While the Jury is still out on which is better - Angular vs React, let us have our own little discussion. There can never be the best tool when using tools for developing mobile apps. Each one has its own benefits and drawbacks.
An advantageous feature in one situation may be a drawback for another. So, there cannot be a definite outcome of our discussion that would declare Angular vs React a better framework. In this updated blog, we will discuss the various factors that differentiate Angular from React to give you a salient view of the features and benefits of both tools and help you choose the best for your app development.
But, if you look at both frameworks from the perspective of the situation, you can decide which would be better for your purpose. You should decide which one would be better before starting mobile app development.
Angular vs React - A Comparison Chart
| Condition | Angular | React |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Framework | JavaScript Framework | JavaScript Library |
| Initial Release | September 2016 | March 2013 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| DOM | Real | Virtual |
| Licensing | MIT License | MIT License |
| Maintained By | ||
| Learning Curve | Steep | Flat (Low) |
Angular vs React - Let's understand
Leaving the choice of the right framework to the last possible moment can unnecessarily increase development times. Let's compare each other:
1) Architecture:
Regarding Angular vs React, it boils down to framework vs library. While Angular is a full-fledged MVC framework, being a descendant of Angularjs, React is more like a library of UX components.
React focuses only on the V (View) component in the MVC architecture, requiring additional libraries for the M (Model) and C (Controller) components.
This can be seen as an advantage for those who prefer a minimalist approach and want the flexibility to add their own components. In contrast, Angular comes with pre-existing libraries, necessitating accommodation.
The choice between React and Angular depends on whether the required libraries are available in each framework. If libraries are needed in Angular, it makes sense to use it; otherwise, the decision cannot be solely based on this criterion.
Angular bundles many components that a standard app might need, like routing, AJAX requests, forms, XSS protection, etc.
2) Language Expertise
When discussing Angular vs React regarding language expertise, Angular uses TypeScript, released in 2012.
Thus, it is a relatively new language with few people using it. React uses JavaScript, which was released in 1995. So, it has a larger number of developers using it. This means that you have a larger community to reach out to in case of any issues.
Talking of languages, you also need to consider that JavaScript is a dynamically typed language, whereas TypeScript is a statically typed language. You can choose the framework you want depending on your love for either.
You must remember that dynamically typed languages drastically decrease development and testing times. Statically typed languages tend to have more typos that need time for debugging and fixing.
3) Scalability:
Angular is highly scalable due to its robust design and powerful command-line interface. But React claims to be easier to test, which would make scaling easier too.
Angular boasts high scalability owing to its robust design and powerful command-line interface. In contrast, React emphasizes ease of testing, asserting that simplified testing processes contribute to a smoother scaling experience.
While Angular relies on its well-structured architecture and CLI for scalability, React emphasizes the facilitation of testing as a key factor in achieving scalability.
The trade-off lies in each framework's different approaches to address the challenges associated with scaling applications.
4) Using Third-Party Libraries:
Google introduced the Typescript to counter the steep learning curve of JavaScript. However, when you include third-party libraries, TypeScript becomes a headache.
Definitions of all the libraries must be in TypeScript, as it is statically typed, making working with third-party libraries a tad cumbersome.
5) Licensing
Angular comes with free open-source licenses, so companies would find adopting it easier. Coming from Facebook, React started out with some patent clauses that were not suitable for many enterprises.
However, it was re-licensed under MIT license, making it accessible. But still, you must read the finer points before using React.
6) Frameworks:
With mobile apps ruling the app development landscape, a discussion about developing mobile apps using Angular vs React is imperative. Both Angular and React have their own mobile app development frameworks.
Angular has ionic 2 and native script, whereas React has to React native, next.js and React Sketchapp.
Out of all these, React native is the best framework for developing mobile apps for both ease of development and product performance.
This does not, however, mean that other frameworks don’t work. Like the discussion at hand, it depends upon what you want to do, what your requirements are.
Regarding mobile app development, Techahead has proven expertise in leveraging cutting-edge frameworks like React Native, ensuring both ease of development and optimal product performance. Our track record includes delivering high-impact mobile applications for clients across various industries.
7) Speed:
Considering the components between Angular vs React, Angular has, it takes time to load, especially on mobiles. In comparison, React was always sleek and, hence loaded faster. After the introduction of Fiber architecture in the second quarter of 2018, it loads blazingly fast.
Even Angular 5, the latest version of Angular released in November 2017, does not come anywhere close to it. Though, the emphasis of Angular 5.0.0 is to make Angular smaller but faster. If speed is important to you, React should be the chosen one.
