ReactJS
ReactJS is an extremely powerful library for front-end development. However, at times it can be used in the wrong way. So what are the specifics of its use and what are some common mistakes in its application? How and when should you use ReactJS?
Virtual DOM
ReactJS works really quickly when used the right way. One of the most important rules is to use its virtual DOM. The main problem with the DOM is that creating dynamic user interfaces is a slow process. But instead interacting with the DOM directly, we can work with a lightweight copy. We can make changes to the copy and then apply our changes to the actual DOM. While we’re at it, we can also compare the DOM-tree with its virtual copy. When we do this, the difference between the two is determined and starts redrawing what has been changed.
State
ReactJS logic is based on state. State is the place where the data comes from. Any changes in UI should be related to state changes. This approach provides automatic DOM re-rendering, so developers don’t need to take care of UI changes. Ignoring state can cause lots of problems with code. Using state can greatly facilitate the work.
Props
Props are the immutable data in ReactJS components. They are used to pass state data from parent to child components. So developers don’t need to use clear JavaScript to pass data—they can do it in a safer way.
Lifecycle
ReactJS components have their own lifecycles based on state and render logic. Developers can track state changes and component mount events. With all of its lifecycle features, ReactJS provides a very powerful and flexible way to work with data and UI. Using ReactJS lifecycle is as important as its server side analogs using.
3rd party libraries
There are a variety of third party libraries created specially for ReactJS and adapted for use with it. Using these libraries solves a number of problems related to creating custom UI elements.
Search engine optimization
ReactJS may not be the best choice for search engine optimization because it provides dynamic UI logic that search engines generally can’t handle properly. The only way to use ReactJS in web projects that require high (or even just good) search efficiency is to use ReactDOMServer for server-side rendering.
Сonclusion
ReactJS is an extremely powerful, flexible, high-speed tool for working with dynamic UI, especially when the UI is related to data state. It’s a very good idea to use it in different kinds of corporate projects and projects related to date management. DiatomEnterprises development team uses ReactJS on several projects since 2015. Our experience allows us to say that ReactJS in many factors is better and easier to use than Angular 1.2, 1.3 versions.
However, ReactJS can be problematic when used in web projects requiring search engine optimization. It’s important not to ignore the features of ReactJS in order to benefit from the advantages they provide