What is React.JS?

React is a popular JavaScript library, which was originally developed by Facebook. It’s mainly used to build web and native user interfaces (UI).

In practice, React encourages developers to build web and native user interfaces in smaller and independent components. This allows for more efficient code organization, paving the way for an improved programming experience. In the long run, this also makes maintenance a better process, and allows a developer to reuse these bits and pieces of their code for other projects.

To get a better visualization of React and how it works, think of Facebook, or Instagram, and how the main feed of these social apps load. It’s all one full page, where smaller components are coming together to be combined into larger screens, apps, and pages. If we’re thinking of developing a user profile page, maybe there is:

• A profile header component (which contains the username and profile picture),
• An about section component (which contains the location, bio, and profession),
• A social link component (which contains the social links and social icons).

All of these smaller components come together to build the actual profile page. Building smaller components as opposed to an entire page at once makes the loading process easier and allows for improved organization. This is an important feature, but is especially imperative in a team setting, where others may be visiting components for the first time.

As mentioned earlier, React is a JavaScript library. React components are JavaScript functions, meaning that components can be displayed under various conditions, like if/else, utilize maps, and more. Components are able to intake data and then display what needs to be displayed. This isn’t just including data from the code- components can even take user-input and then display information as needed. In terms of a database, data can even be read from the database or from a file and then be shared with the interactive components. 

Why is React so popular?

• React streamlines the loading process for a webpage. In today’s world, almost everyone wants a webpage to load fast, within seconds of clicking on it. React addresses this demand via allowing a webpage to begin HTML streaming even as you’re still fetching data. Any data that hasn’t been fetched yet will continue to load in before any JavaScript code is loaded. This means that a user perceives that the page is loaded faster, but also ensures that the user can see the main components even if the smaller ones haven’t completely loaded in yet. It creates a smoother user experience.
• When using React, one of its many great features is that it’s flexible- you don’t have to switch over a project to entirely use React. You can add it into an existing HTML project and get the advantages of interactive components.
• Because React was developed by Facebook, developers can expect consistent/frequent updating and progression with it. It’s not necessarily a library that will be capped in the foreseeable future.
• There’s a huge community behind it. Any sort of problem someone has with it has most-likely been discovered to some degree before and exists in a forum somewhere. It’s well supported.
• With its many features like pre-built functions and reliance on JS, it makes React an easier library to work with and to learn. 

React is a great choice for developing web and native user interfaces. Its interactive components allow for a streamlined user interface which ultimately improves the user experience.

To get started with React, visit their website at: https://react.dev/.