React Js Alternatives Frameworks- Lightweight Javascript Libraries

Table of Contents

Introduction

React JS ranks among the top front-end development tools. According to Buildwithit, almost 6 million websites and over 40% of developers globally choose React JS for web and mobile apps. Its component-based architecture is widely praised; however, like any tool, React has its limitations. As web applications grow more complex, developers often face a steep learning curve, high memory usage, and challenges scaling with React’s Virtual DOM, which can build performance bottlenecks in high-demand applications.

This challenge raises the fuel of alternative frameworks and libraries that offer comparable benefits while addressing these pain points. From lightweight libraries ideal for smaller projects to full-fledged frameworks for large-scale applications, here’s a look at some of the most promising React JS alternatives that could meet your project’s requirements.

Why Not React JS?

“Why do we need to look for alternative frameworks when we already have React.js?” you might be wondering this probably. And if truth be told, you are completely correct! However, there are some reasons why developers need to switch to React JS alternatives at a point.

Why Do You Need Alternatives To React Js?

This is a million-dollar question among various newbies because no one wants to abandon React JS at once upon discovering its benefits.

However, developers continue to request trustworthy React JS alternatives. Below are the reasons that drive developers worldwide to seek out the most basic ReactJS alternatives.

• Managing a large React JS library is difficult: Most React developers understand how difficult it is to handle the React.js framework’s enormous library size. Indeed, you cannot afford to make such a large investment in a framework that necessitates a large memory area.
• MVC architecture is lacking in React: The view functionality is not managed by its Model or Controller. As a result, you look for a view-oriented React framework.
• Steep learning curve: Because React has a steep learning curve, developers must devote a significant amount of time to learning new technology. The start of the project has been postponed.
• Beginners will find it difficult: Many React.js developers have discovered that the JSX React documentation is difficult to comprehend. When mastering this framework, beginners are never at ease.

In a nutshell, React has a steep learning curve, and developers need to invest a lot of time in learning new technology. Project ignition is delayed. As a result, many React.js developers find it hard to grasp the documentation of JSX React. In the end, beginners are never comfortable with this framework.

ReactJS vs React Alternatives: When To Use?

To find a middle ground as to when you should opt for a React JS alternative, the experts have classified the following scenarios:

When To Use ReactJS?

• Building a user interface that is both engaging and elegant.
• The requirement for reliable technology that can handle a high traffic volume.
• Restricted time to find qualified programmers.
• Limited time for developing a web project. Developing applications that will scale in the future.

When To Use React Alternatives?

• You do not wish to deal with any form of issue. Particularly with the state library.
• You run short of time and opportunity in looking for a certified ReactJS developer.
• You want to experiment with a different front-end framework.

To find a better option against the React Js framework, the experts gathered a list of top 6 lightweight React alternative frameworks that entrepreneurs like you can consider for your upcoming projects.

In this blog, I am recalling and bringing the list of best UI frameworks for React that those experts realized in the tech-talk show. Along with the javascript frameworks, I have mentioned the pros and cons of each framework and their comparison with React.js.

Important Characteristics of An Ideal ReactJS Alternative

If you’re looking for React alternatives, you should first figure out why you need them. Don’t rush in just because there’s a new tool. Play large, but don’t lose sight of logic. You probably don’t want to spend money reworking your project or addressing crucial concerns such as functionality, safety, etc. Below is a list of the essential characteristics that an ideal ReactJS Alternative should have.

• Provide a thin compatible layer that you can utilize in your React JS development project.
• Encourage the use of JSX. Most React JS alternatives do not support PropTypes, which is completely acceptable for most projects.
• Have a React-compatible API. This denotes you can use any of the library’s imports instead of React DOM.
• Allows you to develop a great-looking interface design without sacrificing user experience quality.
• They have clear and reliable architecture, as well as comprehensive documentation.
• Have a welcoming developer community (making it easier to hire coders for your project).
• Ensure the security, performance, and smooth operation of web projects.
• Have a lot of extra tools and add-ons and be compatible with third-party libraries.

Top 09 React Alternatives and Why You Should Consider Them: Detailed Comparison

Finding a framework that offers the flexibility and lightness of React is one of the most challenging tasks when looking for React JS alternatives. Sometimes, developers can become enamored with a framework to a point where they don’t want to think of switching it.

