The frontend web development industry has progressed rapidly in the last few decades. As a result, there are various software tools available to them. One such type of tool are JavaScript libraries, which are technologies that make web development a lot easier for devs. They do this by streamlining and aiding the process of front-end web development. You will see these tools used even at the best web development company for large-scale projects.
Two popular libraries used for development are React and jQuery, with both technologies having their functionalities, advantages and disadvantages. Because of this, it can be unclear for new developers to decide which of these are the best tools for the job. Not to worry, however, we have you sorted out. In this article, we will help you determine which is the best tool for your front-end web development projects.
Without further delay, let’s dive into each of the factors to consider for these tools.
1. Speed
When it comes to web development, the speed of the app or webpage is crucial for the user experience. Users will lose patience even if there is a few seconds of delay. In this regard, React makes use of Virtual DOM. Virtual DOM makes the DOM update fast, which can be very noticeable if the update size is enormous.
On the other hand, jQuery makes use of the traditional DOM update. In this case, the update takes place from the root, which means the update takes much longer than Virtual DOM. Significant updates will take a lot longer than with React for large and complex applications. This makes React the faster library.
2. Ease of Use
Both of these libraries have certain advantages regarding ease of use. React is a Javascript library that many developers have lauded for its flexibility and efficiency. It offers many components and code snippets, allowing them much more control to create specific parts of the UI. This makes it easier for devs to develop a web app that requires specific functionalities and complex designs.
On the other hand, jQuery is a notable library for its ease of use as it is straightforward. This is especially when you are looking to create a simple website or are dealing with a legacy web browser. So, React has more ease of use for complicated apps, and jQuery has it for simple websites.
3. Third-Party Library Availability
During web development, developers use third-party libraries, so they don’t have to code certain functionalities and features from scratch. These libraries have already been created by other developers using React or jQuery. In particular, Node Package Manager (NPM) is one of the largest Javascript libraries source.
When it comes to availability, React and jQuery both have a large number of library packages in NPM. However, React has many more NPM packages, meaning that developers have many more options during their web development process and projects.
4.Modernity
There are various reasons why the library you are using needs to be modern. For starters, a more modern library means that it will be much more relevant and have more updates that fit the latest requirements of developers. It will also have more valuable tools and a more significant number of them, meaning that devs have much more tools in their arsenal.
Additionally, new website developers will want to learn a more modern library as this will be more relevant, meaning more projects and jobs. jQuery used to be incredibly relevant in the 2000-2010 decade, but it has become a bit obsolete. Nonetheless, it still has its uses. React is very modern and is highly recommended by developers to this day because of the array of modern functionalities.
In conclusion
React, and jQuery have unique purposes and are easy for developers to use for specific cases. However, React has an advantage in most of these factors for various reasons. It provides multiple tools and options to developers and is much more modern and faster than jQuery. Additionally, it has a higher third-party availability, giving further options for developers. jQuery indeed used to be a great library in the 2000-2010 era, but it is no longer relevant. However, it is still useful for some cases, like building simple websites or dealing with legacy browsers.
Therefore, React is probably the best tool for front-end web development. We hope this article proves insightful and allows you to choose the best tool for your front-end development projects. Thank you for reading!