ReactJS vs. Angular: Which is Better For Your Website?

5 min readJul 5, 2021

For many business owners, the framework used to build their website is a non-issue. They leave the nitty-gritty details of coding and web development to their teams or contracted developers. For others, however, when it comes to developing a web app that is scalable, well-designed, and full of unique functionality, it helps to understand the available technology better.

Two of the more popular options for building your website are ReactJS and Angular. Both offer the tools necessary to develop intuitive, user-friendly websites to meet the needs of small businesses and large enterprises alike. So which one is right for your website? Let’s take a closer look at ReactJS vs. Angular from the business perspective to determine which is the best choice for you.

What is ReactJS?

ReactJS (or simply, React) is an open-source JavaScript library that focuses on the user interface (UI). Facebook introduced it in 2013. ReactJS is a programming library that offers a selection of resources and pre-written code to provide the building blocks for a website.

One element that makes React stand out is that it uses JavaScript, a programming language that has been around since 1995. After 25 years, JS is not only well-known among web developers and designers, but it is one of the dominant client-side scripting languages. We’ll talk more about why that is important in a moment!

As a library with a focus on User Interface, React is clean and simple to use. React does require other integrations and libraries to build a complete website. However, these extra tools are easy to use and designed to make your React-based app more robust.

What is Angular?

Angular is an open-source framework mainly used to develop web apps. Frameworks (as opposed to libraries) provide a standard structure for building and deploying web applications. They often include integrated tools and components that allow developers to scale an application’s functionality.

Angular, previously known as AngularJS, was reintroduced to the world as Angular2 in 2016. Maintained by Google, Angular uses TypeScript (a Microsoft programming language), a JavaScript superset.

As a form of JavaScript, TypeScript isn’t unique. However, it can be challenging to learn as it uses a different code structure and extends the language functionality.

Because Angular is a full-fledged framework for software and web development, it doesn’t require third-party tools or integrations. Instead, Angular uses built-in tools to help developers define the structure and functionality of their applications.

A Simplified Comparison

The language of web development is, if we’re honest, complicated. My goal is to uncomplicate it as much as possible to help you, as a business owner, make a more informed decision about your website. Or, at the very least, have an informed conversation with your web designer or developer!

With that in mind, this is my simplified comparison of ReactJS vs. Angular. For those who don’t feel like taking a crash course in programming, this is for you.

Basic Features of React

Let’s first dive into the features and benefits of working with React. These are just a few of the more significant features that are worth considering for your business website.

Component-based library. Components are JavaScript functions that make up the building blocks of a React-based application. In essence, they are like puzzle pieces that you fit together to create your ideal UI.
Reusable library code. As a component-based library, developers can reuse components, which cuts down on coding mistakes and development time.
Virtual DOM (Document Object Model). Allows developers to make changes to a single item of code without rewriting the entire HTML doc. Updates happen faster, and there is no loss to the performance or speed of your app or site.
Declarative. Components and virtual DOM, combined with declarative programming, make the code more predictable and easier to debug. Again, this saves time as you develop (and debug) your new application.
Flexible and Scalable. While React does require third-party tools and integrations to scale functionality, these also allow for design flexibility. Essentially, create the website you want without the frustrations of a standard framework.
Popular among developers. React is a hugely popular choice among developers. Meaning there is no lack of developers and web designers available to help build your React-based website.
Used by large brands. As a Facebook-maintained library, React is used by Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, and other large brands like Airbnb, Uber, Dropbox, and Netflix.

Basic Features of Angular

Angular is equally equipped with benefits when developing large-scale applications. These are just a few examples.

Full-fledged framework. For businesses and developers who want ease in decision making, Angular provides an established framework with pre-integrated tools. Also meaning, less flexibility but all the necessary tools in one place.
Real DOM. Angular uses real DOM, which updates the entire tree structure of the HTML until the required data is updated. Which can slow down the application, especially when many different data changes or requests are being made.
Scalability. Do you plan to grow, change some functionality, or ultimately scale your website? Angular is an excellent choice for scalability as it was designed to build large-scale applications. Angular comes pre-packaged with the tools needed to scale web application functionality (versus using third-party integrations like React).
Used by large brands. Angular is backed by Google and used in many apps, including Google Analytics, Google Express, etc. Other brands that use Angular are Forbes, Upwork, Xbox, BMW, and Microsoft.

ReactJS vs. Angular and Your Business Website

As you can see, ReactJS and Angular have several similarities and a few significant differences. Ultimately, both options allow you to develop a responsive, dynamic website or application that users will love.

So which is right for you? For those businesses looking to build web applications quickly but with reliability, flexibility, and ease of use, ReactJS is the superior choice. The reusability of components speeds up development time. Not only that, but the library-based system makes it much easier to pass your website on to another team member or developer without the risk of confusion or mistakes in the code. All in all, ReactJS offers speed, ease of use, and simplicity.

If, however, you are eager to build a large-scale application or software that can scale without the complication of finding the correct integrations, then Angular is a great framework to choose. It is also popular among developers, and while it can inhibit website speed if not used correctly, an experienced web designer or developer will avoid such issues.

It helps to note that Angular is more complex and harder to learn, so if you choose Angular for your next website project, be sure to surround yourself with a team of experienced developers.

With either option, ReactJS vs. Angular, be sure to have a thorough discussion with your website designer and developer before diving into your project. You’ll want to choose an option that fits your business needs and skillset to get the best possible experience and, ultimately, the best possible web application.