JavaScript framework comparison AngularJS vs ReactJS vs EmberJS

Choosing the JavaScript framework that best suits the needs of the project can improve your ability to publish competitive web apps.

Finally, you have found a wonderful idea for a JavaScript-based app or website. Choosing the right framework can have a considerable impact on the success of your project. It can affect your ability to complete the project on time and maintain the code in the future. JavaScript frameworks, such as Angular.js, Ember.js or React.js, bring structure to your code and keep it organized, thereby making your app more flexible, more scalable, and easier to develop .

1. The variability of the Javascript scene

Changes in web development are happening very quickly. A new JavaScript framework is introduced almost every month, and existing frameworks are frequently updated. Because these frameworks are open source, large communities around the world can continue to enrich them. Therefore, it is not easy to understand the advantages of each framework and the differences between them.

2. In-depth Angular vs React vs Ember

Many developers are dazzled by the variety of JavaScript frameworks-the appearance and functions of the frameworks are very different.

Let’s compare the advantages of the three most popular and widely used JavaScript frameworks.

3. AngularJS

Angular.js is an open source web application framework with Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture (Angular 1) and Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) architecture (Angular 2) provided by Google. It is the oldest of the three frameworks mentioned above. Therefore, it has the largest community. Angular.js solves the problem of developing SPA (Single Page Application) by using instructions to extend the functionality of HTML. This framework emphasizes making your app complete and run quickly.

3.1 Advantages of Angularjs

1. Create custom Document Object Model (DOM) elements.
2. Simple UI design and changes.
3. When creating input fields in an HTML document, a separate data binding will be created for each rendered field. Angular tends to check every single bound field on the page for any changes before re-rendering.
4. Dependency injection.
5. Simple routing.
6. Easy to test code.
7. This framework facilitates the expansion of HTML syntax and creates reusable components through instructions.
8. Powerful template building solution. Use binding expressions in HTML attributes to drive template functions. Angular’s template engine has a deep understanding of the DOM, and its well-structured templates reduce the total amount of code required to create a result page.
9. Data modeling is limited to the use of small data models to make the code simple and easy to test.
10. It is fast when rendering static lists.
11. Great code reuse (Angular library).

3.2 Disadvantages of Angularjs

1. The complexity of the command API.
2. For pages with many interactive elements, Angular becomes slow.
3. The original design is often slow.
4. Due to many DOM elements, there are performance issues.
5. Complex third-party integration.
6. Steep learning curve.
7. The scope is easy to use, but difficult to debug.
8. Routing is restricted.

Note. The functionality of Angular 2 is different from the above. Angular 2 is not redesigned from Angular 1, it has been completely rewritten. The huge changes between the two versions of the framework have caused considerable controversy among developers.

4. ReactJS

ReactJS is an open source JavaScript library for building high-performance user interfaces, focusing on the amazing rendering performance introduced and provided by Facebook. React focuses on the “V” in the Model View Controller architecture. After React was first released, it quickly attracted a large number of users. It was created to solve a common problem with other JavaScript frameworks-efficient rendering of large data sets.

4.1 Advantages of Reactjs

1. Simple interface design and learning API.
2. Significant performance improvement over other JavaScript frameworks.
3. Faster updates. React uses the latest data to create a new virtual DOM and patching mechanism, and efficiently compares it with previous versions, creating a minimal list of updated parts to synchronize it with the real DOM instead of re-rendering each time it changes The entire website.
4. Server-side rendering allows the creation of isomorphic/universal web apps.
5. Easy to import components, albeit with few dependencies.
6. Good code reuse.
7. Very suitable for JavaScript debugging.
8. It is entirely possible to use React to enhance Angular to enhance the performance of troublesome components.
9. Completely component-based architecture.
10. JSX, a JavaScript extension syntax, allows to quote HTML and use HTML markup syntax to render child components.
11. React native library.

4.2 Disadvantages of Reactjs

1. Not a complete framework, but a library.
2. Very complex view layer.
3. The Flux architecture is different from the paradigm that developers are used to.
4. Many people don’t like JSX.
5. Steep learning curve.
6. Integrating React into traditional MVC frameworks such as Rails requires some configuration.

5. EmberJS

EmberJS is an open source JavaScript application framework for creating single-page client-side web applications, using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. This framework provides general data binding and URL-driven methods for building different applications, with an emphasis on scalability.

When Ember was first released in 2007, it was called SproutCore. In 2011, it was acquired by Facebook and renamed Ember. It combines the proven concepts of native frameworks such as Apple’s Cocoa and lightweight sensitivity.

5.1 Advantages of Embersjs

1. Convention is better than configuration. Ember.js does not provide detailed configuration for various routes in the application, but likes to follow the naming convention and automatically generate the result code, and only specify the configuration when the convention is not followed.
2. Client-side rendering and structuring into a scalable web application goes beyond the view layer.
3. URL support.
4. Ember’s object model facilitates key-value observation.
5. Nested UI.
6. Minimize the DOM.
7. Suitable for large application ecosystems.
8. The strong data layer is well integrated with Java.
9. The fully formed template mechanism (Handlebars template engine is built on the popular Mustache template engine) reduces the total amount of code written. It knows nothing about the DOM, but relies on direct text manipulation to dynamically construct HTML documents.
10. Use observers to change the value, which will cause only the changed value to be rendered.
11. Avoid “dirty checks” by using accessories.
12. Faster startup time and inherent stability.
13. Performance focus.
14. Friendly documentation and API.

5.2 Disadvantages of Embersjs

1. Ember.js lacks controller-level component reuse.
2. There are many outdated content and examples that no longer work.
3. Steep learning curve.
4. Handlebars uses many tags to pollute the DOM, which are used as tags to keep the template updated to the model.</p>
5. It will be troublesome when going out of its typical use.
6. Ember’s object model implements to inflate the overall size of Ember and call the stack during debugging.
7. The most insightful and heaviest frame.
8. Too big for small projects.
9. The test case seems vague/incomplete.

6. Define your needs and maximize the effect of the selected framework

To determine which framework is right for you, you only need to evaluate the needs of the application and the advantages of each framework. This requires an in-depth understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each framework considered, and how they compete in different use cases. All frameworks have a lot in common: open source, release under a license, and create SPAs with MVC design patterns. They all have views, events, data modules and routes. However, different JavaScript frameworks are more suitable for different types of applications.

If you are deciding to create a web app, Angular, React and Ember are the safest for long-term support and active communities. In addition, Angular is currently the most popular of these three. You can use it in one stop. It is the framework of choice for large enterprises. Ember is the best solution for those who are looking for a full tool and framework approach. Ember can help you make many decisions, so you don’t have to spend time researching and gluing libraries. Since Ember takes a long time to learn, it is suitable for long-term projects. React is the lightest of the three frameworks nominated above. Its greatness lies in one thing: rendering UI components. Many people even pair it with the aforementioned framework. If you need to gradually modernize your existing code base, then this is a suitable choice.

As you can see, there is no clear winner. Some frameworks are more suitable for specific projects than others. Of course, you can also check your project from several different angles, including maturity, size, dependency, interoperability, functionality, etc., and contact a professional front-end web development company to build a perfect website architecture and website design. In order to better satisfy your business.