React Ecosystem in 2024: Exploring Essential Libraries and Tools

React is a popular javascript library among ReactJS development services looking to create an extensible and resilient mobile application. It is going to grow in the next few years as a result of advancements and innovations.

The React ecosystem comprises several elements, such as tools, libraries, databases, etc. These elements are required for developers to build a fully functional application. However, choosing the optimal combination of tools and libraries for your next project might be difficult.

As a result, we’ve produced a list of the top React Native tools and frameworks for you so you can make a well-informed and detailed choice without sacrificing quality.

Overview of the React Native Ecosystem

React Native is a famous front-end component, open-source technology controlled by Facebook and its users, allowing developers to construct interactive UI for online applications.

In comparison to other frameworks, React Native often offers a more robust desktop UI. Because Facebook has supported it, developers do not have to be concerned about its capacity to handle complex codings. 

The ability to quickly render and examine objects distinguishes React Native from the other platforms.

The React Native ecosystem is an array of frameworks, tools, libraries, and other tools to help developers of web-based applications.

React Routing Framework and Tools

This method of moving between distinct components or webpages within a single-page application (SPA) is called routing in React. 

It enables you to create multi-page-like experiences while maintaining the application’s layout as a single HTML page.

Routing methods often entail linking URLs to specific components and rendering the correct part based on the given URL. This enables the dynamic display of various views or pages in response to the user’s navigation.

Some famous React routing strategies and tools include:

#1 React Router

The most popular connectivity library for React apps is React Router. It offers a simple declarative and component-based routing strategy. React Router lets you establish routes with components and control navigation with features, and It supports hierarchical routing, route parameters, and route guarding.

Here’s a simple example of how you can use React Router in a React application:

import React from 'react';
import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Switch, Link } from 'react-router-dom';

// Define some components for different pages
const Home = () => <h2>Home</h2>;
const About = () => <h2>About</h2>;
const Contact = () => <h2>Contact</h2>;

const App = () => {
  return (
    <Router>
      <div>
        <nav>
          {/* Navigation links using Link */}
          <ul>
            <li><Link to="/">Home</Link></li>
            <li><Link to="/about">About</Link></li>
            <li><Link to="/contact">Contact</Link></li>
          </ul>
        </nav>

        {/* Define routes using Route */}
        <Switch>
          {/* Each Route component specifies a path and the component to render */}
          <Route path="/" exact component={Home} />
          <Route path="/about" component={About} />
          <Route path="/contact" component={Contact} />
        </Switch>
      </div>
    </Router>
  );
};

export default App;

In this example:

• We import necessary components from react-router-dom.
• We define some simple functional components for different pages: Home, About, and Contact.
• Inside the App component, we wrap our application with the <Router> component to enable routing.
• We define navigation links using the <Link> component, which generates anchor tags (<a>) with the appropriate href attributes.
• We define routes using the <Route> component, specifying the path and the component to render when that path matches.
• We use the <Switch> component to ensure that only one route is rendered at a time, and it renders the first matching route. This prevents multiple components from being rendered when multiple routes match the current URL.

This is a basic setup, and you can build upon it to create more complex routing structures and components.

#2 Reach Router

Reach Router is a different React routing library that prioritizes accessibility and simplicity. It is intended to be tiny and quick while offering an API similar to React Router. 

Reach Router includes functions such as route parameters, hierarchical routing, and the management of locations. It is well-known for its emphasis on availability and conformance with the web standards.

Here’s a simple example of how you can use Reach Router in a React application:

import React from 'react';
import { Router, Link } from '@reach/router';

// Define some components for different pages
const Home = () => <h2>Home</h2>;
const About = () => <h2>About</h2>;
const Contact = () => <h2>Contact</h2>;

const App = () => {
  return (
    <Router>
      <div>
        <nav>
          {/* Navigation links using Link */}
          <Link to="/">Home</Link>{' '}
          <Link to="/about">About</Link>{' '}
          <Link to="/contact">Contact</Link>
        </nav>

        {/* Define routes using Router and specify the component for each route */}
        <Home path="/" />
        <About path="/about" />
        <Contact path="/contact" />
      </div>
    </Router>
  );
};

export default App;

In this example:

• We import the Router and Link components from @reach/router.
• We define the same functional components for different pages: Home, About, and Contact.
• Inside the App component, we wrap our application with the <Router> component to enable routing.
• We define navigation links using the <Link> component, similar to React Router.
• We define routes using the <Router> component and specify the component for each route using the path prop.

Reach Router offers a simpler API compared to React Router and is designed to be more accessible-friendly. It also provides features like nested routes and URL parameters. While the usage is slightly different, the overall concept remains similar to React Router.

#3 Next.js

Next.js is a well-known React system that supports server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG). It has included routing technology that makes creating pages and handling routing within a Next.js app easier. 

Next.js defines routes using a file-based system, making it straightforward and simple.

