Angular vs. React: Which one is more preferred framework in 2020
Tags: react, angular
Published: 2020-10-05 16:33:42

It is increasingly common to see comparisons of React vs. Angular technologies. These two frameworks are growing and very popular among developers as they help build complex applications in less time. In this article, we will compare these React and Angular by breaking down each framework so that you can make a better decision while choosing either one.

Web application programming divides design work into two distinct parts. On the one hand, there is the back-end, which deals with creating the code that will manage access to databases or server functions. On the other side is the front-end, which has to do with the application’s final appearance on the user’s screen.

Naturally, the above division is neither radical nor absolute. React is the open-source JavaScript library, while Angular is a framework written in TypeScript, also open source. So these development tools are used on the front-end side of web programming.

What is Angular?

Angular is a javascript framework. It is written in open-source Typescript developed and supported by Google to create Single-page application (SPA) type web applications.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/11g7y9y4bsshake9189p.jpg)

What is React?

ReactJS or React is the JavaScript library developed and supported by Facebook used to create User Interfaces for web applications. It is essential to point out two concepts in this description:

React will always run on the client-side, unlike Angular, that can run on the Angular Universal server.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ew50bh4f09aulkwz1822.jpg)

The two are defined as a library and not as the framework. A framework provides less flexibility than a library, but it offers more productivity, limitations, and homogeneity in working.

What are the differences between Angular and React: The technical aspects?

A web application, in its interface, performs a combination of HTML elements, style sheets, and JavaScript. We are looking for an attractive way to present the information while defining the actions that will occur when interacting with it.

It may be a good idea to explain what DOM is?

DOM & Performance

The DOM model of HTML objects is usually insufficient for the degree of graphic definition that we currently demand a web page. In the construction of these structures, many repeated actions occur that can be simplified. That is possible either with Javascript library, in case of Angular, or with programming framework, in case of React.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/3em2it3d7b5djl7r3jgr.jpg)

Angular is a framework developed and maintained by Google that condenses a series of common web development patterns. Its function is to accelerate the fine-tuning of the code in its most significant parts, freeing programmers from frequent and repetitive actions.

Meanwhile, React is a JavaScript library launched by Facebook. As a library, group functions, and objects of this programming language is for a definite purpose. It applies the basic idea that is similar to the Angular case but on different elements. However, their utilities remain similar.

The main differences between these two technologies can be summarized as follows:

• The architecture of the applied model is different, MVC, for Angular, while for React, it is of the flux type for unidirectional data flow.
• The development languages are different.
• Performance in React is superior because it requires fewer instructions when implementing a virtual DOM.

Data Binding

The idea of components in React is analogous to the operation of a modular building kit. The web interface is broken down into more straightforward elements, but with significant repetition in standard [web developments](https://www.peppersquare.com/services/software-development/). Since we are talking about a JavaScript library, the essential components are functions and classes.

The way to group these functions is by various means of manipulating the DOM of a web page to present its elements. Using these components increases the degree of abstraction of a model that significantly simplifies the work of the chopping code to define a web interface’s final appearance.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/zoda3vl0o4r0mhk6u4k5.jpg)

On the other hand, components in Angular are HTML-like tags that can be created or extended to define elements that are frequently repeated. The idea is similar to using a design pattern that only needs to set the parameters that customize it.

ReactJs and Angular architecture are separate in regular application making. In different apps, the model to be applied.

The time-saving in writing code is considerable. There is also a significant reduction in errors by focusing on programmers’ activity on the characteristics of the site applications.

Typescript vs JavaScript/Flow

JavaScript was born as a language interpreted from the need to endow web pages with dynamic behavior when performing any action on a web interface. The language was the best due to the successive extensions of capabilities in each stable version published.

TypeScript comes from Microsoft to tailor the enormous capabilities of JavaScript for particular purposes. If being flexible was a highly valued and distinctive feature of JavaScript in TypeScript, the chief merit lies in defining and typing the elements that make up the language.