Benefits of Angular Framework
Here, we have mentioned some benefits of the Angular framework:
1) Supported by Google: The development and maintenance of the Angular platform are supported by Google, which has pledged long-term support. This indicates that Angular is here to stay; hence, developers would learn and use the framework well.
2) Declarative UI: Angular uses declarative UI. This means developers need to work on coding the components without worrying about which one must load first. Program flow is completely taken care of by Angular internally.
3) Improved Readability: Angular is written in Typescript, a superset of JavaScript. Typescript supports static typing of variables, classes, and other interfaces. This makes the code error-free as well as more readable.
4) Simplified Unit Testing: Angular has its own independent components and modules. This makes testing the independent units easier and faster because they can be tested in any order without worrying about the inputs and outputs for other components.
5) Code Reusability: Angular has a component-based structure, which means that developers can code different application components independently. These components can be then reused across the application as a black box.
6) Modular Structure: As you know, Angular is a component-based framework. Each component is organized into modules with its services, pipes, or directives. Development can easily be assigned according to these modules, making the whole development process streamlined and manageable.
7) Simplified MVC Pattern: Angular has simplified the typical Model-View-Controller pattern into the Model-View-View-Model (MVVM) structure.
This has eliminated the need for writing controller codes. Besides cutting on development time, it ensures a lighter and faster code that makes the apps faster as well.
Advantages of Angular over React
As pointed out earlier, a discussion on Angular vs React cannot have a clear-cut winner as both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the advantages of Angular over React:
- As Angular is a complete MVC framework, developers are using it widely.
- It has a strong support community. Which in turn raises demand among developers.
- Angular is browser-independent
- Two-way data binding ensures that data is always in sync at all levels
Benefits of React Web Framework
Here, we have mentioned some benefits of the React framework:
1) Focused and easy to learn: As you know by now, React JS is not a full-fledged framework but a set of libraries focused on rendering the view layer of MVC (Model-View-Controller) or MVVM (Model-View-View-Model) app development architecture. This means that there is no complexity involved in any of its components.
2) Backed by a strong community: Although React was originally created for internal use by Facebook, currently it is supported by engineering teams at both Facebook and Instagram as well as external React experts.
3) SEO friendly: Search engines cannot process applications that are heavy in JavaScript. However, as React allows the use of HTML, using React, the applications can be rendered as regular web page in the browsers. This helps in page SEO and search engine rankings.
4) Guarantees stable code: React JS uses a downward data flow. This essentially means that only that data gets updated if an object is modified. This ensures a higher degree of code stability and better app performance.
5) Ensures faster rendering: React JS uses virtual DOM (document object model). The changes are made in the virtual DOM in real-time, and then the only difference is updated in the real DOM. This ensures a faster rendering of changes.
6) Boosts productivity: Due to its code reusability, one-way binding structure, and faster rendering of changes, development teams using React JS report much higher productivity.
Advantages of React over Angular
Let us flip sides now and see what are the benefits of React over Angular:
- Lower learning curve
- JSX allows HTML
- Ideal for mobile app development
- Uses JavaScript, which is an old, established and advanced language
Component-Based Development: React and Angular Approaches
React and Angular both employ a component-based approach, wherein the UI is separated into smaller parts that are easy to maintain.
React’s components rely on JSX for their generation, while those of Angular use TypeScript with templates plus decorators in tow.
This division facilitates better code organization, which enhances manageability and makes maintenance much easier than it otherwise would have been.
React Components
React components are advantageous because they can be created using JavaScript functions or classes, returning JSX code.
This approach allows developers to create modular UI elements, which helps streamline the development process and enables control over state management with one-way data binding.
React’s functional programming capabilities provide simpler comprehension of components and efficient testability by writing them in a function format instead of classes that accept props for arguments and return JSX elements.
Even more so now, thanks to Hooks being available for use within such functionalities. This creates more manageable and robust coding environments for producing applications via React component creation methods.
Angular Components
Angular components are a more comprehensive solution than their React counterparts, as they rely on TypeScript, decorators, and templates. These features might make the learning curve steeper for inexperienced developers.
This approach enables the creation of modularized reusable elements with UI representation, which is beneficial, especially in the case of complex projects.
The component-based architecture allows code to be structured into separate parts, each responsible for displaying specific views or encapsulating functionality that can be easily changed when necessary, thanks to its property-based nature.
Performance and Optimization: React vs Angular
React and Angular boast distinct performance characteristics, with the former offering a speedy rendering capability through its virtual DOM implementation while boasting server-side optimization advantages for Angular.
Though both frameworks have their own specific benefits when it comes to delivering performance, what is best for your project will depend on individual requirements.
Rendering Speed
React utilizes virtual DOM to gain speed, whereas Angular uses a real DOM and change detection for updates.
