Framework · 2013–now · Cloud Scale

React

Components and unidirectional data. Won the front-end by being good enough and having a gravitational ecosystem.

Why React stuck

React stuck because component mental models match product teams and hiring markets at scale. Virtual DOM was a means; ecosystem and Facebook backing were the engine. It will fade eventually — everything does — but not before your next job posting.

frontend components spa

Case studies

The three-year frontend migration that shipped parity — Multi-year rewrite; feature freeze periods; hiring for frameworks users never asked about

Patterns

Framework churn

2010–2016

Cloud Scale

Part of the Cloud Scale era (2010–2016).

Read the Cloud Scale era →

Compare with

vs AngularJS (1.x)vs Vue vs SPA for Every Page vs React Native

Framework · 2010–2021

AngularJS (1.x)

Faded

Two-way binding magic that became a migration tax. Angular 2+ was a rewrite; the 1.x apps lingered for years.

Framework · 2014–now

Vue

Stuck

Progressive framework with a friendlier learning curve. Steady share without the cult volume.

Practice · 2014–2023

SPA for Every Page

Costly fad

Client-side apps as the only architecture. Great for apps; absurd for brochures.

$ Marketing sites and docs portals shipped multi-megabyte JS bundles for content that wanted HTML. SEO and performance teams spent years unwinding "modern" defaults.

Framework · 2015–now

React Native