Are you looking for a React Developer? Here are a few tips to consider when either talking to candidates or writing your job descriptions.

React and the bed frame at IKEA

Picture a complete bed. Beds may have a headboard for resting against and may have side rails and footboards. Headboard-only beds may incorporate a "dust ruffle", "bed skirt", or "valance sheet" to hide the bed frame. To support the head, a pillow made of soft, padded material is usually placed on the top of the mattress. Some form of covering blanket is often used to insulate the sleeper, often bed sheets, a quilt, or a duvet, collectively referred to as bedding.

In that picture, React could be assimilated to the bed frame only.

React is a library and not a framework

React by itself isn't a complete tool. You need to add some other technologies such as React Navigation and GraphQL/Fetch to build any serious application with React. That's why React does not qualify as a Framework but as a library.

React (The Library) VS Angular (The Framework)

A library is a dedicated piece of software that does one thing. In the case of React, It is used to build One Thing: User Interface. I didn't say web or mobile UIs but any User Interfaces you can think of.

Angular, in that picture is the bed. It provides everything to build any application in one toolbox. Although some people like to add extra tools, the framework is complete.

The comparison between the 2 technologies is often misleading. React vs Angular often means do you like to assemble your own stack around React or do you prefer to use the set of tools assembled for you under Angular, the framework.

Takeaways

At the end of the day, React vs Angular, It's a matter of preferences. Do you prefer buying the bed frame and then purchasing each other piece apart before assembling them together? Or you prefer buying a bed with all the necessary tools at once. That's the choice developers are faced with.

Opportunity

When talking to React developers, ask them which stack they like to assemble around React and why.

For Angular developers, the question could be whether or not they like to use the framework as-is or they like to replace part of the framework with other technologies. You'll learn a lot about the way they think.

This was React is only the bed frame!

If you found this useful, please share it in your community and share your feedback with me in the comments section.

Don't forget to take the weekly test to see how you stack up with your peers on the tech jargon.

Until next time, take care!