Choosing the best React JS alternatives, on the other hand, might be tough. Stability, ecosystem support, APIs, performance, and the package size are just a few small factors you need to consider. Below is a compiled list of the top 9 React Alternatives crafted by the experts. Take a look!

1. Preact

Jason Miller introduced Preact under the open-source MIT license. It is a lightweight JavaScript framework- an alternative to the React library for developing mobile or web applications and progressive web apps PWA.

Preact was not intended to be a replacement or reimplementation of React. It is the same API and ECMA script with a lightweight alternative to React. However, one can use most of the reusable components of React using Preact with the compatibility layer. You get to opt and use both these libraries or switch between them according to your project needs.

React.js remains at the top of the market because of its components and usability. Still, you can utilize the same with Preact and the added advantage of super-fast speed and performance.

Preact has by far gathered 36.7k Github stars and 2k forks.

Strong Sides Of Preact

• It is compact, precise, and lightweight in size (3KB), so your application can perform faster.
• Preact uses ES6 API, enabling you to uplift your application from React to Preact very easily. You can even adapt it as a library to create fantastic user interfaces for your project.
• Entrepreneurs can create new projects easily by using the official CLI without getting into Babel and Webpack configuration.
• You can get all the help from the official website examples and Preact documentation to kick-start your application development.
• Along with all the inspiring features of React, the Preact library also consists of some special features like the LinkedState.

Cons Of Preact

• You do not get context support.
• For the stateful functionalities of your application, the createClass function is missing. Preact only allows you to use ES6 class and stateless components.
• Preact doesn’t care about the React propTypes.
• The community size is yet to reach the competition with React.
• Preact lacks innovation and mostly mimics React.

Preact vs React

• API: Not all the React features are present in Preact; it contains only a small part of the React Application Interface functionality.
• Size: As I mentioned initially, Preact is much lighter than React. React is 5.3 KB, whereas Preact is only 3 KB.
• Performance: Because it is lightweight, Preact is much faster than React applications.

The Take
Although Preact is the smallest React JS alternative, its remarkable capabilities make it an excellent choice for website developers. If your application’s performance is not a top issue for you, Preact will entice you to learn more about it.

However, if you want to create an application similar to Facebook’s synthetic event system, Preact may not be the best option for you. This is because it lacks the library you’ll require.

In a nutshell, choose React when you want to build complex and feature-rich applications, and choose Preact when building single-page applications, landing pages, and small apps.

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2. Inferno JS

React developers introduced Inferno in 2017 as an experiment to check whether a library can improve the performance, battery, and UX of mobile applications. Inferno can develop client and server-side interfaces with fantastic speed, performance, and isomorphic rendering.

Inferno is explicitly built for the DOM and is partially synthesized for performance. It is open-source and recognized as the Javascript GUI/widget framework. To bridge the gap with React, one can use the Inferno Compatibility package.

Inferno is ideal for building modern user interfaces and gathers 16.1k stars and 634 forks on Github. It offers native animation support and is isomorphic for client and server sides. Since its initial release in 2016, Inferno JS is one of the fastest JavaScript libraries available and has an active development community.

It supports Hyperscript, JSX, and the Vanilla createElement function besides many popular state management frameworks, including Redux, MobX, and Cerebral JS.

Inferno JS Pros

• It is super-fast as it uses internal objects for optimizations.
• Inferno has some unique lifestyle methods.
• It uses the classic old CSS properties.
• You get add-ons like routing, server-side rendering, and more.

Inferno JS Cons

• Inferno is not yet backed up by adequate community size. Because of the smaller ecosystem, you do not get timely help and support.
• To keep the library compact, it does not support Hooks, Memos, suspense, or lazy. However, you can continue considering these features while writing in Inferno.
• The setState works synchronously.
• You first need to write and use a React component to use any React components.

Inferno vs React

• React has a fully synthetic event system, whereas Inferno only supports partial synthetic events, including certain functions such as onClick.
• You can not use React Native with Inferno as you can in React. Inferno surrounds the DOM structure for browser/server edits.
• It lacks support for React legacy strings like ref, callback, or createRef, etc.
• Using Inferno, you can get lifecycle events based on functional components instead of the ES2015 classes.
• You can debug your Inferno apps using React dev tool extensions by using the “inferno-devtools” ” command.
• You can set up your styles in Inferno using the CSS property name method.

