Why You Should Start Learning React Js
- Linh Le
There’s a high probability that there’s no web framework that took as little time as React JS to be a leading one in the front-end web development.
And it’s really no accident that React JS is used so much.
It has been only six years since the first release back in 2013, and it was open-sourced from the beginning. And in this short period of time, React JS has been one of the most used JavaScript frameworks. And it’s been growing rapidly in its path.
Additionally, React JS will not take long to learn if you have a good grasp of JavaScript skill.
React JS is the most loved amongst the frameworks, libraries, and technologies being used today. As the graph states below from StackOverflow Developer Survey Result:
Why you should start learning React JS
While Angular has been around for a while since its initial release in 2009, React can be treated as a fairly new concept in the world of JavaScript.
In the long run, it’s better to understand and know how to use both of them, obviously. But there are factors to be considered, from a broad perspective.
The 4 main reasons why you should start learning React JS are:
- The community
- React is scalable
- It’s highly preferred by developers
- React is just plain cool
The React community
One of the most preferred reasons to learn React JS is its popularity. And with popularity comes a wide community to help new developers.
Initially, React JS was created by Facebook to help maintain and develop its front-end app. When Facebook decided it was time to make React JS open source, it was already battle-proven in the large applications and ready to use.
Additionally, React JS proved to be very developer-friendly and extensible. Everyone can create and publish their very own component and have their name in the contributors or React JS.
Today, the React JS code repository is about 4 times as popular as Angular.
So, when it comes to the community, React JS wins.
React is very scalable
The very first and main evidence of the React JS scalability is Facebook itself.
It’s made entirely on React JS and has over 50,000 different components. And it’s still growing without any performance problems!
In general, the growth of React JS can be substantial due to the modular nature of React itself.
Various parts of applications can be written independently, and be reused within the project or outside.
The community has provided more than a thousand components ready to be included in any application they might fit. Also, it shortens the development time tremendously.
So, instead of writing your own code, you can use a completed, and well-tested community solution.
React is very much preferred by developers
No argument here.
React JS established a whole new pattern of creating front-end web apps and completely changed the way developers think of a user interface.
The simple idea of components and states fruited in a great growth of programmer interest over the years.
And, thanks to React JS, the unclear situation in Angular environment such as the fact that Angular was stuck in version 1 and 2 only helped in the popularity of React JS.
React is just plain cool
Migrations to React JS has become an industry-standard in the past few years.
Top brands started rewriting their front-end using React JS. To name a few:
- BBC
- Imgur
- Netflix
- Yahoo
Statistics confirm that trend.
The survey State Of JavaScript Survey Results: Front-end Frameworks carried out confirmed React JS’s highest satisfaction.
Both developers and entrepreneurs agree that React JS is the future of oriented framework, and it’s very worth investing money and time to it.
Besides these 4 reasons pointed out, there are tons of other reasons why you should start learning React JS immediately, such as
- React has been used extensively by Instagram, Netflix, Paypal, and Apple. Initially, Facebook started using React JS in 2011 for the first time, and others followed later
- It can be used to produce any type of web application, native mobile app, command-line interfaces and so much more
- React is one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks and is fastening its leading point with its continual growth
- It is capable of building any complex UI keeping state out of the DOM. React employs a Virtual DOM that makes sure of maximum efficiency by only re-rendering nodes whenever required
- It’s much easier to learn! If you have good knowledge of JavaScript, you could learn React JS in a couple of days. Of course, it takes time to master it, but it wouldn’t take as much as any of its cousins
Useful free resources to learn React JS
Once you’re committed to start learning React JS, it comes to question where you can start learning this amazing framework.
The chances are amazingly interesting as the best ones are completely free.
That’s probably why React JS is one of the most loved frameworks of JavaScript.
Let’s know some of the resources that will help you learn React JS faster.
The official React JS documentation
It’s very, very thoroughly detailed. The official documentation will address each and every trivial detail, including all the essential ones. It starts from installation and gets you to a more advanced level of React JS
Youtube channels
The top two Youtube channels for learning React JS are the “React JS crash course – Traversy Media” and the “React JS tutorial – Learn Code academy”.
The “React JS crash course – Traversy Media” covers all of the fundamentals, including:
- Create-react-all
- React JS components
- State and Properties
- Event handling
- JSX Extension
- Lifecycle Methods
- HTTP requests
- And much more
The “React JS tutorial – Learn Code academy” will also help you get quickly up to pace with React JS development. It’s free, and you can learn it at your very own pace.
Books
The road to learning React JS can also be covered by reading specific books that lead you to be a great React JS developer.
The top three books for learning React js are:
Pro React 16
You will learn how exactly how React JS brings the power of strong architecture and data to the client. This provides the foundation for complex and very rich user interfaces.
The best-selling author Adam Freeman amazingly explains how to get the most from the React JS framework. The book begins by describing the React JS architecture and the benefits of it. It will show you how to use React JS and its associated tools and libraries in your project, starting from the nuts and bolts up to the most advanced features.
Learning React
One of the best books on the market that helps you get your first React JS app up and running in just a couple of minutes.
In essence, Learning React JS is a chock-full of colorful illustrations that will help you visualize very difficult concepts. Also, it will help you understand practical step-by-step examples to show you how you can apply what you’ve learned on your app.
It was the first book I read about React JS, and I highly recommend it to the new developers.
Building React JS apps with Redux
Redux is a concept you’ll engage while using React JS.
Starting with the most basic elements, Geary shows you how to use Redux as a stand-alone state container. It might look weird and complex at first, but the book will clear it out for you.