Last Updated on February 24th, 2025

Angular or React or Vue JS for My Web App?

When talking about JavaScript, it is just one language that can be considered dominant in front-end programming. However, things are different with Javascript frameworks, and picking only one becomes much more of a challenge when you consider that JS has more than 83 libraries and 24 frameworks, all of which provide different features. By a wide majority, Angular, React, and Vue have emerged as the top three JS frameworks. Angular is a complete front-end framework, React is a user interface library, and Vue is an advanced framework; nonetheless, there is a fundamental and simple distinction between them.

By the end of this post, you should have a better idea of what a framework is, why you need one, what features they offer, and how to choose the right one for your application.

What is a framework?

Software frameworks are collections of related bits of code that, when executed in any given application, carry out a predefined set of tasks. The developer may use the framework to avoid writing the necessary code from the beginning and can just add a few lines to make it fit into the app. Code reusability, rapid application development, and quicker program debugging are all benefits of using frameworks.

What is a Library?

One definition of a library is a collection of executable code that other programmers are free to lawfully use in their own work. This code reusability streamlines the process and significantly enhances the code’s structure.

Consider a vehicle as an example from the actual world. A vehicle is constructed utilizing many components. Prior to use, the components are designed with their intended use in mind. Assembling the vehicle’s pieces is the final step in the construction process. When assembling a vehicle, the components are not created from scratch. Similarly, developers employ frameworks and libraries. When creating an app, developers first compile all of the necessary frameworks and libraries, then sketch up the app’s design, tweaking it in various places to fit the needs of the project.

What is the difference between a Framework and a Library?

When it comes to application control, frameworks and libraries are basically different. When you visit a library, you have complete freedom of choice. You are responsible for implementing the library as needed. However, with a framework, things operate backward; you may customize it by adding a few lines of code wherever you want, but the framework will ultimately choose whether to utilize all of your code or not.

Today, this post will go over and discuss a library and two frameworks for your comprehensive understanding.

1. AngularJS
2. ReactJS
3. VueJS

While every framework and library has its own unique set of features and applications, this discussion will lay out the benefits, drawbacks, and potential of each from a business perspective, so you can make your decision wisely.

What is Angular?

Angular is an open-source, free, and feature-rich online application framework built on the TypeScript platform. The development of Single Page Applications is a common use case for it. Google originally introduced it in 2016 as an update to AngularJS, its previous framework that came out in 2010.

Early on, when Angular was released, it attracted the interest of many developers because of its great capabilities and the fact that it was supported by a tech giant, Google. Many people mistakenly believe that AngularJS, the initial version of Angular released by Google, is the same thing as Angular.

When it comes to development, Angular leverages TypeScript while AngularJS relies on JavaScript. Since TypeScript is not as popular as JavaScript, many were surprised by the sudden change.

Test Setup of Angular

import { TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
import { FooterComponent } from './footer.component';

describe('FooterComponent', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      declarations: [FooterComponent],
    }).compileComponents();
  });

  it('should create the component', () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(FooterComponent);
    const component = fixture.componentInstance;
    expect(component).toBeTruthy();
  });
});

Explanation:

1) Importing TestBed: TestBed is used to configure the Angular testing environment.

2) Setup: beforeEach() sets up the test module with FooterComponent.

3) Test Case: The test checks if FooterComponent is successfully created.

4) Run Tests: Use ng test to execute the test suite.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Angular

Advantages Of Angular

Reliability for Prolonged Use: With Google’s support, developers can rest assured that Angular will be around for a long time, which is great for creating enterprise-level apps.

Documentation: You can learn all you need to know about Angular’s features and how it works from the comprehensive documentation. In addition, examples and simple language are used to clarify each idea, making it accessible even for novices.

Scalable: Collaborating on an Angular project with a team makes it easy to scale up or down depending on the needs of the project. This is because you can make small adjustments to individual components without having to modify the project’s structure. Project efficiency is further enhanced by a code base that is both uniform and easy to read and understand.

Drawbacks Of Angular

Time Required for Mastery: A proficiency in TypeScript is necessary for Angular, and 30% of developers prefer it, based on a StackOverflow poll. That is why compared to other frameworks, Angular is more difficult to master.

