Angular vs. React, which to choose for web development? Well, I have to admit there’s no perfect answer. So instead, I guide them through the pros and cons of each option. Out of all the frontend frameworks in the market, the two that have found a place in the list of Top 10 JS Frameworks for 2022 are React and Angular. So in this article, we will concentrate on both of them.
Angular and React: A Brief Overview
Angular was released in 2013, whereas Angular 2, also known as Angular, was released in 2016. So here, we are talking about Angular and not AngularJS.
Google supports Angular. Facebook supports React.
Angular uses TypeScript out of the box. Facebook uses Javascript. But you can also use TypeScript in React.
The latest version of Angular right now is Angular. The latest version of React is 16.13.1.
The learning curve of Angular is steep because of TypeScript. On the other hand, the learning curve of React is moderate.
Both frameworks are based on component-based architecture.
Both frameworks have a relatively small app size.
Angular uses Real DOM, while React uses Virtual DOM.
Both frameworks can run on the client as well as serverside.
Angular uses HTML + TypeScript for templating while React uses JSX + JS(ES2015+).
Angular uses two-way data binding, while React uses one-way data binding.
What is Angular
Angular is an open-source framework mainly used for creating web apps, single-page web apps, and hybrid apps. Angular is built on TypeScript, developed and maintained by Google.
Angular is a full-fledged toolkit with everything developers need to build large-scale apps. No wonder it gains popularity: leading businesses, like Xbox, Forbes, BMW, and many more, choose Angular over React for frontend development.
Angular allows websites to render quickly and efficiently. It’s an all-in-one framework with built-in tools for routing, state-management solutions, and form validation. Angular is built on TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript.
Angular is part of a MEAN stack, is compatible with most used code editors, and is considered for creating dynamic websites and web applications.
What is React
Developed and maintained by Facebook, React.js is a popular JavaScript library that focuses on building and rendering components for a web page.
With React.js, everything is inbuilt JavaScript, and I recommend using it with JSX: A JavaScript syntax extension that “describes what the UI should look like” in your JavaScript code.
Benefits of Angular Framework
Cleaner Code
Angular uses TypeScript language, which is the superset of JavaScript. Thus, it compiles JavaScript and eases finding and eliminating the common issues while typing the code.
Material Design-like Interface
Angular offers pre-built material design components such as navigation elements, form controls, pop-ups, layouts, and data tables.
This helps the mobile developers to overcome Google Material Design’s impact on Mobile app design and design the digital product that users need in the long run.
Better Error Handling
Angular offers feature like the upgraded error handling process for @Output in the scenarios where the property is not initialized.
Seamless Updates using Angular CLI
Angular CLI is easy to install and use, newcomer-friendly, offers innovative testing tools and more straightforward commands and is supported by different engineers and developers, making it possible to update even those components having a third-party dependency.
Benefits of React.js Library
Better User Experience
React uses the Virtual DOM: The abstract form of Real DOM. It makes it easier for the React developers to update changes performed by the users in the app without affecting the other parts of the application interface.
This results in building a highly dynamic UI with an impeccable user experience.
Time-Saving
In React, app development companies can reuse their code components at distinct levels at any time.
Besides, the components are isolated, and changes in one component do not affect the other, making it easier to manage the updates. This makes React development more accessible, time-saving, and efficient for developers.
Faster Testing
React extensively uses Redux: A State management library, which reduces the hassle of storing and managing the component states in large-sized and complex web applications with enormous dynamic components.
It helps the developers add an application state in a single object and empowers every app component to access the application state without involving child components or using a callback or hooks.
This makes testing the application and logs data changes, hot reloading, and other tools more accessible.
Angular vs. React: Comparison in 2022
Languages
Angular uses TypeScript. Since TypeScript is very compact, navigating the code and spotting typos is easier. React also now supports TypeScript, but by default, it comes with ES6+.
React is based on the JavaScript ES6+ language, combined with the JSX script. JSX is mainly the extension for the syntax that makes the JavaScript code resemble ones written in HTML.
Architecture
Both Angular and React have component-based architecture. That means they have cohesive, reusable, and modular components.
But, the React and Angular differences come at the point of the tech stack. On the other hand, React architecture uses JavaScript, while Angular architecture goes with Typescript for web development, which is more compact and error-free.
Componentization
Angular comes with an extraordinarily fixed and complex structure based on three layers: Model, View, and Controller architecture.
React, on the other hand, chooses a different architecture. It allows a simple way of developing component trees. As a result, react codes are readable and logically structured. They do not ask the developers to write code in a particular way.
State Management
Angular currently has NgRX and NgXS State management libraries. However, handling the state on React uses Redux as the solution.
The application uses states in multiple instances. For example, a component describes the UI of the application at any given point in time. The framework then re-renders the complete component UI when the data changes. This is how an application ensures that the data is updated.
Directives
In Angular, the templates are returned with attributes, and the syntax of Angular directive is sophisticated and complex, making it incomprehensible for nascent developers.
The logic and templates in React are explained at the end of every component. Thus, it enables the readers to understand the code’s meaning even without knowing its syntax.
UI Component
Angular comes with inbuilt Material components, and because of this, the UI configuration becomes extremely fast and straightforward.
Its community develops the React UI tools. In addition, the React portal has several paid and free UI components.
Toolset
Angular, like React, also uses different code editors like Sublime Text, Web Storm, and Visual Studio Code. The project is set up using the CLI tool called Angular CLI, while the server-side rendering is done through Angular Universal.
React uses multiple code editors like Sublime Text, Atom, and Visual Studio Code. It uses the Create React App tool for bootstrapping the project, while the server-side rendering is done with the Next.js framework. Testing the app written in React calls for multiple tools for different elements.
Popularity
As per Google Trends in 2022, React has more searches than Angular. While people show more interest in Angular due to ample ready-made solutions, both the technologies are developing, which means both are popular in the market. So, for now, the answer to Angular vs. React popularity would be equal on both sides.
Learning Curve
Angular has a steep learning curve when compared to React. Angular demands familiarity with concepts and languages like templates, pipes, dependency injection, RxJS, TypeScript, etc.
React.js lets you quickly learn and make an app in the React ecosystem if you are good with JavaScript. In addition, ReactJS provides multiple helpful resources for newcomers to understand the framework and look forward to developing an application, even after frequent updates are rolled out.
Development Speed and Productivity
Angular provides an enhanced development experience – thanks to its CLI that empowers creating the workspace and designing functioning applications swiftly and producing components, routing, guard, and services with one-line commands, an inbuilt process to solve widespread problems and clean coding features of TypeScript.
When it comes to React, the development speed and productivity gets affected due to the involvement of third-parties libraries like Redux or React-router-dom. The React developers have to define the right architecture and the right tools. Besides, the toolkit for React Native mobile apps varies from project to project, implying more time and effort is invested if the project is handed over to new developers for the app update.
DOM (Document Object Model)
Angular uses the real DOM where the whole tree data structure is updated even if a single section is changed or altered.
React uses Virtual DOM, enabling app development companies to track and upgrade the changes without affecting the other parts of the DOM tree. Since Virtual DOM is considered faster than real DOM, React has a big advantage over Angular.
What does the Future Hold for Angular and React?
None of the two frameworks will go out of the picture by 2021 or 2025.
React has come up with significant changes empowering the React developers to quickly provide feedback on new features, JavaScript syntax improvements, and experimental APIs.
While Angular, on the other hand, has already been witnessing the growth in the usage rate, which will increase significantly when the new version of Angular comes.
Rest, the answer to which is the best framework or UI library for your app project boils down to your app requirements, complexity, and the experience of the hired app development company.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the difference between Angular and React?
There are differences between Angular and React. For example, React operates on only one-way data binding, whereas Angular operates on two-way data binding. Likewise, Angular uses the real DOM while React relies upon the Virtual DOM.
2. Is Angular faster than react?
No, React is faster than Angular since it relies on Virtual DOM.
3. Is React the best framework?
The answer to this question depends entirely upon what your app needs are. That indicates that React is the best frontend framework for designing the highly customized app using the variable states – dynamic inputs, active/inactive navigation items, buttons enabled/disabled, a user logs in, access permissions, etc.
4. What is more popular, React or Angular?
It is tough to say or choose between React or Angular. While React has more searches, Angular is highly considered by a team of developers due to the availability of ready-made solutions indicating that both are relevant and popular in the market.
5. Which is easy to learn: Angular or React?
React is far easier to learn. On the other hand, angular is not easy because of TypeScript and RxJS.
6. Why Is React More Popular Than Angular?
React’s diverse and energetic environment allows developers to create their applications. This makes it more accessible than Angular.
7. Is Angular still relevant in 2022?
There are many questions about if Angular is still important, if it’s losing popularity, or if it’s dying.
The truth is, Angular is still very pertinent, and it is not dying. On the contrary, angular has been witnessing constant market growth on the back of its outstanding competence & performance.
Thanks to the Angular CLI, the development experience has also improved dramatically. Google has also drastically reduced the app size to make the Angular apps run smoothly. All of these are a sign of how relevant it is.
That is it for the Angular vs. React comparison in 2022.
