I’ve been using jQuery for years, and I feel very comfortable with it. I read quite often that it’s terrible, and performance sucks, etc. Also, I see that there are a lot of JavaScript jobs out there, and I like what I do, but I have to provide for my family. So, I decided that I should enhance my JavaScript skills, and check out React, Angular, and Vue.
React
React was the first thing I checked out. First thing I thought was that it was unbelievable that somebody would want to work this way. It took me a little bit to wrap my head around the JSX, but the concepts were not terrible. I checked out Redux a little. Went through a couple of hour long tutorials on the basics, and was really not feeling like I was in love with it. React gave me the feeling that it was an all or nothing solution, and that I would have to fully dedicate my development experience to it and a JavaScript-only ecosystem.
Sure, this is what I set out to do, learn more about JavaScript and modern development. I was thinking that React was too limiting. I like a good ol’ LAMP stack, and I want to use JavaScript, but do I really want to assimilate into the Borg?
Angular
Next I checked out Angular. Right away it seemed easier for me to work with than React. I went through a couple of tutorials on Youtube. I still had a bad feeling though, that using Angular was like React, all or nothing. Do I abandon everything I know about making websites to go in this direction? I don’t know. I need a break…
Vue
So after taking a break for a day, I was reading about Vue, and thought I’d check it out. I instantly felt way more comfortable with Vue than I did with React or Angular. More importantly, I felt like it wasn’t all or nothing. I could actually see myself using it, even adding it to existing projects. I checked out one tutorial on Youtube, then another series of videos over at Laracasts, and I’m hooked. Vue is for me. Instead of feeling like I’m being forced to work a certain way, I feel like I want to work with Vue. I’m excited to use it.
Conclusion
These are just my opinions of my first impressions of React, Angular, and Vue. I tried not to pretend that I know what I’m talking about, but instead just wanted to share my initial experience. I guess if you’re on team Vue, +1 for you.
PS
From the outsider looking in, there are some very obnoxious and unattractive developers in this JavaScript community. The way they talk to each other in blog comments, the elitism, name calling, cussing, etc. is not very inviting. I don’t care if you comment on this blog post, but don’t waste your time doing so if you don’t have anything good to say.