Angular Vs React: Making the right choice for Blockchain App Development

Blockchain has disrupted markets ever since it was launched in 2011. The technology was a game changer for many industries such as fintech, healthcare, real estate, insurance, supply change management, and more. More than a decade later, it is still making waves for the various benefits it offers to enterprises.

With blockchain digital operations not only speed up but also remove the need for intermediaries while providing decentralized data to its users. In blockchain app development, two very famous front-end frameworks are used to develop applications. These are Angular Vs React. Both are great versatile frameworks to choose from for blockchain applications. For an enterprise venturing into developing a blockchain application, it is important to understand the differences and similarities between the two. Let us study both in detail.

What is Angular JS?

Preferred by developers for building data-binding applications, AngularJS is a free and open-source JavaScript-based framework. The framework comes in handy in developing single-page applications and is maintained by Google and a community of expert applications. AngularJS is different from other frameworks as it is made up of components, modules, and more. These components are versatile with a host of functionalities and can be modified according to their needs.

What is React?

React is another open-source Javascript library that is often employed to build engaging interfaces based on components. Maintained b33y Meta and its community of expert developers, the framework is often used by developers to develop server-rendered applications, be they mobile or single-page applications. Another feature of React that gives it leverage over other frameworks serving similar functions is its ability to be clubbed with other JS libraries and frameworks.

AngularJS Vs React: Understanding the differences

Three main parameters help differentiate between the two frameworks with much ease. They are:

Performance

Both frameworks are extremely performance-friendly, with speed indexes of 1.1 and 0.8 respectively. React is a tad faster compared to Angular JS given its smaller bundle size and smaller modules and components. 

Learning Curve

Since the Angular framework is a mature framework it requires in-depth technical knowledge of different libraries, languages, and processes. This further requires an experienced team of developers and longer development time. On the contrary, React is simpler and more efficient given its less complex modules and simpler libraries. However, React’s fundamentals are tougher to grasp and are a little time-consuming.

Testing

Angular which is a complete framework comes with its set of testing tools and is convenient for real-time testing of code. React does not have such inbuilt testing tools but rather has testing frameworks outside of the React environment. This requires additional efforts to test React-based applications.

UI Components

Another difference between the two frameworks is that Angular has different material design components such as layouts and popups, and more. These components are responsible for smooth UI configuration. On the other hand, in React, to access these design components one needs to also install UI libraries developed by its rich community 

Document Object Model

A DOM is a graph is a virtual depiction of the browser view of the user. Any changes made to the DOM are costly to execute. Angular uses a real DOM contrary to React which uses a virtual DOM. This means that in Angular, the entire tree structure undergoes an update when there is even the smallest change in the framework. However on the  other hand, React can segregate individual components without having to completely update the entire structure. 

Apart from these, Angular and React can also be differentiated based on processes, features, and technical expertise required to develop in both. Also, there is one need to keep in mind that React is a library of components whereas Angular JS is an entire framework. Thus both have unique features to offer when it comes to application development.

Find About: Angular Vs. Bootstrap

Similarities between Angular and React

Though each framework has its differences, Angular and React also have a few similarities. They can be categorized based on features such as : 

• Open source framework: Both are Open source frameworks and are constantly being improved and enriched by their rich community of developers.
• Currently, both are extensively used for developing single-page applications. 
• Rendering: Both frameworks provide client-side and server-side rendering which makes it efficient for front-end development. This is also extremely crucial in blockchain development as it takes care of the development of nodes and ensures decentralization.
• Component and code reusability: Both frameworks reduce the need for recurrent coding as their codes and components are reusable.
• Development environments of both frameworks are for frontend of mobile or web applications.

For an enterprise looking to develop a blockchain application, given below table further helps distinguish the two.

Angular vs. React – A Quick Comparison:

Strengths and weaknesses of the two frameworks

Which framework should a business Choose?

An enterprise looking to invest in a blockchain application needs to study their project requirements in detail. Each blockchain application is built differently and requires a different level of expertise and knowledge to develop it. Also, a blockchain application needs different attributes to be developed. Having studied the two frameworks, one can easily choose between them by asking the following questions:

• What is the application development project scope?

• Does the enterprise have an in-house development team or is outsourcing? If outsourcing, what is the level of expertise that would be required for the project?

• What are the expectations from the application? Is it a short-term blockchain project or an application that is expected to last years?

These questions are crucial in deciding which framework is best suited for the project. Hiring a team of AngularJS developers and React consultants is a good place to start. They can help businesses understand their requirements and then start their development journey of blockchain application. Another important task is to find a reliable Reactjs Development Company or angular js development company that can help materialize blockchain vision of the enterprise into reality.