This won’t get in the way, though, if you use an expert team of app developers.

At SF AppWorks, we guide you through every step of the app development process, using our deep technical knowledge to bring your brand’s app to life in 2022. Get the benefits of using React without spending excess time tackling the learning curve.

But whether you choose React or Angular, you’re using a modern front-end framework. For more information on developing your app, contact us today to see how we can help.

Watch this dramatization on situations when businesses don't do rapid prototyping: