Angular and React JS work for web development projects when developing front-end user interfaces (UIs), but which one is right for your development process?
Statista shows that over 40% of developers use the React frameworks while nearly 18% use Angular. The Meta-owned JavaScript framework certainly outshines the full-fledged framework in statistics.
However, our comparison doesn’t outline which framework developers prefer. Instead, it helps you choose the right development tools for your next web development project.
Let’s compare two of the top five frameworks, according to Statista. At the end of this article, you’ll have some knowledge to help you decide which tools would work for your project.
Which Is Better in Front-End Development React or Angular?
Angular and React JS are commonly used for front-end development. However, React JS is often the more popular choice with a component-based architecture and one-way data binding. Also, the virtual DOM updates only the parts of a user interface (UI) necessary for an upgrade.
On the other hand, Angular is more popular in large-scale application development because of opinionated architecture, two-way data binding, and dependency injection. Both front-end frameworks have built-in features enabling developers to produce high-quality app development results.
React and Angular are powerful tools for different projects based on various aspects. One has a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture while the other is component-based. Both offer some code reusability, but one has easy integration compared to the other. Let’s discover overviews first.
React JS Overview
React JS is a JavaScript framework used for building UIs based on components from the Facebook-owned JavaScript library. React differs from React Native, a mobile app development framework. Instead, React depends on a flexible front-end approach with reusable components.
React JS depends on code reusability and combining them like building blocks to develop complex web applications. The component-based architecture allows developers to maintain and only update necessary parts of virtual DOMs because each component manages its own data flow.
Key Features of React JS
- Declarative views make it easier to debug
- Predictable and reusable UI components
- Seamless migration between versions
- Easy access to third-party libraries
- One-way data binding for code stability
React JS Pros and Cons
React JS Advantages:
- Has an easier learning curve and is simpler to use
- Is capable of creating dynamic user interfaces and dynamic content
- Reusable components make for seamless maintenance
- The virtual DOM results in responsive user interfaces
- Rapid development process with easy composability
React JS Limitations:
- The JSX syntax extension is challenging to use
- Requires SEO experts to ensure visibility
- Documentation may not be as frequent as the updates
React JS Application Examples
React JS examples include Meta (Facebook), Twitter, Instagram, Uber, Airbnb, Netflix, and PayPal.
Angular Overview
Angular is a versatile framework for web applications and native app development. The full-fledged framework is popular for building user interfaces and single-page applications (SPAs). It utlilises dynamic content to improve the user experience by seamlessly transitioning between page elements.
Angular has a structured development environment with a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture to ensure clean code developers can easily maintain. An MVC architecture separates data from how users see or interact with it, allowing developers to make updates in well-organised code structures.
Key Features of Angular
- Built-in features like Rxjs, Angular CLI, and AJAX
- View support without browser-side rendering
- Clean, precise, and more readable code
- Access to local CSS and shadow DOM
- Angular CLI creates seamless upgrades
Angular Pros and Cons
Angular Advantages:
- Seamless integration with third-party apps and services for scalability
- Uses the “ahead-of-time” compiler to ensure code reliability and security
- Highly customisable components, modules, and elements as a full-fledged framework
- Better component and code maintenance with Angular Material
- The UI and business logic are separate processes
Angular Limitations:
- Limited SEO tools require hiring an SEO expert
- A slower development process with a complex framework
- The documentation needs an analyst to understand it
Angular Application Examples
Angular examples include Google, YouTube, Wix, Upwork, the New York Times, Telegram, and Forbes.
An In-Depth Comparison Between Angular and React JS
Let’s compare various aspects of the full-featured framework versus the open-source JavaScript library. Both offer vast community support and efficient updates for mobile and web apps. However, let’s complete an in-depth comparison between Angular and React.
- Angular vs. React Development Process
The development process is far shorter and more productive with React JS because it has an easier learning curve. On the other hand, Angular’s complex framework has a steep learning curve many entry-level developers haven’t upskilled with yet. The simpler React JS open-source JavaScript library encourages higher productivity and rapid development compared to Angular’s complete framework.
- Angular and React Language
Angular uses JavaScript and the superset TypeScript, with an easier-to-navigate code that makes code refactoring simpler. On the other hand, React JS uses a JSX script and JavaScript ES6+, which is a syntax extension, making the code resemble HTML. The code becomes more understandable and readable, which helps developers to spot errors easily.
- Angular and React Testing
Angular uses any of Jasmine, Karma, and Protractor as a single tool for Angular IO testing and debugging. It also has a built-in testing tool called TestBed, which allows developers to conduct unit testing on single-component units. Meanwhile, React JS can use the same tools but not for all testing modules. React JS requires a set of tools to test multiple modules, such as React-Unit to test units.
- Angular and React UI Components
Building user interfaces with Angular is easy with a toolset and a wide range of Angular Material design components. Developers can access ample buttons, pop-ups, layouts, and forms built into the framework. The React JS community provides many UI tools, including free and paid UI tools. However, developers need to install the Material-UI Library and Dependencies to use reusable UI components.
