React vs Svelte – A Comprehensive Comparison Between Javascript Libraries

When referring to their popular Javascript library, most people cannot help but refer to React since it has taken over the business apps for years. But, apart from React, there are other javascript frameworks as well. More importantly, React is not the perfect solution for every project.

Only a few months ago, a fresh new framework appeared in the scene and it is widely regarded as a great alternative to React. It is Svelte js. While many think it to be much similar to React, it doesn’t fail to offer a different approach in building web apps. The framework is still undergoing development.

Well, now let’s come to the question. What of these two frameworks are ideal for your web project? Should you choose a ReactJS development company or a development firm with SvelteJS expertise? Throughout this blog post, we are going to compare React vs Svelte on several key parameters such as user experience, performance, data architecture, testing, etc. But before explaining these strengths and weaknesses, let’s get an overview of both the frameworks.

What is React?

React is a widely popular open-source Javascript library with a component-based architecture that can be used to develop sophisticated web apps with engaging user interfaces. The flexibility of reusing the custom components across multiple platforms helps React project with a faster development process and corresponding cost advantages.

On top of all these, faster rendering of web pages gives React a considerable boost in terms of search engine visibility. In any case, when you look for a robust library for developing low-footprint, light-weight, and feature-rich business applications, React comes as the ideal choice.

When you look at the market statistics for React, you are likely to be overwhelmed. As of now, React has a market share of more than 50% across web app projects.

When you need to hire React developer for your project, you have too many great choices. According to the StackOverflow report, React has been the most loved framework on the Stackflow platform in 2019. No wonder, React boasts of one of the largest developer communities.

What is Svelte?

Svelte is a Javascript-based web development framework which has the unique capability of compiling and converting UI components within the code that can be updated to the DOM. The ability to carry out virtual DOM diffing for developing highly interactive and high-performance user interfaces is the principal advantage of Svelte.

Though the framework is new, several market statistics go in favour of Svelte. Svelte is used across a whopping 3,151 live websites and is increasingly being preferred by top brands for its high-performance output and rich user interface.

Strengths and Weaknesses of React and Svelte

Now we will compare React and Svelte to get an idea of their respective strengths and weaknesses. This will also explain the keydifferences between Svelte and React.

Key React Strengths

• React boosts the efficiency and loading speed of web pages by refreshing the user interface for updating data.
• React offers a better user experience and speed by optimising the codes and enhancing the code readability.
• React allows maximum reusability of components by separating the logic and controls and thus speeds up the development process.
• React ensures optimum performance by updating data in the virtual structure instead of a real structure. This helps faster loading of the web pages.
• React boasts of a large community of developers worldwide. This ensures getting continuous support for development projects.

Key React Weaknesses

• React is updated frequently and it incorporates developer contributions from all over the globe. This makes it a little harder to stay tuned to the latest React versions and conventions.
• Just because React uses JSX which is an extension combining both Javascript and HTML, the learning curve gets steeper compared to simple Javascript coding.
• React only focuses on the View layer and doesn’t have anything to do with the Model and controller in the app architecture. This requires integrating additional routing or API tools to support the other two aspects.

Read More: Top 5 Javascript Frameworks for Developers

Key Svelte Strengths

• Svelte offers automatic updates of data to interface through declared variables and this ensures a faster pace and smooth user experience.
• Svelte uses far less code and allows you to use actual business logic without getting mired in coding complexities.
• The Virtual DOM diffing feature of Svelte helps boosting the speed, smooth user experience, and effortless interactions, and user engagement.
• Svelte is a truly lightweight and low footprint framework that ensures a clean and highly user-focused interface for websites.
• Svelte is known for its clean, high-quality, highly readable, and concise code. This allows faster development and easier maintenance for web applications.
• The learning curve of Svelte is much lower thanks to this clean and simple code and anyone with a Javascript background can start with a Svelte project.

Key Svelte Weaknesses

• Svelte is new and hence it has a very small user base and the best practices are also in the way of taking shape. It is still not mature enough as a framework.
• Svelte doesn’t offer too many tools for app debugging and testing. The Svelte tools are still not complete enough for all project requirements.
• Svelte doesn’t offer any protocol to accommodate concurrent requests on displaying certain content on the basis of priority or loading sequences. This may undermine user experience for content-rich websites.

Which Framework to Choose? Svelte or React?

There can be hardly any doubt about the capability and the clearly recognisable enhancements in regard to various aspects that Svelte offers. To answer the question,why React is better than Svelte in spite of the value propositions of the later, the time tested React performance, dynamic capability and features need to be referred. React is still the most well equipped and versatile framework for web projects.

In spite of showing several promises Svelte still has to catch up with React on different aspects. On the concept front, the compiling and virtual DOM diffing of Svelte can be great but they are not enough for meeting the development requirements of extremely fast-paced and reactive applications. The key value proposition of Svelte still doesn’t get well over a code compiler and this is why the state of the developer ecosystem still leans towards React.

Can You Really Use Svelte in a Web Project? Where Can You Use React?

If you measure the pros and cons, for developing a small startup application with a simple structure you can use Svelte. The best thing about the framework is that developers with mastery in common web languages such as Javascript, HTML, and CSS, can easily handle Svelte. You can really deliver app results that are fast, lightweight, and user engaging by using Svelte.

But for large and complex enterprise applications needing multiple integrations and too many plugins, React will be the ideal choice. The user experience and performance specific attributes of React are already proven and time tested. On top of all, you always get easy help for any issue regarding the web projects from a robust global community of React web and mobile app developers.

Conclusion

Both React and Svelte are fairly well-equipped frameworks with the majority of pros and a few cons. But as of now, React seems to have everything to enjoy an upper hand while Svelte is still in the process of maturing. Hopefully, in the coming years, Svelte will emerge as a close contender to React in the web development scene.