Angular vs. React: Which is better for your application?

Angular and React dominate the frontend world, but which is better for your needs? Choosing the right JavaScript framework can make or break your project’s success. In this blog, we’ll break down the pros, cons, and real-world considerations to help you make an informed decision.

Javascript libraries vs. frameworks#

JavaScript libraries and frameworks both use reusable, prewritten code to make programmers’ jobs easier. Reusing code to perform common functions prevents potential errors, reduces program size, and saves time. This reusable code is also helpful for programming within a certain context.

A JavaScript library is a collection of functions that can be invoked from JavaScript code. Different libraries will have specialized functions for performing certain tasks within a specific context.

For instance, React is a JavaScript library focused on building user interfaces. It allows developers to integrate other tools for routing, state management, and backend communication while offering flexible UI component creation.

Similarly, some other JS libraries specialize in creating graphics, handling APIs, or performing application testing.

A JavaScript framework provides more structure than a library. Rather than supplying blocks of prewritten functions, frameworks define an overall application architecture that you build within. Angular is a JavaScript framework that enforces design patterns for stability and scalability, while React, as a library, offers more flexibility since frameworks typically impose stricter structures.

What is Angular?#

Angular, developed by Google, is a popular front-end JavaScript framework designed for creating Single-Page Applications (SPAs). SPAs allow user interactions without fully reloading web pages. Instead of opening new pages for each interaction, the user interface dynamically updates based on the user’s actions. This makes SPAs more efficient because only the initial page structure and essential content are loaded, and additional data or components are fetched as needed. SPAs often retrieve this data using APIs rather than fetching new HTML content. It reduces the load on the servers and makes the client application more interactive.

Angular offers a component-based architecture that gives structure to our code, making it modular and scalable. Angular also utilizes TypeScript, a statically typed programming language that enhances JavaScript by adding features like static typing, interfaces, and better tooling for refactoring, auto-completion, and error detection.

To understand what Angular can do, let’s look at some well-known websites built with the framework:

• Delta

• Forbes

• IBM

• PayPal

• Samsung

What is React?#

React, developed by Facebook, is a widely used front-end JavaScript library focused on building interactive user interfaces (UIs) for web-based applications. It provides prewritten functions that help developers efficiently create UI components. React is based on JavaScript ES6+ and JSX (JavaScript XML), a syntax that allows developers to write HTML-like elements directly in JavaScript. JSX simplifies the process of creating components by combining markup and JavaScript logic in one place.

Since React is a library and not a full framework like Angular, it focuses solely on the application’s view layer. Developers often need to use external libraries for features like routing, state management, and other functionalities. While React’s modularity offers flexibility, it can also require more setup for complete application development. Its smaller core size makes React easier to learn initially, but scaling up a project may require familiarity with additional libraries.

Some popular websites built using React include:

• Airbnb

• Dropbox

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Netflix

React vs. Angular#

Angular and React are both powerful JS frameworks with their advantages and use cases. But which is better, and which should you use for your projects?

Learning curve and flexibility#

In terms of learning, React has a lower barrier to entry. Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript should be sufficient to begin developing interactive web applications in React. Since Angular requires code to be written in TypeScript, this can prove to be a slight barrier to entry. In addition, Angular requires learning concepts like modules, directives, decorators, services, and templates before getting started.

Both Angular and React support mobile app development, with NativeScript for Angular and React Native for React.

TypeScript provides Angular with enhanced error detection and features like auto-completion, making it ideal for large-scale projects. However, working within a full-fledged framework like Angular may reduce some of the flexibility offered by React, which is a lightweight library. React’s flexibility allows developers to integrate only the tools they need, which can result in a more customizable and modular development experience.

Scalability of data binding#

Angular and React use different approaches for data flow, and each has its strong points. Angular uses two-way data binding, which automatically synchronizes changes between the view (DOMThe DOM is an interface that represents a web page as a tree-like structure, allowing programs to modify the structure, style, and content of a page dynamically.) and the model. While this can make initial development faster, managing bidirectional data flow can become complex as the application grows in size.

React, on the other hand, employs one-way data binding. After you change the model state, the change will be rendered in the view. However, changing something in the view does not automatically alter the model. When combined with ReduxIt is a popular state management library., React’s one-way data flow becomes even more scalable and maintainable, making it a strong choice for complex projects.

Responsiveness#

React is often considered more responsive due to its use of the virtual DOM. React’s virtual DOM allows for efficient updates by creating a lightweight copy of the real DOM. When a data change occurs, React compares the new virtual DOM with the previous version (a process known as reconciliation) and updates only the changed elements in the real DOM. This makes React highly efficient and responsive for dynamic applications.

On the other hand, Angular does not use a real DOM in the traditional sense. Instead, Angular implements a change detection mechanism that updates the DOM based on changes in the application’s data. Although Angular’s change detection can be slower than React’s virtual DOM in some cases, it is not as inefficient as re-rendering the entire DOM tree. Angular is capable of managing complex, data-driven applications, but React’s virtual DOM is generally considered more efficient for frequent UI updates.

Therefore, for applications that require frequent and dynamic updates, React’s virtual DOM provides a more responsive experience compared to Angular’s change detection approach.

Diversity of ecosystem#

Angular is a comprehensive framework that comes with a robust ecosystem offering built-in functionality like data binding, routing, and API interactions. These built-in features can reduce the need for third-party libraries, making Angular well-suited for large-scale projects, particularly in corporate environments where standardization and stability are key. However, Angular’s structure also makes it flexible enough to handle small and medium-sized projects effectively.

On the other hand, React is a smaller, more flexible library, often favored for its modularity. While it doesn’t come with built-in tools for certain functionalities, developers can easily add third-party libraries for things like routing (React Router), state management (Redux or MobX), and dependency injection. This flexibility makes React an optimal choice not just for smaller projects but also for large applications that benefit from a customized and modular approach. React’s ecosystem is vast, allowing developers to choose specific tools tailored to the needs of their projects, giving it a diverse and powerful ecosystem in its own right.

React vs. Angular summary#

Let’s briefly review and summarize React vs. Angular:

Wrapping up and next steps#

In the end, the right choice depends on your project’s scope, your team's expertise, and your long-term goals. React offers flexibility and a quicker start, while Angular provides structure and scalability. Whichever path you choose, mastering either will level up your development game. Ready to dive deeper? Check out our interactive courses on Educative to keep building your skills.

Happy learning!

Continue learning about Angular and React#

To deepen your knowledge, explore these related blogs:

• Angular routing guide: How to optimize app navigation

• Five best practices for React developers

• Angular vs. Vue vs. React: Choose the best framework