- Angular and React Performance
Google gradually optimises the Angular framework’s coding practices to elevate overall performance using dependency injection and two-way data binding, particularly in complex SPAs and web applications. Meanwhile, the reusable component-based architecture of React JS improves performance by allowing programmers to reuse code throughout applications and relies on a virtual DOM and one-way data flow capable of lightning speeds in lightweight applications.
- Angular and React State Management
State management is one of the greatest differences between React vs. Angular. React depends on using state management libraries like React Router and Helmet. React also requires the Redux library to augment the unidirectional data flow. Meanwhile, Angular has built-in data binding which makes the management of component states easier for developers and provides enhanced maintainability.
- React and Angular Integration
React’s virtual DOM surpasses Angular in regards to integration, rendering optimizations, and letting programmers integrate and migrate apps between React frameworks more easily than Angular’s rigid code. Developers can easily migrate one React app to another platform with reusable code and components without hassles. Angular works for mobile and web development but isn’t easy to integrate.
A Summary of the Key Differences Between Angular and React JS
The table shows the main differences between the two front-end frameworks, including the parameters for architecture, learning curve, community support, data binding, testing, documentation, applications, programming languages, DOMs, dependencies, and performance.
| Parameters | React JS | Angular |
|---|---|---|
| Category | JavaScript library | Full-fledged framework |
| Architecture | Component-based architecture | Model View Controller (MVC) architecture |
| Learning Curve | Easy learning curve | Steeper learning curve |
| Community Support | Massive Meta (formerly Facebook) community | Huge Google community |
| Data Binding | One-way data binding | Two-way data binding |
| Testing and Debugging | Jest, Enzyme, and Detox | Angular DevTools |
| Documentation | Vast documentation actively developed | Well-documented |
| Programming Languages | JavaScript (with reusable HTML code) | TypeScript (superset of ECMAScript 6 (ES6)) |
| Document Object Model (DOM) | Virtual DOM | Real DOM |
| Overall Performance | Faster for simple applications | Faster for complex SPAs |
| Dependencies | Components | Dependency injection |
| Applications | PayPal, Uber, Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix | Google, Forbes, YouTube, Telegram, and Wix |
How to Choose Between Angular and React JS
Consider which project examples suit your development needs to choose the right front-end development tools to introduce performance overhead and good rendering optimizations.
When to Use React JS
React JS is an open-source JavaScript library promoting code reusability with JavaScript backgrounds for efficient updates on interactive user interfaces. However, here are more reasons to use React JS:
- When creating reusable UI components in projects needing frequent UI updates
- The project requirements call for software with shareable components
- For lightweight applications or interactive web applications requiring the unidirectional data flow
- For applications requiring efficient rendering with a virtual DOM for improved performance
- To develop applications faster with access to a large number of third-party libraries
- Social network apps, retail or e-commerce mobile apps, and cross-platform mobile apps
When to Use Angular
Angular offers a powerful command line interface (CLI), separates server-side logic, and provides rendering optimizations on an actual DOM. Here are some reasons to choose Angular over React JS:
- For large-scale application development for enterprises requiring scalability
- Single-page applications with a robust set of workflows and a seamless data flow
- Complex applications that need maintainable codebases
- The development of fully functional apps with back-end development
- To develop secure applications with the two-way data binding of HTML components
- Dynamic web apps, progressive web apps (PWAs), and enterprise web apps
Choose the Right Software Development Partner
Ultimately, the results of your front-end or complete web development project depend on a trusted custom software development company you choose as your partner. Learn more about us and our clients, case studies, and team to determine whether we’re the partner you need.
Among our many outsourcing software development services, we offer Angular JS development and React Native app development. Our expert developers are experienced in the Angular and React frameworks. Hire dedicated Angular developers, or hire React JS developers from our diverse team.
Speak to our digital strategy consultants if you’re uncertain about which framework would suit your project. Alternatively, contact us today to discuss our many custom software development services, whether you need mobile app development or web design and development.
Summing Up React JS vs. Angular
The front-end development of UIs that bring users back to a mobile app or web development page will define how the project’s success. The Angular framework has widespread adoption thanks to Google. The powerful tools and vast library present many benefits.
On the other hand, React JS has various aspects working in its favour. It has easy integration with the React Native tools, good overall performance, and uses other libraries with built-in tools. Contact us today to discuss which framework provides a robust set of benefits for your project.
Angular vs. React JS FAQs
Which Is Better for Front-End Development Angular or ReactJS?
The project requirements ultimately define which framework to use. The full-featured framework from Angular is better for large-scale applications or large-scale projects requiring a dynamic user interface. Meanwhile, React JS produces software with shareable components and unidirectional data flow. Speak to our digital strategy consultants about which framework suits your project better.
Is React JS or Angular a Complete Framework?
Angular offers a complete framework for front and server-side development, enabling developers access to built-in features for complete web development. However, the steep learning curve narrows the number of Angular developers. Fortunately, you can hire dedicated Angular developers from Pulsion.
Which Front-End Development Framework Is Better for Complex Applications?
Angular’s two-way data binding and dependency injection with an actual DOM make it the ideal choice for complex web applications. Code maintenance is also simpler in complex applications when using the Angular framework. Hire dedicated Angular developers today to implement complex systems.
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