This makes React faster in terms of rendering or when dealing with data that changes frequently, as well as complex UIs compared to the performance offered by Angular, depending on project needs and optimization efforts.
Server-Side Rendering
Considering which choice is best for server-side rendering between React and Angular depends on the needs of your project. Both technologies support this type of optimization to increase SEO performance during initial load time.
React gives users more flexibility since it renders apps in an SEO-friendly format, enabling better client-side rendering optimizations than other options.
Conversely, using Angular’s Universal package can cause certain debugging issues and flickering sometimes seen from its use.
Bundle Size Optimization
When seeking to optimize the bundle size, React encourages utilizing code-splitting and compression methods for a faster loading time and improved performance.
Angular takes an alternate route with its compilation process operating in a browser. The framework chosen is determined by specific project needs and how adeptly team members can apply those optimization techniques.
Learning Curve and Developer Experience
Comparing React and Angular, the learning curve for the former is more forgiving, which makes it an ideal choice for JavaScript developers with little experience.
Although its complexity may be challenging, Angular offers complete solutions for sizable projects with specific needs.
Before settling on one or the other of these technologies, consider your team’s skill set plus any demands from your project, such as scalability or adaptability.
React: A Gentler Learning Curve
Given its straightforward components, props, and state-managing structure, React is a popular choice amongst JavaScript developers looking to understand how to use an effective library quickly.
HTML and CSS knowledge helps speed up the process of mastering this potent tool for creating web and mobile applications.
Angular: More Complex but Comprehensive
Although Angular’s complexity and TypeScript dependence can prove daunting to tackle, its comprehensive feature set, given Google’s support, makes it well-suited for constructing apps with intricate demands.
Developers familiar with other JavaScript frameworks or object-oriented programming languages might be less intimidated by the steeper learning curve presented when delving into Angular.
Such developers may find many of the methodologies' features more recognizable to others, which could help them progress faster than expected.
Making the Decision: Factors to Consider
Considering the team’s expertise, requirements, and long-term scalability of a project, it is possible to decide which framework (React or Angular) will most suit meeting its goals.
Considering both frameworks’ advantages and disadvantages carefully should ensure you can choose one that suits your specific needs perfectly.
Team Expertise
When considering React and Angular for a project, one of the most crucial aspects to consider is the expertise level your development team already possesses. If any members are familiar with either framework, it may be advantageous to stick with that.
On the other hand, if everyone has minimal exposure or experience in both frameworks, you will want to look into their respective learning curves and available resources from each option before deciding which one would best suit your needs.
Knowledge of JavaScript programming language and understanding how different JavaScript frameworks work can affect what choice fits best for your crew’s capability setup.
Project Requirements
Regarding projects with frequently changing data or intricate UIs, React’s virtual DOM and one-way data binding give faster performance and additional control, making them a great choice.
On the other hand, Angular offers two-way data binding and an extensive feature set that makes it suitable for larger applications with complex needs. Thus, decide which framework’s capabilities best fit your project’s demands.
Scalability and Flexibility
When choosing between React and Angular for a project, the scalability and flexibility needs must be considered.
Techahead excels in handling large-scale applications with a structured approach that ensures scalability and flexibility. Our proven methodologies and expertise shine through in projects that demand adaptability over time. A notable example is our work with Audi We successfully scaled their application and deployed the first-ever immersive 3D visualization app, which helped them enhance their sales and user engagement by 15% and 45% respectively.
The component-based architecture of React allows it to grow and adapt over time easily as well as integrate with other tools, making it suitable for projects that may change over time.
Angular is better suited to large-scale applications with stricter requirements due to its more structured approach. Determining which framework best meets your long-term goals will help ensure the successful execution of the given project’s objectives.
Angular vs React - Which brands are using?
| Angular Framework | React Framework |
|---|---|
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Also read: Angular vs AngularJS – A Complete Comparison Guide 2019
Angular vs React - When to use what
| Scenario | Platform (Angular vs React) |
|---|---|
| If you want to have a complete framework | Angular |
| If you want to have the flexibility of choosing libraries | React |
| If you want the capability to reuse code | Angular |
| If you want a blitzkrieg-like speed | React |
| If you need to have lots of templates in your app | Angular |
| If your app has many dynamic contents | React |
| If you need a strong server-side rendition | Angular |
Last Words
Stephen Covey said that life has three constants – change, choice, and principles. It applies to frameworks like React and Angular too. As they keep changing continuously, you must choose to work with them depending on the basic principles discussed just now.
Lastly, which is the best framework for your Angular app development or React app development will also depend on your requirements and the experience of the chosen mobile app development company.
