An Angular user who loves React
Find out why Javi Velasco, a senior at zeit.co, switched from Angular to React and even built react-toolbox.io. We’ve asked Javi a couple of questions about his opinion on the JavaScript landscape and the future of JavaScript and React in Particular. Follow Javi on Twitter and Github.
Who are you and what are you doing?
I’m Javi Velasco, a developer from Córdoba, a beautiful city in the south of Spain. I currently work as a developer at ZEIT▲ and I’m the author of a few OpenSource libraries. The most successful until this day was React Toolbox.
Why did you choose to use React?
Back in the day when React just started getting popular, I wanted to learn about it, and there is no better way to learn than practicing. I decided to build a UI Component Library based on Material Design Spec. I was an Angular user and I loved React so I finished building the library and then started the entire frontend of the company I was working for to React. I was in charge and it looked like a pretty solid solution. Never regretted it.
What do you like about React?
My favorite thing is the unidirectional flow and how it embraces concepts from functional programming like writing components as pure functions. There are some other popular patterns that are so elegant and flexible in React like the render-props that really help out reusability. Not to speak about hooks and suspense
4) Where do you see the future of React?
I don’t think there will be too big changes in the near future but more perfectioning the library as it is now. React itself was born to help out people on Facebook when facing complex UI problems. And pretty much everything followed the same flow. Context came later because we really needed to communicate components without dragging around props. Hooks were born because nobody liked using classes to bring state and lifecycle to components. Our needs will still be telling authors in which direction the library must evolve.
5) What are 2-3 things people should use more, or miss out on the benefit of?
Render props are incredibly useful and, while I'm not really following the scene nowadays, a year ago it looked like a pretty unused pattern while it's an incredible way to reuse logic across components.
And of course, despite of the growth it experienced during the last year, NextJS is pretty unused. It should be present in every frontend using React in 2020!
Thank you, Javi for your time and effort!
The AgentConf Team is very excited and thankful, that Javi is a regular contributor to the ecosystem! It is great that people like you contribute a substantial amount of time to work in OpenSource and lift the whole industry to a higher level. Keep up the good work.
If you want to meet more people like Javi and many other advanced engineers, join us at AgentConf! The event is from the 23rd to 26th January 2020. Two days of high quality talks followed by 2 days of skiing in one of worlds most exciting ski resorts. Check out the speakers and secure your seats at agent.sh. We’re looking forward to meet you at the event!
