React vs Vue.js: Guide to Choosing a Front-End Framework in 2024

Front-end war, what is your choice?

If you are at all interested in web development, you have probably heard the names 'React' and 'Vue.js' at least once. As the jQuery era comes to an end and the modern web application (SPA) era emerges, these two libraries/frameworks are competing fiercely, dividing the global front-end ecosystem.

When starting a new project or trying to build a career as a front-end developer, the first question you face is “What should I choose?” In today's post, we will provide an in-depth comparison and analysis of React and Vue.js' philosophy, architecture, pros and cons, and current trends in 2024 to help you make your choice.

1. Difference between birth and philosophy

React: “a library for creating UI”

React is a JavaScript library created by Facebook (now Meta) to build user interfaces (UIs). It focuses strictly on view rendering, and additional functions such as routing (React Router) and state management (Redux, Zustand, etc.) are thoroughly delegated to third-party libraries in the ecosystem.

• Keywords: Flexibility, large ecosystem, functional programming, library

Vue.js: “A progressively adoptable framework”

Vue.js is an open source project personally started by a developer named Evan You. It is a framework that takes the strengths of Angular (data binding, etc.) and makes it lightweight by reducing its weaknesses. It claims to be a "Progressive Framework", and although the core library only focuses on the view layer, it is easy to expand like a full-stack framework through official ecosystems such as Vue Router and Vuex/Pinia.

• Keywords: Intuitiveness, low entry barrier, official support library, framework

2. Comparison of code writing methods

The biggest difference is in how you write the code that configures the screen.

JSX vs template syntax

React (JSX): React uses a syntax called JSX (JavaScript XML). This is a method of writing HTML markup directly within JavaScript code. At first, many developers are reluctant, saying, “Why are we mixing HTML and JS?”, but as they get used to it, they realize the tremendous advantage of being able to utilize JavaScript’s powerful logic for UI rendering.

function Greeting({ name }) {
return (
<div>
{name ? <h1>Hello, {name}!</h1> : <h1>Hello, Guest!</h1>}
</div>
  );
}

Vue (SFC - Single File Component): Vue primarily uses a single-file component (.vue file) approach. Within one file, the <template> (HTML), <script> (JS), and <style> (CSS) areas are clearly separated. It is very similar to traditional web development methods (HTML/CSS/JS separation), so it is very easy for existing markup developers or beginners to adapt. (Of course, you can use JSX in Vue as well.)

<template>
<div>
<h1 v-if="name">Hello, {{ name }}!</h1>
<h1 v-else>Hello, Guest!</h1>
</div>
</template>

<script>
export default {
data() {
return { name: 'Jules' }
  }
}
</script>

3. Ecosystem and community

React’s overwhelming scale

React is overwhelming in terms of the size of the community and the vastness of the ecosystem. It is used by the largest number of companies around the world, and related materials abound on Stack Overflow and GitHub. It's easy to find a solution when you run into a problem, and there are endless options for UI component libraries (MUI, Ant Design, etc.) and useful hooks libraries. Additionally, the fact that it can be easily extended to mobile app development through React Native is also a powerful weapon.

Vue’s clean official ecosystem

The Vue community is not small at all (especially strong in Asia), and has advantages in terms of the quality of the ecosystem. While React requires you to choose between numerous third-party libraries for routing and state management, Vue provides a great official library called Vue Router, Pinia (formerly Vuex). The official documentation is translated into Korean very well, making it very easy to learn.

4. Learning Curve

• Vue.js wins: Vue.js is generally considered to have a gentler learning curve. Thanks to the intuitive template-based syntax and clean official documentation, even with basic HTML/JS knowledge, you can create a usable app in a matter of days.
• React's barrier to entry: On the other hand, React has many concepts that require a deep understanding of JavaScript, such as adapting to JSX grammar, operating principles of functional components and hooks (useEffect, etc.), and maintaining immutability, so the initial entry barrier is somewhat high.

5. Conclusion: What should I choose?

When React is recommended:

• Enterprise-level projects that are large, complex, and require long-term maintenance
• If you are considering developing not only web but also mobile apps (React Native)
• Job seekers who want to gain an advantage in the domestic and international job market (number of job postings)
• A team that is proficient in JavaScript and prefers free and flexible architecture

If we recommend Vue.js:

• Startups that need to quickly prototype or launch an MVP
• An environment where back-end developers or publishers must work together to handle the UI due to a lack of front-end experts
• If you want to gradually introduce a modern frontend to a legacy project (existing server-side rendering method)
• Teams that prefer clear guidelines and a good official ecosystem

Whichever you choose, the core concepts of modern front-end development (component-based architecture, state management, virtual DOM) are the same. Once you have a deep understanding of one, learning the other is not that difficult, so feel free to choose one that suits your current environment and preferred development style!