React is the most popular frontend framework today, but does that mean it’s the best? Not necessarily.
Many developers, including myself, find Vue and Svelte to be cleaner, more intuitive, and less prone to complexity.
Yet, React continues to dominate. Why? Let’s break it down.
1. React Did Some Genuine Good Things
First, let’s give React credit where it’s due. It introduced some great ideas, like component-based architecture and hooks.
These made UI development more modular and reusable. However, other frameworks, like Vue and Svelte, have taken these ideas further
and arguably improved them.
2. Low Barrier to Entry (But High Complexity Later)
React looks simple at first. You write a function, return JSX, and boom—you have a component.
But once you build a real-world app, you hit challenges like state management, prop drilling, and excessive boilerplate.
Vue’s built-in reactivity and Svelte’s compiler approach make these issues much easier to handle.
3. React Had a Head Start (And Momentum Matters)
React launched in 2013, well before modern alternatives like Vue and Svelte. This gave it a huge first-mover advantage.
Companies adopted it early, and once they invested in React, they weren’t going to switch easily.
If Vue and React had launched at the same time, we might all be writing .vue files today instead of JSX.
4. React Users Are Used to “The React Way”
Once developers get used to JSX, managing state with hooks, and manually handling re-renders, they assume
this is just how frontend development . But frameworks like Vue and Svelte show that a more natural
and less boilerplate-heavy approach is possible. The React ecosystem reinforces its patterns, keeping devs within its mindset.
5. Tech Influencers & Corporate Backing
Popularity feeds itself. Tech influencers and blogs rarely go against the mainstream. Since React is popular,
they keep promoting it. Additionally, React has Meta (Facebook) backing, which gives businesses confidence in
its long-term viability. Many companies choose React not because it’s the best, but because it feels like the safest choice.
Final Thoughts
React isn’t the best—it’s just the most entrenched. If React were released today alongside Vue and Svelte, it likely wouldn’t
dominate the way it does. But due to its early adoption, corporate support, and ecosystem lock-in, it remains the default
choice for many developers and companies.
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