React vs JavaScript: Which one to choose?

Have you heard something like this, "React is a replacement for JavaScript"? Well, that's like saying a car is a replacement for roads. While both technologies play a vital role in simplifying the web development process, they are fundamentally different.

Let’s break it down. JavaScript is a scripting language that powers the web world. It’s what drives everything you see and interact with in the online world, from simple animations to complex web applications. On the other hand, ReactJS, or simply React, is a JavaScript library. It is built on top of JavaScript, meaning JavaScript is the backbone of React.

So, why the confusion? It is because React runs JavaScript in the background. But just like a carpenter uses a hammer to build a house, it doesn't mean the hammer is the house itself. By the end of this article, you will be in a good position to make the right decision about which development tool to use for your next web development project, ultimately helping you build more efficient and effective applications.

Understanding Plain JavaScript

JavaScript (also known as plain or vanilla JavaScript) is the language that adds interactivity to websites and web applications; hence, it is known as the language that brings the web to life. This is the action behind everything that ‘happens’ on the page—buttons, animations, and dynamic content, basically. To gain a better understanding of plain JavaScript, let’s get to the fundamentals of this language. Moreover, plain JavaScript is the powerhouse of most popular frameworks and libraries like Angular, React, Ember, Vue, etc., for designing complex software applications.

One of the fundamental building blocks of simple JavaScript are variables, which are containers for storing data. This data can be of different categories, such as numeric, string, boolean, array, and object. Operators are used in working on these values, such as the addition, subtraction, comparison, and logical operations.

Control structures like if-else statements, loops (for, while, do-while), and switch statements are used by plain JavaScript to manage the flow of execution. This allows you to make decisions and repeat actions based on certain conditions.

The most powerful feature of plain JavaScript is its ability to create functions. Functions are pieces of code that can be used multiple times. They assist you in managing your code and make it more modular in form.

The full range of features available in the context of the JavaScript language are further complemented by numerous available libraries and frameworks. jQuery is one of the most popular libraries, which is used widely to make the manipulation of DOM and AJAX requests easier.

Introducing React

ReactJS, or React, is a powerful JavaScript library that played a vital role in the development of frontend interfaces. It's basically a component-based frontend framework in which UI is broken down into smaller pieces called components. These components are also called resuable pieces. Every component is intended to render a specific part of the interface, so you will have a clear structure, and thus, maintenance will be easier.

The most unique feature of React is its use of JSX. JSX is actually an extension to the syntax of JavaScript, which provides you the ability to write HTML like code within your JavaScript files. Doing so makes it easier to write and understand the UI code. This is especially true for developers who are familiar with HTML.

After all, React uses a technique called the virtual DOM. Whenever there is a change in your application, React builds a virtual representation of the DOM and compares it to the previous one. It then properly updates the necessary parts of the real DOM, resulting in significant performance improvements. This is particularly useful for large-scale applications that are updated on a regular basis.

React vs. JavaScript: A Comparison

As you know, React is a JavaScript library, but that doesn't mean they can be used interchangeably. Both technologies have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. That makes them suitable for different use cases. Let's dig deep by comparing their potential.

Similarities

• Syntax: There is no visible difference in syntax between React and plain JavaScript. Therefore, it is very easy for developers to switch between both since they use the same syntax.
  
  
• Ecosystem: React plays a huge role in the vast JavaScript ecosystem. It gives access to a big number of libraries and tools.

Differences

1. Purpose: Plain JavaScript is a general-purpose language. It enables a programmer to perform all or most of the programming tasks, ranging from server-side programming to client-side scripting. React, however, is used for creating user interfaces because it’s a tool for building user interfaces.
   
   
2. Structure: Simple JavaScript is more procedural or object-oriented as compared to React, which is more component-based. This means that React applications are designed to be divided into small components, enabling their reusability, hence easing management and scalability.
   
   
3. Learning Curve: The learning curve for plain JavaScript is relatively gentle or easy, but for the framework React, it introduces new concepts like JSX, components, and state management. But it can be a little bit more complicated for a beginner, and yet, it always pays off in terms of the structure of the project and how easy it is to maintain the code.
   
   
4. Performance: React's virtual DOM optimization can greatly boost performance. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale applications with frequent updates. However, for simpler projects that require minimal UI updates, raw Javascript might be OK.

Thus, React and plain JavaScript can and should be used in the development of web projects as they provide many benefits. React is best suited for  building complex, interactive user interfaces, while JavaScript is more general and can be used for most general purposes. Now, It will be easy for one to determine which of the two is most appropriate for a given task.

More Side-by-Side Comparison

When to Choose React: A Powerful Tool for Complex UIs

React is particularly well-suited for projects that require:

1. Large-scale applications: One of its key advantages is a component-based approach, which is more suitable and convenient for managing and enhancing large-scale applications with rich functionality.
   
   
2. Complex UIs: React is perfect for building dynamic and interactive UIs due to the applied declarative syntax and the concept of the virtual DOM.
   
   
3. Performance-critical projects: Through efficient rendering and various optimization strategies, you are able to enhance the performance of your application.

Some of the key benefits of using React include:

• Reusable components: As pointed out by React documentation, due to its component-based architecture, you can reuse your UI components across your application, hence saving time when developing your projects.
  
  
• Faster development: React's declarative syntax and powerful tools can help you develop applications more quickly and efficiently.
  
  
• Better maintainability: React's organized structure and modular design make it easier to maintain and update your code over time.

When to Choose JavaScript: A Multifunctional Element for Development of Web Sites

As we see, React is a great and flexible tool to create various UI elements; however, there are cases where a plain JavaScript would be more effective. Consider using JavaScript for:

1. Smaller-scale projects: If you don’t need complicated state or intense UI interactions, plain JavaScript might be sufficient.
   
   
2. Simple UIs: In simple HTML pages with little or no user interaction, plain JavaScript provides all the necessary functionality. This allows you to avoid the extra complexity of using frameworks like React.
   
   
3. Specific functionalities: There may be certain features or libraries that are better suited to plain JavaScript than React. If you need to work directly with the DOM or integrate with specific third-party APIs, simple JavaScript might be the better option.

Some of the advantages of using JavaScript include:

• Direct DOM manipulation: With simple JavaScript, you have full control over the DOM, making it easy to create custom interactions and animations.
  
  
• Flexibility: Plain JavaScript is a highly adaptable language. It can be used for many tasks, including client-side scripting and server-side development.
  
  
• Versatility: Simple JavaScript is supported by a large number of libraries and frameworks, meaning that the number of tools and options available to a developer is seemingly endless.

Conclusion

Therefore, as shown in this article, there are quite a number of differences between React and plain JavaScript. React is a state-of-the art framework for developing user interfaces, and on the other hand, simple JavaScript is a general-purpose programming language.

Comparing React and plain JavaScript basically depends on the requirements of the project in your development process. In case you’re designing a lot of business logic that is tightly connected to UI elements, React suits you perfectly. However, for the small scale solution or for the tasks that do not involve the component-based structure, the plain JavaScript might be enough.

If you are looking for a team of experts to help you build your next web application with React or with simple JavaScript, Contact us today to learn more about our custom web development services and how we can help you bring your vision to life.