What alternatives we have after react license issue?

Kamal Dev
Kamal Dev
Aug 27, 2017 · 3 min read

September 22: Facebook announces and September 25 changed the BSD+Patents license to the MIT license.

But it’s always good to learn about alternatives.

I guess we all aware now about the Facebook's notorious BSD+Patents. It comes into limelight after Apache Foundation categorised it into Category X list. I am not discussing more about it as there are enough resource out there.

I assumed we can’t use react any more as facebook said that they are staying with the BSD+Patent license. So, what are the alternatives we have in the frontend JavaScript world.

1) Angular (https://angular.io/)

Angular (2–4 whatever but not 1.x) is great alternative to react. React is kind of a library but angular is full featured framework with all the toys we need like routing, animation, http …etc. I understand why some of us hate angular but as we hate react more now, So it’s not that bad at least and the good part is that it’s MIT licensed.

2) Vue.js (https://vuejs.org/)

Vue.js (definitely the 2.x) is another awesomeness out there. The best part is that it actively looking into React & Angular and not making those mistake these framework/library did. Also absorbing the goodness with them. It’s easy to learn and community is also growing. It’s MIT licensed. So, you might not miss react again.

3) Ember (https://www.emberjs.com/)

You can love ember you can hate ember but you can’t ignore ember. Ember quit old now but not obsolete. It has it’s own huge ecosystem. The brand new linkedin is built with it. So, you can trust ember with its MIT license.

4) Preact (https://preactjs.com/)

Preact is the most react like library/framework. It has the same react like api. What else we want more? It is 3kb in size. A bunch of Organisation are using it. But it only for web there is no native version of it. The sweet thing is that we can still use almost all the awesome library/plugin/component whatever there is for react. Also it is MIT licensed.

5) InfernoJS (https://infernojs.org/)

InfernoJS is another react like library/framework. Inferno is designed to be a light-weight and blazing fast React-like Javascript library for building modern interfaces. It was also designed to be React compatible, modular and isomorphic. Inferno 1.0 was officially released in early January 2017 and it’s licensed under MIT.

6) Riot.js (http://riotjs.com/)

Simple and elegant component-based UI library as what they say. I didn’t tried anything in riot.js but will do riot soon. Also they make it pretty clear about the license “Riot is free, open source and licensed under the MIT License. There are no Additional Grant of Patent Rights”.

7) Aurelia (http://aurelia.io/)

Aurelia is a JavaScript client framework for mobile, desktop and web leveraging simple conventions and empowering creativity. This is what they say. But I say it a great alternative to consider with the sweetness of MIT license.

8) Polymer (https://www.polymer-project.org/)

Another Google sponsored JavaScript library that helps you create custom reusable HTML elements, and use them to build performant, maintainable apps. The latest version 2.0 looks better that the predecessor. It’s licensed under the BSD License without any Patent Rights.

9) Cycle.js (https://cycle.js.org/)

A functional and reactive JavaScript frontend framework, based on reactive streams, virtual DOM, and extensibility. It’s licensed under MIT License. I am in the cycle of processing their document and will try to recycle something from there. But till than you can check this egghead video which describes what cyclejs is.

10) Svelte (https://svelte.technology/)

The magical disappearing UI framework. I honest understand nothing what that means. But it’s MIT licensed and that what I care most. So, it might worth looking into it deeply.

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