The Take
If you want to create a high-performing web project, Inferno is an excellent choice because it allows you to develop web apps with faster performance.

3. Backbone JS

Jeremy Ashkenas, who developed CoffeeScript and Underscore.js, also introduced Backbone.js, which is based on the MVP (model-view-presenter) paradigm, and it has a RESTful JSON interface. You can use Backbone.js as an alternative to React.js in creating single-page web applications to keep several pages synchronized.

Backbone.js attracts developers when they want to use a simple framework having a Javascript structure with models. It is an open-source framework with 28.1k stars on GitHub.

It is one of the greatest and most appropriate ReactJS alternatives. This is because it provides a wonderful design architecture for massive JavaScript applications and value-binding, custom events, and other capabilities. Alongside, Backbone tags several features along with it that users can consider. Some include Rich API collections with multiple attributes and declarative event handling views. The best part is, all functions can be integrated with your app via a RESTful JSON interface.

Backbone.js Pros

• Uses a template engine for building your application’s flexible UI.
• It enables complex user interaction very easily.
• You can call all the underscore.js methods using your backbone.js objects.
• Backbone.js is extendable by using the varied plugins are available.
• Your backbone.js classes can listen and trigger because they extend the event class.

Backbone.js Cons

• While using backbone.js, your developers can easily get into coding mess.
• Does not support data binding.
• Developers need to invest time and effort in learning the new syntax of coding backbone.js.
• It relies on underscore.js and is not independent.

Backbone.js vs React.js

• The Backbone is comparatively smaller in performance than React.
• Backbone.js can avail support for routing and deep linking, unlike React.js.
• React.js still leads the market share in the top 10k and 100k sites.
• Backbone.js has proven stats that make it a master in industries like Arts, Games, Health, Entertainment, and more.

The Take
Several dynamic applications, including Trello, use Backbone.js. This enables developers to create client models and update and reuse code more quickly. As a result, it is effective at dynamically processing updates, serving the client, and maintaining constant communication with the server.

When compared to other client-side MVC frameworks, Backbone.js has the simplest requirements for constructing a web application. Plugins and extensions, on the other hand, can be used to extend the capabilities. However, note that Backbone.js should not be used if the development team wants to design an end-to-end solution in one framework.

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4. Ember JS

Yehuda Katz developed Ember JS in 2011 for creating web applications. It was earlier named SproutCore MVC framework, and it offers client-side rendering, URL support, templating mechanism, and fascinating functionality. Ember’s design has two-way and server-side rendering.

It is one of the most popular React JS alternatives. Ember’s integrated handlebars templates help you to accomplish more with less code. When the underlying data changes, this template adjusts automatically. In other terms, Ember focuses on boosting a developer’s productivity. This is because it integrates all of the standard idioms. It is API-friendly and aids in development speed.

Moving forward, because Ember includes an out-of-the-box setup, useful bindings, and custom attributes to render the page as needed, the framework works as a comprehensive front-end for large-scale projects.

Ember JS Pros

• Ember offers support and maintenance for your developed project.
• It offers server-side rendering with URL support features and data binding.
• You can switch to the newer updates with Ember’s advanced control system.
• Ember JS provides you with well-described documentation explaining which tools to use and which APIs to avoid for updated versions.

Ember JS Cons

• The applications you develop in Ember seem to be a bit slower because of the rendering. However, they eventually pick up the speed.
• The Ember JS community is not as big as the React.js community, so your developers may lack the help. There are fewer examples and code libraries.
• Bottlenecks may arise in your project if you get the solution to the problem you are stuck in.
• There are no standard UI elements in Ember JS.

EmberJS vs React

• Ember JS is based on the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) model as compared to React.js’s DOM model.
• Ember offers two-way data binding, and React.js offers one-way data binding.
• React is ideal for dynamic and complex projects, whereas Ember JS is perfect for single-page applications SPAs.
• Ember has a command-line interface CLI, and React does not have it.

