Introduction to React: A JavaScript Library for Interactive Web Development
Can you spend the whole day without looking at your mobile? And can your work be done without running applications? No, right? I mean, it was so difficult to think. The whole day? The next minute was probably difficult. Because today, nothing can be done without mobile and web applications. Because the world has become digital. Now, in such a situation, to order food, to transfer money, it is important for everyone to have mobile and applications in it. And in making all these apps, React also plays an important role. Now, if you want to become a web developer or are interested in coding, then knowing about React is going to be very helpful for you. So, read this article till the end so that you can know everything about React that is beneficial for you.
Table of Contents
Why Learn React? Benefits and Advantages of Mastering This Library
So, let’s start. Maybe you are thinking that React is a coding language. But there is no coding language like R, E, A, C, T, React, Python and C. Rather, it is the most popular JavaScript library. You must know that this library is a collection of useful resources for developers. And using this JavaScript library, powerful and interactive web applications are developed. It was developed by Facebook and companies like Facebook and Instagram use it.
It is often React.js or ReactJS is also called. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, it is very famous and due to its popularity, now many companies have started using it. For this reason, both beginners and experienced developers have started increasing their knowledge about this library. Its biggest specialty is that it is based on React components, i.e. a complex code can be broken into its individual pieces.
These pieces are called components that help developers in organizing code in a better way. Now why should you learn React? There can be many reasons for this, such as it will offer you many such resources that will help you quickly create websites and applications in a better way as a developer. With its help, you will be able to make clean and readable code, by debugging the code and it will be very easy to find out their errors. And it is also very simple to make reusable components. So, did you see how many benefits this React library can give you? So, it means that it will be very helpful for you to learn it.
Prerequisites for Learning React: Fundamental Knowledge Required
But wait a minute, before learning it quickly, you should know what preparations you have to make before learning React. So, before starting learning React, as a developer, you have to learn the fundamental programming language, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript knowledge so that you can use the React library more effectively.
Apart from these, you will also have the knowledge of common programming concepts such as functions, objects, arrays, and classes. So it will be good for you and it will be easy for you to learn and understand React. Therefore, it will be better to take their experience before starting React Learning.
Key Features of React: JSX and Virtual DOM
Now let’s learn its main features to understand React in a better way. JSX i.e. JavaScript Syntax Extension, which is a syntax extension to use with JavaScript. Through this, the developer can include such easy descriptions that look like HTML templates. It can be so simple that it looks like a template language. VDOM i.e. Virtual Document Object Model This feature of React is so powerful that before it came, whenever there was any change in the interface, then the entire interface code had to be re-written.
It was such a lengthy process and the load speed was also very slow. But now VDOM can solve this problem. Because through it, your site has an actual UI i.e. a virtual representation of the user interface. And when changes are made, VDOM compares the new UI and existing UI. And wherever it is needed, only there, changes in DOM. By doing this, the application is created very quickly and the memory is not wasted.
Learning React: Timelines and Dedicated Resources
After knowing about these two main features, it should also be known that you can write code in React like a class and like a function. React class components make the foundation of many modern apps in React and React functional components are Javascript functions. By writing a common JavaScript function, you can make your own functional components.
How much time will it take you to learn this? This will depend on your software development experience and dedication to learning. And on this basis, the time it takes to learn React can be a month or even six months. Now, after learning so much about React, you must be ready to learn it. And what do you have to learn first? Now that you’re familiar with this, let’s learn about resources that can help you in learning React and from where you can start learning it.
Valuable Learning Resources: Official Documentation, Online & Offline Courses, YouTube Tutorials, and More
- Number 1 is the official React documentation. On the React website, you’ll find documentation that includes a getting started guide, a tutorial, and an API reference. This official documentation provides you with all the information related to React.
- Number 2 is online & offline courses. There are many free and paid online & offline courses available that can teach you React. These courses are available at the beginner level, making them a good option. Free courses are especially beneficial. Some popular courses you might consider are RKCL (React with JS Course), Udemy’s “React JS Frontend Web Development for Beginners,” “React Basics in Just One Hour,” and “React Fundamentals” courses. You can also take Coursera’s “Frontend Web Development with React” course. In addition to these, you can learn React from platforms like Free Code Camp, Pluralsight, and Alterclass. There are many other online course options available for you, from which you can choose the best.
- Number 3 is YouTube Tutorials. On YouTube, you will get many such free tutorials that will be covering React and will be easy to understand. If you are interested in learning React, then you must already know about many such YouTube tutorials. But still, let me tell you that some of the popular channels that cover React include Traverse Media, Net Ninja, and Dave Eadie. You can see them here.
- On number 4 is Online Communities. By joining online communities like React, Discord, Server, and Reddit, you can connect with other developers. Questions can be asked and help can be taken. To solve specific problems, help is easily available here. and network can also be made. So here you can also take valuable feedback by sharing your projects.
- On number 5 is GitHub projects. On GitHub, you can see such projects that have a good redmi file and have a well-defined code structure. By fixing bugs, adding features and improving documentation, you can also contribute to these projects. And in this way, you can take the real world experience of react learning. and can also contribute to the community.
Expanding Your React Knowledge: React Native for Mobile App Development
So if you want, you can start learning React by using all these sources at the same time or at different times. And after learning React.js, you don’t have to stop, but you also have to explore React Native, which is a framework and is very famous for making beautiful mobile applications.
Although React and React Native share the same syntax, Through both of these, React can be used to develop web and mobile applications. Where React or ReactJS is used to build the user interface of web applications, React Native is used to build applications that run on iOS and Android devices. ReactJS creates interactive user interfaces using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, while React Native builds mobile applications using native UI components and APIs.
Limitations of React: Understanding the Challenges
There are also some limitations of React that offer many advantages, which you should also know about. Because it is not a framework, but a library. Because of the use of JSX, React Learning Complex can also be for beginners. It does not support SEO and there is a shortage of updated documentation in it.
Conclusion
So what’s stopping you now? Start learning React and take a step towards becoming a better web developer. Because this library is not just a framework, but also a great opportunity to boost your coding skills. It has its limitations, but what doesn’t have limitations? Everything has some shortcomings. You just need to learn with dedication and keep practicing, and you can overcome these limitations too.
So, get started with learning React soon and get ready to move forward. And hopefully, you enjoyed this information.