Ember.js to React Migration: Reasons, Advantages, and Alternatives

Ember.js migration to React should be a carefully considered decision. Ember.js and React are two paradigms of the web with their respective weaknesses and strengths. Here, we discuss why businesses choose to migrate to React, why it's worth doing, the downsides of migration, and alternatives to be considered before making a final decision.

Why Choose Evrone for Migration?

If you are considering migrating from Ember.js to React, the Evrone team can help you analyze, plan, and execute the transition while considering all technical nuances. Learn more about  React JS development and contact us for a consultation!

Advantages of Migrating from Ember.js to React

Flexibility and Simplicity

• React is a library and not a fully-fledged framework like Ember.js, and it offers greater flexibility when it comes to choosing tools and patterns.
• It is easier to learn, especially when working on small and medium-scale projects.

Component-Based

• React uses a robust component-driven approach, simplifying the process of developing, maintaining, and repeating code.
• Virtual DOM makes the interface less lag-prone by minimizing updates.

Large Ecosystem 

• It has a vast developer community and numerous pre-built libraries (Redux, React Router, Next.js) that simplify development and maintenance.
• The abundance of documentation and sample code hastens the integration of new solutions.

Performance

• React's Virtual DOM minimizes the changes to the real DOM, optimizing speed.
• Improved rendering mechanisms enable faster updates on sophisticated user interfaces.

Readability with JSX

• JSX enables writing HTML-like code in plain JavaScript, which makes it easier to read and maintain.

Mobile Development 

• React Native lets you leverage your skills with React to build mobile apps.
• It's particularly useful where the project will be migrating onto mobile channels.

TypeScript Compatibility

• React works nicely with TypeScript so it is capable of building safer and easier-to-understand large-scale applications.

Ember.js to React: The Downsides You Can't Afford to Ignore

Missing Ember.js Native Capabilities

• Ember.js incorporates routing, state management, and templating.
• React requires these features to be implemented manually via third-party libraries.

Learning Difficulty

• Despite its simplicity, React’s ecosystem requires learning new concepts like hooks, context, and Redux.

The Toolset

• Unlike Ember.js, React doesn't impose a strict structure, so developers need to follow best practices for maintainability.

Migration Difficulty

• A complete change is very energy- and time-consuming.
• Such a transition can also be risky and costly in large projects.

Bundle Size Adjustment

• Third-party libraries used in React tend to increase file sizes and introduce issues with loading.

Requirement of Code Organization

• Because it is flexible, teams have to adhere to strict coding guidelines in order to maintain consistency.

When to Migrate to React

• If your project requires greater flexibility and architectural control.
• If performance and fast UI updates are critical.
• If you plan to develop a mobile application.
• If your team is familiar with TypeScript and wants to leverage its benefits.
• If you need support from React’s modern ecosystem and large community.

When to Stay on Ember.js

• If your project is stable and rewriting it would be too costly.
• If your team is experienced with Ember.js and migration could reduce productivity.
• If built-in features like Handlebars templates are essential for your workflow.
• If your current setup fully meets business requirements.

Alternatives to Full Stack Migration

Gradual Migration

• Integrate the React components into the existing Ember.js application either via micro-frontends or via Web Components.

Cost Analysis

• Before migration, balance the cost of migration against the risks involved in the process.
• There might be certain scenarios where refactoring the existing Ember.js codebase will be a preferable choice over rewriting it.

Conclusion

Upgrading to React can be flexible and performance-improving for projects but should be regarded as risk and expense. If your project requires the newest tools and scalability, React is your perfect choice. But if your existing Ember.js is already doing great, then other alternatives could be possible.