The Take
Ember.js is a framework that includes all the front-end technical capabilities such as viewing a wide range of application states. All thanks to Ember.js’ excellent routing. If you wish to build modern apps with a rich user interface, here’s your choice.

However, small development teams should avoid Ember.js because the framework demands experience and business logic to overcome complexity. With Ember.js, the initial cost can be higher. Furthermore, a framework may not be the best solution for building simple ajax methods and implementing a simple user interface.

5. Vue JS

Vue.js is a progressive javascript framework that Even You, introduced in 2014. An open-source that is useful in developing single-page applications. Vue enables eye-catching UIs for your web projects. Vue’s community maintains the framework entirely. It is one of the best alternatives to React JS, even though it does not have the support of any major titans.

Vue.js is a popular JavaScript Frontend Framework that is versatile, has useful conventions, and is extremely developer-friendly. Now, note that Vue.js is faster than React in terms of performance. Vue also makes app development simple and painless. The framework offers a gentle learning curve, making it simple for developers to pick up. Compared to React JS, Vue is a modular, high-performance, and lightweight technology.

Vue JS Benefits

• It is effortlessly convenient to use vue.js for your new or existing projects because it works on HTML templates.
• Vue offers a smooth integration process without impacting your entire system, whether for your single-page application or a complex web interface.
• Like most React.js alternatives, Vue JS is also smaller in its library size and offers better performance.
• Developers enthusiastically use VueJS because it has a really easy learning curve with detailed documentation.

Vue JS Drawbacks

• There is a chance of facing troubles with Vue JS when developing large-scale applications.
• Vue JS has a comparatively small market share because it is new. You may find it challenging to get the help and support you need.

There is a chance of facing troubles with Vue JS when developing large-scale applications.
Because Vue JS is new, it has a comparatively small market share. Therefore, it may be challenging to get the help and support you need.

VueJS Counter to ReactJS

• You cannot reuse code in React.js other than for CSS, whereas Vue JS entails HTML and CSS code-reusability.
• Vue is better for rendering and optimization than React, as it enables out-of-the-box rendering features.
• The learning curve of Vue is simpler and easier than that of React. Your developers can work on your project briskly if using Vue.js.
• React.js uses Javascript XML, known as JSX, for designing, whereas Vue JS enables you to use JSX and HTML templates and plugins. Vue vs React is a good place to start to know the full differences between the two technologies.

The Take
VueJS is a versatile design framework that is highly recommended. It allows you to build anything from the ground and build large projects successfully.

VueJS, on the other hand, is not the best choice if you want the support community to solve all of your problems. Furthermore, VueJS is not ideal for developing apps requiring stable components. This is because the framework has highlighted component stability concerns.

6. AngularJS

Google released AngularJS in 2010 to help build applications that have a rich set of functions. By choosing AngularJS for your web or mobile application development, you do not have to look for other options because Angular is a complete framework.

AngularJS is phenomenal when creating extremely dynamic online, desktop, and mobile applications, AngularJS is another fine React JS alternative. It is an open-source front-end JavaScript framework that aids in organizing and simplifying JavaScript code.

The technique enables the creation of Single Page Application (SPA) that is both maintainable and tidy. The SPA could be a program or website that interacts with users by dynamically rewriting the current page rather than loading new pages from the server.

Initially, Google created Angular, which helps you create the fastest SPA that works flawlessly. Several companies, including Google, Amazon, Udemy, and others, use AngularJS.

Another added advantage of AngularJS over ReactJS is that it provides developers with a collection of powerful AngularJS frameworks and AngularJS tools.

AngularJS Advantages

• With the AngularJS framework, developers can build a clean code of development.
• You get high performance with your apps developed with an Angular framework.
• You get an interface of material design with Angular.
• It is easy for your app users to shift from one view to another because AngularJS controls routing.
• Using the Angular command-line interface, you get regular updates of the framework for your web/mobile project.

AngularJS Drawback

• Angular has a steep learning curve, so beginners find it challenging to learn and adapt to this framework.
• You can’t rely on any help or support because AngularJS lacks documentation.
• It gets a bit difficult to debug the routing with the scopes.
• Angular Apps with interactive elements take time to load.
• Third-party integration is not easily possible with the AngularJS framework.
• Your app developers may get troubled while upgrading their Angular versions.