The Project’s Scope: Many application settings are defined by the project size. On the other hand, it becomes apparent in smaller applications, but in larger ones, all the projects would have around the same size.

What is React?

The React library is a free and open-source front-end JavaScript framework for creating component-based user interfaces. Facebook created it in 2013, and the open-source community and Facebook are now responsible for maintaining it. Because of how easy it is to use, it has become the most used JavaScript library for building websites. Flux and React Native are only two of the many functionalities it provides in addition to UI creation.

Utilizing the same codebase to build online and mobile apps is a huge perk of utilizing React, especially with the React Native framework. In 2011, Jordan Walke was the one who initially established the library.

The reusable nature of a react application is due to the fact that every element is an integral part. The use of reusable components in JavaScript simplifies and speeds up the development process.

Test Setup of React

// Import necessary modules for testing
import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
import '@testing-library/jest-dom';
import MyComponent from './MyComponent';

test('renders MyComponent with correct text', () => {
  render(<MyComponent />); // Render the component
  const element = screen.getByText(/Hello, React!/i); // Query the element
  expect(element).toBeInTheDocument(); // Assertion
});

Explanation:

1) Importing Modules:

• @testing-library/react for rendering components in a test environment.
• @testing-library/jest-dom for additional matchers like .toBeInTheDocument().

2) Rendering the Component:

• render(<MyComponent />) mounts the component in the test DOM.

3) Querying Elements:

• getByText(/Hello, React!/i) finds the element containing the expected text.

4) Assertion:

• expect(element).toBeInTheDocument() verifies the element is present.

Run the test with:

npm test

Advantages and Disadvantages of using React

Among developers, React is frequently the most preferred option. But let’s weigh the pros and cons of adopting React before making a final decision.

Advantages Of React

Reusable Components: With React’s reusable components, developers can reduce the degree of complication and code needed to build apps. It introduced more features and a well-organized codebase that is simple to update.

Performance: Using a JavaScript structure called virtual DOM, React is not dependent on the conventional DOM. Applications run faster and more efficiently when virtual DOM is used.

Learning Curve: The short learning curve of React puts it far ahead of its rivals. Additionally, learning React is a breeze for web developers who have just completed their knowledge of HTML and JavaScript.

Drawbacks Of React

Development Pace: Being the most popular JavaScript library, React is always releasing new versions, which forces developers to keep up with current trends and techniques.

Introduction to JSX: You don’t need any prior knowledge to learn React. On the other hand, many developers find that JSX is not helpful while learning React programming. The integrated scripting ability in React is another source of frustration for developers, right up there with JSX.

What is VueJS?

Single Page Applications (SPAs) are easy to make with the help of Vue, an open-source responsive frontend framework. SPAs use a single HTML file to render all of the code. Its simple design and short learning curve first drew the attention of developers upon its 2014 introduction.

Vue appeared to be simpler to learn than the majority of the technologies available at the time. Based on the idea of consolidating all the great features of Angular into a single package while ignoring all of Angular’s drawbacks to provide a powerful tool, Vue developed out of Angular. Vue is a framework that aims to make developing dynamic web apps easier for new developers by eliminating the need for extensive and time-consuming training.

Test Setup of Vue

import { shallowMount } from '@vue/test-utils';
import MyComponent from '@/components/MyComponent.vue';

describe('MyComponent', () => {
  let wrapper;

  beforeEach(() => {
    wrapper = shallowMount(MyComponent, {
      props: { title: 'Test Title' }
    });
  });

  it('renders the correct title', () => {
    expect(wrapper.text()).toContain('Test Title');
  });
});

Explanation:

1) Importing Vue Test Utils: Uses shallowMount from @vue/test-utils to create a lightweight version of the component.

2) Test Suite: Defines a test block for MyComponent.

3) Lifecycle Hook: beforeEach() initializes the component with a title

4) Test Case:Ensures the component renders the correct title using expect(wrapper.text()).toContain(‘Test Title’).

To run the test, use:

npm run test:unit

Advantages and Disadvantages of VueJS

Even for new programmers, Vue is a lifesaver. But first, let’s weigh the pros and cons of incorporating Vue into your project.

