Ready to Switch? 7 Сauses To Moving from Angular to React

The shift from Angular to React is a significant one. Each of the two technologies has its own uniqueness, weaknesses and strengths, and the one you choose will make your application more efficient, manageable, and scalable. 

Angular is fully a framework with pre-existing components, and React is the more versatile library where the developer gets the choice to select their preferred stack. This flexibility makes React a preferred choice for many, but is migration always the best decision? Let us examine the advantages and disadvantages of migrating from Angular to React and help you make a choice!

Benefits of Migrating from Angular to React

Flexibility

• React is not a complete framework like Angular but a library that provides developers with more flexibility in choosing tools and structuring applications.
• React is easier to learn and utilize, particularly for small to medium-sized developments.

Architecture

• React is component-oriented and declarative in nature, making it easy to construct and reuse UI components.
• React's virtual DOM is performance-optimized because it minimizes direct manipulations of the real DOM.

Community 

• React has a large community and ecosystem of support libraries like Redux, React Router, and Next.js.
• Pre-made components and solutions are easily available, cutting down on development time.

Seamless Integration

• React can be added to existing apps without rewriting them completely, and thus incremental migration is possible.
• This flexibility makes React a very suitable option for projects that need hybrid architectures.

High Performance

• React's virtual DOM and optimized rendering result in improved application performance, especially on dynamic updates and dense UIs.

JSX Support

• JSX enables developers to write JavaScript code in a way close to HTML syntax within JavaScript itself, making code reading and development productivity better.

Support for Mobile Development

• With React Native, developers can use React knowledge to build mobile applications, so it's an excellent value for projects with mobile expansion plans.

Difficulties of Migrating from Angular to React

Lack of Built-in Angular Features

• Angular comes with dependency injection, routing, forms, and HTTP client included, which would need to be replaced with third-party libraries when developing with React.

Learning Curve

• Though React is simpler than Angular, developers would still need to learn to be proficient in JSX, hooks, and principles of managing the state.

Choosing the Right Solutions

• Unlike Angular, React does not provide built-in solutions for state management and routing, requiring developers to choose and configure libraries themselves.

Migration Complexity

• Migrating a large project can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, potentially affecting project deadlines.

Lack of a Strict Project Structure

• Angular enforces a well-defined structure, making it ideal for large teams. React’s flexibility can lead to inconsistent coding practices if guidelines are not established.

TypeScript Adaptation

• If the existing Angular project uses TypeScript, React also supports it, but additional configuration and adaptation are required.

Bundle Size Considerations

• Depending on the libraries chosen, the final bundle size in React may be larger than in Angular, which could impact performance.

Is It Time to Switch to React? Clear Signals You Can’t Ignore

Migrating to React makes sense if:

• You need more flexibility and control over your project’s architecture.
• Your application requires high performance and frequent UI updates.
• You plan to develop mobile applications using React Native.
• You’re working on a small to medium-sized project and want to simplify development.

When to Stay with Angular

It would be better to stay with Angular if:

• Your product is already large and complicated, and migration would require significant resources.
• You make use of Angular's built-in dependency injection, routing, and form features.
• You are strongly familiar with Angular and that changing to React would therefore require a steep learning curve.
• You prefer the framework structure that enforces code standards and best practices.

Are There Alternatives? 

• Gradual Migration

Rather than re-writing your entire application, you can bring React into certain parts of your Angular app through microfrontends or Web Components.

• Cost Analysis

Prior to migration, make cost-benefit analysis to determine if it is worthwhile to refactor the existing Angular code instead of rewriting it from the beginning.

Conclusion

Angular migration to React is a great option if flexibility, performance, and ease of development are your utmost concern. However, there are some challenges of migration, such as resource investment and learning new technologies. If your Angular application is functioning smoothly, then upgrading it instead of rewriting would be the best option.

Considering migrating your project to React?

Evrone can assist you to transition smoothly while delivering the best performance and maintainability. Learn more about our experience in web applications on React JS and contact us today!