Two mobile app development technologies that in recent years created loudest stir and buzz are respectively the React and Vue.js. While the first one is basically a versatile and performance driven library delivered by Facebook, the Vue.js is a javascript framework popular as a simple language capable to deliver complex functionalities and robust performance. While the developers can easily find where the two differs in development, it is important to know the key differences in regard to the real world app development.

“There is seriously lacking with React in regard to the rendering. With Vue, it is exceptionally easy to get into Vue data and hide or show data or keep some data out based on the application state and variables of the store. As Vue code is a bit more self-explanatory and as it comes with a lot of helper functions, the Vue developers find it easier to render.”

Managing State: React vs Vue

There are several similarities between the Vue.js and React in regard to the component-based architecture and state management. Both Vue and React boast of the concept of storing application data by state. A state with two of these technologies behaves like a component. The developers can also allow using props object to allow transferring data from the main components to the branch components.

When these states, handlers, and props cannot deal with the data flow very efficiently, React has the solution called Flux. It can take care of the data flow for the respective app. Inspired by Flux another state management library called Vuex was created expressly built for the Vue language. Vuex does for Vue what Flux does for React. Both offers one-way data flow and comes with the store to accommodate the entire states and the respective changes and mutations they passed through. Both actively help to minimize the complexities of the apps lower.

Router: React vs Vue

React offers a very robust and performance driven router system. The React router is unmatched in speed but it is not devoid of certain issues. The setting up of the router is quite easy and straightforward. Sometimes it is difficult with this router to lock users out of certain admin-only pages. To perfect the issues you may require a lot of trials, errors to go through.

... <Route path="/dashboard" render={() => ( this.props.user) ? <Dashboard /> : <Redirect to="/" /> )}/> <Route path="/createNote" render={() => ( (this.props.user) ? <CreateNote /> : <Redirect to="/" /> )}/> <Route path="/editNote" render={() => ( (this.props.user) ? <EditNote /> : <Redirect to="/" /> )}/> ...

The router of Vue unlike that of React is not built by the third party developers, but by the same people who developed the Vue framework. As a first-party router, it allows additional information to the router definition in the declaration file. This will help to lock users easily from certain pages very easily. Vue Code looks more organized and self-explanatory compared to the React code which may need several development years to nail down a complete router solution.

... { path: '/account', component: Account, name: 'account', meta: {title: 'Account', requiresAuth: true} }, { path: '/createNote', component: CreateNote, name: 'createNote', meta: {title: 'Create Note', requiresAuth: true} }, { path: '/editNote', component: EditNote, name: 'editNote', meta: {title: 'Edit Note', requiresAuth: true} } ... router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => { ... // If the user's not logged in do not allow into protected pages. if (to.meta.requiresAuth && !router.app.$options.store.getters['user/user']) { next({name: 'home'}) } next() })

“With React, you need a lot of time to get familiar and tuned to the intricacies of various concepts, inbuilt tools, and protocols. But once you can really master it, you can utilize the library to your heart’s content for building most sophisticated apps.”

Rendering: React vs Vue

There is seriously lacking with React in regard to the rendering. With Vue, it is exceptionally easy to get into Vue data and hide or show data or keep some data out based on the application state and variables of the store.

<div v-if="myVariable">Lorem...</div>

As Vue code is a bit more self-explanatory and as it comes with a lot of helper functions, the Vue developers find it easier to render. On the other hand, such simple helper functions always go missing with React.

{this.state.myVariable && <div>Lorem...</div> }

Styled-Components: React vs Vue

Vue stands competitively ahead because of its capability to add style to components. This allows adding substantial characteristics to the Style section of the component. You don’t enjoy the flexibility of using such single file components with React

CLI: React vs Vue

When it comes to Command Line Interface (CLI), both React and Vue have different approaches. React has a Create-React-App to guide users to learn using React from the scratch. The Vue-CLI also offers a very detailed command line to help developers through the process.

Development Tools: React vs Vue

Both React and Vue offer a huge variety of development tools. React and Redux development tools are less developer friendly compared to the Vue tools. The React tools are needed to open a large tree only to open and see the state of a component. Naturally, it requires a lot of exercises to use the right tools for variables of an app. Vue tools are straightforward and ready to use.

Pros and Cons of React and Vue

There are several advantages of using React framework for building dynamic and high-performance apps. Let’s have a look at the pros of using React.

Thanks to the DOM, React allows rendering fully functional component and the source code. This helps real-time updates and version control of the apps.

When building cross-platform apps using React it requires very nominal changes to turn the apps into native ones.

With a component-based architecture, React ensures faster development of complex and multi-layered apps.

React offers a large selection of very effective developer tools.

Along with the benefits React as a language also has several con factors. Let us have a look at a few of them.

React is only a JavaScript library and it lacks the capabilities of a fully grown framework. These lacking include the absence of an inbuilt database query tool, absence of inbuilt state management system, etc.

The large-sized library makes it harder to manage.

The learning curve is really higher for new developers to understand the manuals and documentation.

Vue is one JavaScript framework that has been applauded by developers because of the simplicity and ease of development. Let us have a look at some of the key benefits of Vue.

VueJS allows easy building of large-scale templates and this saves a lot of development time.

Vue has a very uncomplicated structure which reduces the time for finding errors.

VueJS by allowing two-way data binding helps HTML blocks handling.

Vue comes with robust state management capability.

Vue helps to evaluate the interface in real time with the development process going on.

Unlike many other frameworks that follow mostly machine logic, Vue largely follows the natural human reasoning.

Vue as a framework also comes with an array of con factors. Some of the disadvantages of Vue framework include the following.

Vue as of now has a very small developer community

The job opportunity for Vue.js developers is still not significant

Vue is a framework built by a single creator who enjoys total control.

Being built by a Chinese American, Vue boasts if many plugins in Chinese language and this makes it a less suitable option for English speaking world.

Finally, for a developer to dominate the skills and know-how of React development it needs a lot of time. With React, you need a lot of time to get familiar and tuned to the intricacies of various concepts, inbuilt tools, and protocols. But once you can really master it, you can utilize the library to your heart’s content for building most sophisticated apps.

On the other hand, Vue is completely a robust javascript framework that has a more straightforward approach. You can learn Vue in less time and implement it without many difficulties. Some developers though argue that with Vue you, need to write more code than with React.