Advantages of Vue.Js

Simplified Learning Curve: You need TypeScript expertise for React and JavaScript expertise for Angular. But you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience to use Vue; it’s perfect for beginners.

Project Size: One benefit of optimizing the Vue project for size is the impact on search engine optimization (SEO) for your webpage. Google search engines do not display heavy websites at the top of search results because they take longer to load.

Forums and Community: Before diving headfirst into choosing a technology, it’s crucial to check out the forums and other forms of community assistance. In the long run, it’s useful for learning and sustaining any technology.

Drawbacks Of Vue.js

Ecosystem: Applications that can adjust to different browsers and OSes rely heavily on the ecosystem. Because of its limited support, Vue cannot display content on browsers and operating systems that are more than a few years old.

Developers: In contrast to other frameworks like Angular and React, which have the support of major players like Google and Facebook, Vue has a reputation for being unreliable in the eyes of its target users.

Key Comparison: Angular or React or Vue JS for My Web App?

In order to assist you pick the best framework for your project, we will thoroughly examine their architecture, efficiency, recognition, and community support, among other important factors. If you want to know which frontend framework is better for performance or usability, this comparison will help you out.

Here are three popular frontend frameworks compared: Angular or React or Vue JS for My Web App?

1. Popularity

React: In recent years, React’s popularity has skyrocketed, and it’s now widely acknowledged as a top framework for building websites. More and more developers are prioritizing React when creating beautiful websites. The front-end development of companies such as The New York Times, Yahoo!, Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb is done using React.

Angular: Considering it was more widely used before React, Angular provides an extremely effective framework for building bigger apps; Google, Upwork, and MS Office are among the many companies that utilize it.

Vue: One of the most talked-about technological developments right now is Vue, which has grown exponentially in popularity recently. The likes of UpWork, Netflix, and Nintendo all employ Vue as a front-end development framework. Its popularity can be attributed to its high rating on GitHub.

2. Architecture

React: Developers are able to use whatever design pattern they choose as React does not adhere to any preset pattern. It all starts with single root component. You may nest them one on top of the other. State management routing, animation, and other third-party components can also be integrated for specialized reasons. In this case, the components are the main structural element that characterizes the reusable things utilized by the program.

Angular: Angular is based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design, but it doesn’t limit you to just that. Any design pattern may be used with Angular because it is likewise component-based. There are a number of steps involved in developing an application using the Angular framework, which includes modules, templates, services, and components.

Vue: Vue is a progressive framework since it allows you to add new features by integrating with other packages. Although it is not directly related to the MVVM design, it does follow it. Additionally, it includes SFCs, or Single File Components, that may be easily converted into JS code with the use of tools such as Webpack.

3. Ecosystem

React: The open-source packages that come with React are top-notch, and they might be utilized to build applications. Redux, a global state management framework, is essential for front-end apps. Additionally, React offers React Native, which enables the development of native applications for both iOS and Android. React relies on JavaScript, which powers the entire new app. It integrates React’s scripting language, JSX, with user interface templates and JavaScript logic.

Angular: Similar to React’s Redux, Angular handles state management. In order to create mobile apps that work on several platforms, you may use NativeScript. One of the most popular frameworks among developers right now, Angular is the foundation of MEAN. When it comes to user interfaces, Angular Material has developers covered with all the tools they need to create beautiful, consistent, and fully functioning interfaces. It makes use of Angular directives in its template files.

Vue: In order to build a fully functional user interface, Vue includes a number of libraries. For Vue apps, the state management library is called Vuex. With its input components and sophisticated aspects, your development will be accelerated. One of its most impressive features is its compatibility with Laravel. Depending on the needs of the project, it can function as either a library or a framework. The syntax for its templates is based on HTML.

Conclusion

Frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue don’t rely on any external tools because they’re all built on top of JavaScript. Developers can take advantage of the specific capabilities offered by each framework as needed. Therefore, it is tough to recommend any particular framework. Asses your project requirements thoroughly and decide which one works best for you. Choose the appropriate framework according to the project’s demands.

You may also go through An overview of JavaScript Technologies and other articles on user interface topics.