The advantage of TypeScript over JavaScript is to decrease code errors and speed up its production by a more exceptional ability of IDEs to complete expressions, functions, and statements.

The activities of refactoring, importing and extracting with the code multiply. As a negative point compared to JavaScript, there is the one to add a component. This, you will have to count on to carry out radical updates or reforms of the project.

With the concurrence of programming languages, the degree of professional demand for the developer team grows considerably. But, despite everything, it has a large and enthusiastic group of followers.

Templates: differences and similarities

The templates in Angular have the imprint of HTML since they work under its logic. React, by contrast, centers its modes of action on JavaScript. In the first case, errors made in programming are verified at runtime of the code itself. While, in the case of React, failures should be sought with a separate examination of the template.

For both React and Angular, there are a large number of themes already tested in countless projects. They work in some ways as other prevalent frameworks such as Bootstrap, Skeleton, or SproutCore.

When there is a significant similarity between several projects, the diffusion of technology well adapted to the requirements unequivocally triumphs over the others.

Framework vs. Library: Component Architecture

As previously stated, the differences between framework and library refer to how to save the time of developing the source code. The framework establishes its development pattern that increases the degree of abstraction of the actions by dividing the interface elements into categories.

The libraries act on the functions and classes of the Web development script language (almost always JavaScript) so that the data and parameter instructions are less burdensome. With far fewer calls to action or guidance, a very satisfactory level of execution is reached.

In the end, it’s about having a bunch of very repeated actions grouped by category. The final assembly will come from a simplified intervention at its main extremes.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/1238nvxv86sh7ajc3h51.jpg)

React and Angular mobile solutions

The way a website is viewed on mobile devices is crucial in the current scenario of [web development](https://www.peppersquare.com/services/software-development/). A good part of the traffic comes from mobile devices, and search engines appreciate offering preferential treatment in these media.

How React or Angular can affect mobile solutions:

• The adaptability of web applications to the dimensions of the screens.
• The loading speed of the web application.
• The user experience improved and that all operations can be completed as if it were a desktop PC.

Angular forces somewhat larger file uploads while React is subject to some proprietary Facebook licensed solutions. The React community also has a specific weight, since globally, it is superior to that which supports Angular. On the other hand, in its product category, Angular has intense competition for other trendy frameworks currently.

But, in both technologies, there is the ability for a web application built with them to be widely accepted on mobile devices. Here is a comparison of popularity between Angular and React among the developers.

What well-known companies use these technologies?

The use of Angular is closely linked to the language on which it is built, TypeScript. Companies that use this technology are for this and other reasons involved in some parts of its development. We have, for example, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Github, Slack, and Walmart, among others.

React involves Facebook, Airbnb, Uber, Pinterest, and Netflix. The ability to form light and high-performance applications is one of the qualities most valued by these companies. The new trending Project Management and Productivity platform Get Things Done was initially built on Angular but recently migrated to React. There are some excellent examples of the ReactJs framework usage in Get Things Done SaaS application. You can take a look at the product and compare the same with the details given below.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/b1knmfvde6rbud7fdsl8.jpg)

Moving from Angular to React with Get Things Done?

While building SaaS-based, metrics-driven project management and productivity tool, it is vital to consider a wide range of scenarios. As the target audience, what are the preferred platforms, what is the problem the platform is trying to solve, demographics, and many more?

The vision of [Get Things Done](https://www.getthingsdone.io/) is to ‘Accelerate Human Productivity’; therefore, mimicking Trello, Basecamp, Asana, Zoho, and all the others will not work and even if it is done it will not create differentiation. Therefore we delved deep inside and reimagined the entire interface based on people’s frustration using tools that overwhelm users with information.

Initially, Get Things Done was built on Angular, and we ran the pilot (MVP) and launched the product with Angular. But later, it became difficult to use functionalities and features like multi-generational workflow, rendering notifications and comments, pagination, workload allocation using complex calendar interface, and many more. We decided to move to React, and the current web app is on React, and it is really robust and smooth.

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/h2q8et625j78a9pbw7u6.jpg)