Is React the New jQuery?

jQuery, once the most crucial tool available to developers is slowly becoming obsolete and where the library has served for 12 years, there is a need for a new saviour in the realm of web development. Let us take a look at the question that has the internet divided, which is, “is react the new jQuery?”

For the uninitiated, react and jQuery are Javascript libraries. jQuery makes it easier to use Javascript by providing reusable ‘methods’ that can be called by the use of single lines of code.

React on the other hand is used to create user interfaces. Both are essentially different approaches to the problems faced by javascript developers and react, the new library maintained by Facebook, serves an entire new generation of coders, almost a decade apart from jQuery.

While it is apparent that both libraries differ in terms of purpose, both have many commonalities in terms of impact.

Both libraries are minimalistic and allow the programmer to perform a task in fewer lines of code. They are both easy to learn and implement. React, as was the case with jQuery, is a leap forward in web technologies.

As argued in the article that started the debate, jQuery was simple enough to be taught by a 12 year old. Similarly, it was remarked that six year old are learning react. This demonstrates the degree of simplicity both these libraries provide.

Just like jQuery, react has become one of the essential libraries that a web developer needs to know how to use. That being said, it can be a bit difficult for the old school battle hardened programmer to take up a new library due to the difference in thinking process and logic that the libraries make use of.

The first step is to let go. The fact that coders are in denial of the fact that jQuery has become unnecessary itself shows how big an impact it had. And though react has been growing in popularity, it remains to be seen if it will ever have that kind of an impact.