Angular Counter to ReactJS

• One can develop dynamic web apps using the Angular framework, whereas React.js helps you build amazing UI components.
• React.js is based on Javascript, whereas AngularJS is based on Typescript.
• AngularJS is based on the MVC model, and on the other hand, React.js is based on Virtual DOM.
• When using AngularJS, you cannot add Javascript libraries to your project, whereas using React.js, you can add JS to your source code.
• Testing and debugging is by default with Angular, whereas with React, you need add-ons to test and debug your project. Read React vs Angular to fully grasp the differences between the two frameworks.

The Take
Because it leverages two-way data binding, Angular increases the efficiency of browser-based apps by dynamically updating content in real time. Angular is the ideal solution for enterprise projects and dynamic web apps.

Angular, on the other hand, is a full-featured front-end framework. You won’t be able to use Angular’s resources if you wish to create apps for people with disabilities. Make sure you choose a smaller structure with less complexity and clear syntax if you have a small staff.

7. Svelte

Rich Harris introduced Svelte, a compiler-based JavaScript framework, in 2016. Unlike traditional frameworks like Vue and React, it relies on modern compile time. Moreover, Svelte compiles components efficiently, fastening loader time and decreasing the runtime overhead.

In addition, it reduces the JavaScript runtime operations, making it an excellent choice for developers who want to create high-performing apps with minimal complexity. However, it achieves the same functionality as Vue and React without virtual DOM.

Svelte developers can build web apps of all sizes with less coding and reactivity. Additionally, Svelte’s unique approach allows it to update the DOM directly with optimized and pre-compiled JavaScript. Its reactive state management automates trigger UI updates without requiring additional state management libraries.

Svelte Benefits:

• It is a modern compiler with a smaller runtime, which signifies small and independent JavaScript files to download.
• Svelte offers an easy-to-understand syntax, decreasing boilerplate code and enabling developers to write reactive components more naturally.
• Svelete’s built-in state management system optimizes updates and re-renders automatically, which reduces the need for complex state management libraries.

Svelte Drawbacks:

• It is comparatively new compared to Vue and Angular.
• Svelte integration with third-party tools is complex and time-consuming.
• The open-source version contains fewer plugins, external libraries, and support for developer resources.

Svelte vs React:

• While React employs a Virtual DOM to manage updates, Svelte compiles the code directly into JavaScript, which executes updates without a Virtual DOM requirement.
• The Svelte reactivity system is inherent in its compiler, which removes the need for external state management solutions like Redux.
• By compiling directly to JavaScript, Svelte avoids runtime dependency on a Virtual DOM, unlike React, where the Virtual DOM adds a layer of abstraction.

The Take:
Svelte is a robust choice for developers who want to create high-performance applications without the complexity of a Virtual DOM. It’s compiler-based that offers faster runtime, making it suitable for apps with maximum efficiency. However, it’s best suited for smaller projects or cases where the limited community support won’t be a barrier.

8. Mithril

It is a client-side JavaScript framework, which is similar to React JS, Vue js, and Svelte. It is a client-side JavaScript framework similar to React JS, Vue JS, and Svelte. Mithril is a lightweight JavaScript framework that emphasizes performance and simplicity. It is most used for SPAs and faster-loading pages and has the tiniest APIs.

Mithril JS is the lightest framework at 8kb. Like React, it uses Virtual DOM to optimize updates. In addition, it supports modular code organization and is known for its efficient rendering engines. Mithril JS is well-suited for medium-sized SPAs, dashboards, interactive apps, and apps with responsive UIs.

Furthermore, the framework’s performance is 6.4ms, making it an immaculate React alternative with fast rendering, routing, and exclusive XHR features. Also, Mithril supports all browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and IE11. It has by far gathered 14k Github stars and 926 forks.

Mithril Pros

• Mithril JS optimizes performance with a compact library size and a faster rendering engine. This makes it suitable for SPAs and performance-sensitive applications.
• The Virtual DOM implementation allows you to perform updates faster than traditional frameworks, providing quick load times and reducing memory usage.
• Its straightforward API, excellent documentation, and design make it easy for developers to use, especially with front-end development.

