Javascript vs REACT
- May 12
- 2 min read
In my web development I have been working directly with Javascript and HTML -- I'm a fan of working with the raw language. So when ChatGPT gave me some React template, I had to ask it why? Why switch over and learn something new? Here is what it answered:
Working directly with HTML and JavaScript is fine for simpler pages, but React offers a lot of advantages, especially for larger and interactive applications like the Interactive Toolkit we're building. Here’s how React improves the workflow:
🚀 1️⃣ Component-Based Architecture
React breaks your UI into reusable components.
Each piece (like the Self-Assessment Quiz) is its own module, easy to maintain, and can be reused across your application.
If you need a button, form, or card in different parts of your app, you just reuse the component.
Example:
If you build a button once, you can use it everywhere:
<Button label="Submit" />🚀 2️⃣ Virtual DOM = Better Performance
React uses a Virtual DOM to manage updates.
It only re-renders components that change, not the entire page.
This makes it fast and efficient, especially with frequent user interactions.
🚀 3️⃣ One-Way Data Binding = Predictability
Data flows in one direction, making it easier to debug.
If something changes, you know exactly where it came from.
In plain JavaScript, data can be changed from anywhere, making it harder to track.
🚀 4️⃣ React Hooks = Cleaner Logic
With Hooks (useState, useEffect), you can manage state and lifecycle events without complex classes.
It simplifies managing component state and side effects.
Example:
Updating the user's quiz answers:
const [answers, setAnswers] = useState({});
const handleChange = (id, value) => {
setAnswers({ ...answers, [id]: value });
};CopyEdit
🚀 5️⃣ Ecosystem & Libraries
React has a huge ecosystem:
shadcn/ui for UI components
TailwindCSS for styling
Redux for state management
React Router for navigation
You can easily integrate charts, maps, and even 3D models.
🚀 6️⃣ Easier State Management
In plain JS, tracking what state each element is in can get messy.
React centralizes state handling, so it's easy to see what your app is doing at any point.
🚀 7️⃣ Server-Side Rendering & SEO-Friendly
Tools like Next.js allow you to pre-render your app for better SEO and faster load times.
When is HTML/JS better?
For very simple, static pages with no interactivity, plain HTML/JS is faster to set up.
If your page is just a few buttons and some text, React may be overkill.
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