Vue.js is one of the new JavaScript frameworks that solve problems in a smart way. This framework can be used to create SPA (Single Page Applications) and Server Side Rendered Apps with Node.js on the backend, but it is not limited to that.
You may ask why there is a need to use something new while there is ReactJS that can do the same trick. This question is legit since ReactJS and Vue.js are very similar. For instance, both of them utilize virtual DOM and provide composable as well as responsive view components. Vue.js got the best features from both AngularJS and ReactJS. Now let us look at the differences and similarities between them.
Inspired by AngularJS
Evan You, the creator of Vue.js, had a lot of experience with projects that involved AngularJS. His idea was to create something like AngularJS but to omit the use of all the redundancies. In this way, such a product would be lightweight and minimalistic.
The syntax of Vue.js indeed resembles AngularJS, and this is not surprising because the latter was an inspiration for a lot of other JavaScript frameworks. However, Vue.js is not limited to the chosen best features of AngularJS, but it tries to compensate for the drawbacks of Angular.
Vue is Much Better
As it was mentioned above, Vue.js was created in the image and likeness of AngularJS. In fact, it is more simple, versatile, and performs better.
Here are its particular features that make it so good:
Simplicity
As far as API and design are concerned, Vue.js is easier. A simple app may be built in a day with Vue, which is almost impossible with AngularJS.
Flexibility
AngularJS imposes a strict structure on the code, while Vue.js is more indulgent concerning this issue. Vue is more flexible. Besides, with Vue.js, you can use a web-pack template to omit coding each and every part of the UI.
Runtime Performance
One of the biggest drawbacks of AngularJS is that it has a lot of watchers that constantly evaluate the code. The thing is that they slow down the performance whenever any slight change occurs while Vue.js is free from the dirty checking. Vue.js uses a dependency-tracking system of observation, and its asynchronized queueing allows everything to work normally.
The Division into Directives and Components
In Vue.js, directives and components are completely different things. Directives contain manipulations associated with DOM, while components are other elements that have unique view and data logic. It is quite uncomfortable that in AngularJS, components are a constituent of directives.
Vue.js and ReactJS Comparison
Now that we have compared Vue to Angular, let us look at Vue.js vs ReactJS.
Optimization
While rendering, Vue.js tracks the dependencies of a component. This approach results in smart re-rendering when the system knows which components need that and which do not.
Templates instead of JSX
JSX is a syntax extension to JavaScript that is used in React to implement the UI. JSX resembles XML syntax, and it feels like a template language.
As far as Vue.js is concerned, you use templates by default. In this case, it is much easier to express the UI than with JSX. Furthermore, you can use JSX in Vue.js if you like, but devs usually tend to use just templates.
CSS
React uses CSS-in-JS solutions that is unusual styling oriented on components. It differs from the usual approach to CSS. In Vue.js, you have easy-to-use style tags, which can be found in a single file. This file allows you to operate CSS and works in coordination with the component code.
A Few Details about Vue.js
Vue.js is a JavaScript framework with open source that is used to develop web applications as well as progressive web applications (PWA). The main focus of Vue.js is the view layer, to which it can provide a lot of functionality. It also can be used to build SPAs (single-page applications). The core library for Vue.js is provided by Laravel, while the framework itself uses JavaScript ES5 or ES6.
Virtual DOM
Virtual DOM is a reproduction of the DOM element. It is a JavaScript data structure that reacts to the changes intended to be done to the DOM. In such a way, only the final version of the changes is implemented to the real DOM, which is a much faster way to get things done.
Data Binding
Data binding is used to work with values of HTML attributes. In Vue.js, you can use v-bind in order to manipulate classes and styles.
CSS Transitions and Animations
There are a lot of ways in Vue with which you can apply a transition to HTML whenever they are engaged in DOM. In case, there is nothing to your taste in Vue.js, you can easily add other libraries to make the UX better.
Watchers
Watchers are the instruments that are designed to deal with the change of data. They provide simplicity and speed to the code, and it is due to the fact that they are asynchronous. Together with Computed Properties and Methods, watchers form the reactive constituent of Vue.js.
Computed Properties
This feature of Vue.js is critical due to the fact that it tracks the changes in the UI and follows them with the necessary computations.
Methods
Whenever the state of a component has to be changed, Methods can be used. They do not follow up any dependencies as well as they can take arguments. Whenever a component is reloaded, methods are activated.
Conclusions
Vue.js is a progressive framework that focuses on building the UI. Its main library is designed to work with a view layer, but you can easily add other libraries whenever you need them. Vue is an instrument, with which you can develop powerful SPAs. Besides, it is created with consideration of its predecessors, AngularJS and ReactJS.
Therefore, it is a light version of the best features taken from the two frameworks above. The creators of Vue tried to solve the problems of Angular and React, as well as to omit any redundancies. As a result, Vue.js became a convenient and powerful tool, the one worth using.
