#UseThePlatform

Why put React in the browser?

Isn't it working just fine as a userland framework?

People install React a lot

Maybe this is how the Web should work?

class HelloMessage extends React.Component {
  render() {
    return <p>uSe THe PLaTfORm yOu {this.props.name}</p>
    );
  }
}

ReactDOM.render(
  <HelloMessage name="cOWarDs" />,
  document.getElementById('hello-example')
);
      

Our JavaScript bundles are BIG

How much less code could we send down the wire? How much could we cut down on JavaScript parsing if React were built in?

The economics of open source by C J Silverio | JSConf EU 2019

npm pays when you install React

How much does it cost to supply 5,101,516 downloads of React every week?

Bundle size is not the only consideration

What do you mean put React in the browser?

• JSX?
• SyntheticEvents?
• Virtual DOM + diffing?
• Which version of React?

JSX?

no

React-flavored JSX is not HTML and would require major updates to be integrated into the Web. And we'd all have to rewrite our applications. No thanks.

Synthetic Events?

nope

I mean why? It's a pretty big wrapper and not everybody needs it.

Virtual DOM + diffing?

nah

One way to do updates + diffing. Fast enough for many applications. Too slow for others! Not the only or "best" way.

Which version of React?

who knows

The one with Hooks? An older version? What happens to unmaintained React apps? Do they just break?

It ain't gonna happen

(We've been here before)

Why didn't we put jQuery in the browser?

What do you mean put jQuery in the browser? Which version? Which pieces?

We put some jQuery in the browser

• $() → querySelectorAll()
• $el.on() → Element.addEventListener()
• $el.toggleClass() → Element.classList.toggle()

should we #UseThePlatform?

Translation: use lit-html, LitElement, and Google's other tools for building "Web Components"

I don't know, I'm tired

Framework fatique is a real concern. We can't probably shouldn't re-write our apps every year.

Our JavaScript bundles are BIG

(but React is not 100% to blame)

Thanks and cheers