Angular vs React vs Vue: Choosing the Right Frontend Framework

When it comes to developing web applications, front-end developers face a critical decision – selecting the ideal frontend framework or library. With a plethora of JavaScript frameworks available, the top contenders often recommended by experts are Angular, React, and Vue. This article delves into the comparative analysis of Angular, React, and Vue, shedding light on their key differences to assist developers in making the right choice for their projects.

1. Framework and Library Overview

1.1 Angular: The Google Powerhouse

Angular, developed by Google, boasts a rich history, with its initial release dating back to 2010. It’s a TypeScript-based framework with an MIT license, offering considerable flexibility and freedom. Angular underwent a significant transformation in 2016, culminating in the release of Angular 2. This version marked the shift from AngularJS to Angular, with the original version now referred to as AngularJS.

1.2 React: The Facebook-Backed Library

React, a product of Facebook, emerged in 2013 and has since gained traction for its role in building complex applications. Operating under the MIT license, React is a pivotal component of Facebook’s own products like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.

1.3 Vue: The Rising Star

Vue, a comparatively newer framework, was introduced in 2014 by Evan You, a former Google employee. Like its peers, Vue also operates under an MIT license and has experienced notable growth over the years, with the latest versions consistently announced on its official website. Vue leverages TypeScript and maintains its own GitHub repository.

1.4 License: Mitigating Restrictions

All three frameworks are open-source and employ the MIT license, which allows for minimal constraints on code reuse, making them favorable options for web development.

1.1 Popularity: A Look at the Numbers

Popularity often plays a pivotal role in a developer’s choice of framework. Here’s how the three frameworks stack up:

• Angular is backed by Google, lending it immediate credibility. It is favored for developing large-scale applications and is utilized on over 97,000 websites (BuiltWith data).
• React is one of the most widely adopted JavaScript libraries, powering more than 11 million websites, according to BuiltWith statistics. Its association with Facebook bolsters its popularity.
• Vue exhibits a level of independence, relying on an open-source community and is utilized by more than 2 million websites (BuiltWith data). It holds its ground among the giants.

In terms of popularity among web app development frameworks, React claims the second position with 35.9%, Angular follows in third place with 25.1%, and Vue stands at seventh with 17.3% in developer usage.

1.2 Community and Development

When assessing the communities surrounding these frameworks, Vue stands out with a high number of watchers and forks, indicating its popularity. However, it lags behind in terms of contributors compared to React and Angular, both of which have active participation from Google and Facebook employees.

1.3 Ecosystem: Features and Tools

• Angular offers the NgRx project for state management, inspired by Redux. It provides Angular Material, facilitating the creation of Angular applications with Material Design. Additionally, it enables the development of cross-platform apps using NativeScript. Angular is a crucial component of the MEAN stack, combining Angular with ExpressJS, MongoDB, and NodeJS.
• React boasts a vast ecosystem, making it easy for developers to find React-based components and elements for web interface development. It also includes React Native, allowing developers to create native Android and iOS apps. React is integral to the MERN stack, which combines React with ExpressJS and NodeJS.
• Vue can utilize Redux, although it lacks official bindings. It relies on Vuex as its official state management library, offering developers a wide array of community-contributed components to build applications.

1.4 Jobs: Opportunities and Salaries

The job market for developers skilled in these frameworks varies based on their popularity:

• Angular had 16,370 job listings on indeed.com in 2020.
• React boasted 61,799 job listings in the same year.
• Vue had 3,780 job listings in 2020.

The popularity of a framework often correlates with salary differences, as highlighted in the provided chart.

1.5 Migrations: Adapting to Change

Migration is a crucial consideration for developers, and each framework has its approach:

• Angular releases major updates every six months, allowing developers ample time to adapt within a two-release-cycle window.
• React is considered stable, and migration is simplified through react-codemod scripts.
• Vue introduced Vue 3 with minimal differences from Vue 2, ensuring easy migration. It even offers a Vue 1 to Vue 2 migration tool to help developers assess their app’s status.

1.6 Performance and Memory: Making a Difference

Framework choice profoundly impacts web app performance, scalability, integrability, and robustness. In this comparison of Angular, React, and Vue for 2022, performance is evaluated based on the framework’s DOM and JavaScript framework benchmark.

• Angular relies on real DOM, while React and Vue utilize virtual DOM. Virtual DOM eliminates the need for re-rendering and repainting, resulting in improved web app performance.

1.7 Startup Time: Quick Beginnings

The startup time of these frameworks can be critical. Vue is often considered the fastest due to its compact size, while React also offers competitive startup times. Angular, being bulkier, tends to have a slower startup.

1.8 Learning Curve: A Gentle Climb

The learning curve for each framework varies:

• Angular is known for its complex project structure, demanding adherence to specific coding practices and TypeScript proficiency.
• React is the simplest among the three, requiring minimal setup, making it beginner-friendly.
• Vue falls in the middle in terms of complexity, with a focus on template syntax similar to HTML.

2. Top Companies Using React

Prominent brands utilizing React for front-end development include Yahoo, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and The New York Times.

3. Top Companies Using Angular

Angular is favored by Microsoft Office, Gmail, Forbes, Deutsche Bank, and PayPal for front-end development.

4. Top Companies Using Vue

Vue finds a place among brands like Xiaomi, Reuters, Adobe, Grammarly, and Behance for front-end development.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice

In conclusion, Angular, React, and Vue each have their unique strengths and are among the top players in the world of front-end JavaScript frameworks. Angular excels in building robust applications, React facilitates dynamic web development, and Vue combines the best features of its counterparts.

Choosing the right framework ultimately depends on factors like the project’s environment, team flexibility, and project requirements. Make an informed choice based on your specific needs to ensure a successful web development journey.