React vs Angular: Which SaaS Development Framework to Choose for Your Project?
According to Statista, 42.62% of websites are built in React, and 20.39% are in Angular. “Okay, then I’ll focus on React”, you may think. But, don’t be in a hurry, the situation is not so simple as it seems at first glance. Have a look. Such companies like New York Times, Facebook, and Netflix choose React while Google, Forbes, and Upwork remain committed to Angular. So, which one to choose in this case?
No doubt, deciding about the SaaS development framework is a challenging point that requires time to think. But making the right choice between React and Angular is even bigger dilemma that will define the future of your app.
Luckily, we’re here to help you. Wetelo has expertise in using both React and Angular. So, we’d like to explain the differences between React and Angular as well as use cases to make it easy for you to make up your mind. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Key differences between React and Angular
As you see both React and Angular are widely used by top companies for launching their SaaS apps. So, it’s obvious that both frameworks have something in common and can bring benefits to organizations that use them. But the differences between React and Angular are those features that make them unique and competitive.
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities”. These words by Stephen Covey encourage us to consider distinctions as they are the main highlights that contribute to competitiveness. So let’s focus on the key differences between React and Angular to understand how we can use them with benefits.
Language
React is a library written in JavaScript while Angular is a full-fledged framework that uses TypeScript. The use of TypeScript by Angular is strongly recommended to make the code base simpler to comprehend and maintain. The use of JavaScript by React is also justified as it makes code simple and easy to understand.
Architecture
Angular has a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture that manages all application data and controls how data are displayed. It provides clear guidance on how the app should be structured. The main building blocks of Angular applications include modules, components, and templates. So, Angular architecture is rigid and well-defined. That’s why it restricts developers’ attempts to be flexible and creative.
React architecture is simple, flexible, and extensible as it consists of a collection of components responsible for building a software’s UI. The peculiarity of React architecture is that it doesn’t have a fixed architectural pattern. What’s more, it’s fully customizable in terms of organizing the codebase and structuring components. That’s why such an architecture gives developers much freedom to control how codes flow.
Design goal
The initial purpose of Angular was to simplify the development of single-page websites while React was designed to facilitate the development of user interface for single-page web applications. As a result, Angular and React pursue different goals.
Scalability
React is a lightweight library that can be easily integrated with other libraries and frameworks while Angular has many built-in features that can make it less flexible and harder to scale. Angular’s design makes it easy to scale while React ensures further scalable development and building reusable components.
Simplicity
When it comes to understanding, React is simple while Angular is not simple at all. But in fact, setting up a React project takes much time and effort. Angular complexity also causes a lot of confusion. That’s why the implementation of both frameworks requires technical skills and experience.
So see, these differences between React and Angular prove that both SaaS development frameworks are unique, perform their functions, and respond to particular needs. But what frameworks do top companies use for building their application?
Real-world examples of SaaS products built with React and Angular
Today, many top SaaS companies go for both Angular and React to develop their apps. And their number is increasing. It seems that React has a leading position. But Angular tries not to lag behind. Why do these SaaS development frameworks remain popular? Let’s analyze some SaaS products built with React and Angular to reveal these reasons.
When in 2011, Facebook experienced rapid growth, they felt the need for an urgent updating of their code. That’s why React was a wonderful solution that allowed to refresh instantly different contents on the page according to user actions.
Currently, the main page, mobile app, and Facebook Ads manager are built with React to handle their complex and dynamic interfaces. The results are amazing as React provides a high-speed rendering for 2,2 billion users across the globe. And even when the Internet connection is not good, users have access to their newsfeeds thanks to React.