Mithril Cons

• It lacks a broad ecosystem, including tools, libraries, and plugins compared to React or Vue.
• Mithril’s smaller market share implies that finding resources, support, and third-party solutions makes it more complex than through widely adopted frameworks.

Mithril vs React JS:

• Mithril’s Virtual DOM is highly optimized to make this framework faster and render for simple updates; whereas, React’s Virtual DOM implementation is more complex.
• Mithril JS’s smaller size makes it a better option for small and limited resource projects; meanwhile, React’s larger library footprint is great for larger apps.
• Mithril includes a built-in router and state management system, which reduces the need for external libraries, unlike React, where routing and state often require third-party solutions.

The Take
Mithril JS is an outstanding choice for developers who want an app that can be controlled and manipulated directly rather than using convention-heavy frameworks. It highlights clear APIs, custom patterns, SPA setup, built-in routing, XHR utilities, and no external dependencies.

9. Solid JS

Released in 2021, Solid JS is a lightweight and reactive JavaScript framework designed for high performance and simplicity. It is known for building excellent user interfaces, efficient rendering, and fine-grained reactivity.

Like other modern frameworks, the Solid.js approach supports complex interactive components, robust architecture, and high-performance requirements. Also, Several companies choose Solid JS due to its lightweight architecture, performance optimization, and low loading time.

Additionally, it has 32.4k stars and 924 forks on GitHub. SolidJS is open-source and quickly gaining popularity, with growing adoption among developers interested in performance-focused, reactive frameworks.

Solid JS Pros

• Without virtual DOM, SolidJS achieves high performance through direct DOM updates.
• SolidJS implements signals and computations to track dependencies at a granular level, making it one of the most responsive frameworks.
• With a small bundle size of around 6 KB, SolidJS allows for quick loading times, which is especially helpful for mobile applications.
• Solid’s reactivity model simplifies state management and minimizes complex state library requirements.

Solid JS Cons

• Being a newer framework, SolidJS has a smaller ecosystem and fewer third-party libraries.
• Its unique reactivity model may be unfamiliar to developers of virtual DOM-based frameworks like React.
• Compared to React or Angular, SolidJS’s dev tools are still growing, which can make debugging more complex applications challenging.

Solid JS vs React js

• Solid JS is fully compatible with JSX, whereas React JS requires native support.
• In performance, Solid.js swiftly updates due to direct reactivity and low memory usage. React JS optimizes with virtual DOM and Fiber architecture.

The Take
SolidJS is a perfect framework for applications with high responsiveness and minimal overhead. Its approach to reactivity, eliminated from virtual DOM constraints, makes it well-suited for performance-driven projects. However, it is still evolving and its architecture relies on other libraries and third-party integrations.

Which is The Right React.js Substitute For You?

One has a lightweight library size; the other has an MVC model architecture. One is for single-page-application, whereas another is for web projects. Each React.js alternative has its perks; it’s just on your requirements what is best suitable for your upcoming projects.

• If you consider AngularJS, it is a fantastic framework as compared to React.js, which is a javascript library.
• If you want to expand your current web project, then React.js is the perfect partner for you.
• Vue.js is perfect when you want to migrate or upgrade your application for faster and smoother transmission.
• And you may use Preact when you want to enhance the features and functionality of your existing React.js application. Hence, your app will be optimized performance-wise.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Name the popular React Js competitors

Angular JS, Vue.js, and Ember Js are the three most popular React JS alternatives that compete for neck-to-neck.

Is React Js still popular in 2024?

As per the Google trends report, React.js is indeed rising in popularity compared to the past 5 years.

Which are some other React Js alternatives for building amazing web applications?

Additional Javascript frameworks that are alternatives to React Js are Riot Js, Mithril, React-Lite, Aurelia, Vanilla JS, etc.

Which factors should you consider before choosing React Js alternatives?

Keep a look at Popularity, Performance, Community Support, Library/Framework Size, Learning Curve, and Flexibility when choosing your frontend Js framework as React alternative.

Which one is better, React vs Angular?

Every framework has its pros and cons, and you must choose depending on your project needs. However, for a detailed comparison, read the comparative blog.

Is react a framework or library?

React Js is a javascript library, not a framework.