Here’s an example of how you can achieve routing in a Next.js application

// pages/index.js
import Link from 'next/link';

const Home = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>Home Page</h1>
    <Link href="/about">
      <a>About Page</a>
    </Link>
    <Link href="/contact">
      <a>Contact Page</a>
    </Link>
  </div>
);

export default Home;

// pages/about.js
import Link from 'next/link';

const About = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>About Page</h1>
    <Link href="/">
      <a>Home Page</a>
    </Link>
    <Link href="/contact">
      <a>Contact Page</a>
    </Link>
  </div>
);

export default About;

// pages/contact.js
import Link from 'next/link';

const Contact = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>Contact Page</h1>
    <Link href="/">
      <a>Home Page</a>
    </Link>
    <Link href="/about">
      <a>About Page</a>
    </Link>
  </div>
);

export default Contact;

In this example:

• Each page is represented by a separate file inside the pages directory.
• Each file exports a React component representing the content of that page.
• Next.js automatically creates routes based on the filenames in the pages directory.
• We use the Link component from Next.js to create links between pages. This component handles client-side navigation without full page reloads, providing a smoother user experience.
• We use the href prop in the Link component to specify the destination of the link.

Next.js simplifies the process of creating and managing routes in a React application by providing a file-based routing system and built-in components for navigation. Additionally, Next.js offers advanced features like server-side rendering and static site generation, making it a powerful framework for building React applications.

#4 Gatsby

Gatsby is an HTML-based website generator that uses React to create fast, optimized websites. It has built-in routing capabilities that depend on the file system structure and supports creating static and dynamic pages. 

Gatsby offers an easy-to-use Application Programming Interface (API) for generating paths and managing navigation on a Gatsby-powered site.

Gatsby is another popular framework for building React applications, especially static sites. Here’s how you can implement routing in a Gatsby project:

First, install Gatsby if you haven’t already:

npm install -g gatsby-cli

Then, create a new Gatsby project:

gatsby new my-gatsby-app
cd my-gatsby-app

Now, let’s create some pages with routing:

// src/pages/index.js
import React from "react";
import { Link } from "gatsby";

const IndexPage = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>Home Page</h1>
    <Link to="/about">About Page</Link>
    <Link to="/contact">Contact Page</Link>
  </div>
);

export default IndexPage;

// src/pages/about.js
import React from "react";
import { Link } from "gatsby";

const AboutPage = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>About Page</h1>
    <Link to="/">Home Page</Link>
    <Link to="/contact">Contact Page</Link>
  </div>
);

export default AboutPage;

// src/pages/contact.js
import React from "react";
import { Link } from "gatsby";

const ContactPage = () => (
  <div>
    <h1>Contact Page</h1>
    <Link to="/">Home Page</Link>
    <Link to="/about">About Page</Link>
  </div>
);

export default ContactPage;

In this example:

• Each page is created as a separate React component inside the src/pages directory.
• We use the Link component provided by Gatsby to create links between pages. The to prop specifies the destination of the link.
• Gatsby automatically generates routes based on the file structure inside the src/pages directory.
• Each page component exports its content as the default export.

Gatsby simplifies the process of building static sites with React by providing built-in support for routing, code splitting, and optimized build processes. It leverages GraphQL for data fetching and offers plugins for adding various functionalities like SEO, image optimization, and more.

#5 Remix

Remix.run is a web-based platform that offers an all-in-one solution for developing modern JavaScript-based apps. Its principal function is to handle application routing. 

Remix.run provides a declarative and user-friendly routing system that enables developers to specify routes and accompanying elements or handlers. 

This framework streamlines the process of developing dynamic, simple-to-use applications by controlling the layout and rendering of various components depending on the provided routes. 

By offering an easy-to-use structure for constructing complicated apps, it supports efficient management code and increases developers’ productivity.

Remix.run is a framework that focuses on simplifying application routing and providing a user-friendly routing system for JavaScript-based apps. Let’s create a sample code snippet demonstrating how you might define routes and handle routing in a Remix.run application:

// app/routes.js

// Import necessary modules from Remix.run
import { Route, Routes } from 'remix';

// Import components for different pages
import HomePage from './pages/HomePage';
import AboutPage from './pages/AboutPage';
import ContactPage from './pages/ContactPage';

// Define routes using the Routes component
export default function AppRoutes() {
  return (
    <Routes>
      {/* Define routes using the Route component */}
      <Route path="/" element={<HomePage />} />
      <Route path="/about" element={<AboutPage />} />
      <Route path="/contact" element={<ContactPage />} />
    </Routes>
  );
}

// app/pages/HomePage.js

// Define the component for the Home page
export default function HomePage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Home Page</h1>
      {/* Additional content for the Home page */}
    </div>
  );
}

// app/pages/AboutPage.js

// Define the component for the About page
export default function AboutPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>About Page</h1>
      {/* Additional content for the About page */}
    </div>
  );
}

// app/pages/ContactPage.js

// Define the component for the Contact page
export default function ContactPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Contact Page</h1>
      {/* Additional content for the Contact page */}
    </div>
  );
}

In this code:

• We define routes using the <Route> component provided by Remix.run within the <Routes> component.
• Each route specifies a path attribute and the corresponding React component to render when that path is matched.
• We create separate React components for each page (HomePage, AboutPage, and ContactPage) that define the content and layout for those pages.
• The element prop of the <Route> component is used to specify the React element (component) to render when the route matches.
• This structure allows Remix.run to handle routing and rendering based on the specified routes, providing a user-friendly routing system for developing modern JavaScript-based apps.

Top 5 React UI Component Libraries

Material-UI, Ant Design, and a semantic user interface (UI) React, React Bootstrap, and Chakra User Interface (UI) are five of the best-known and famous libraries. When selecting a library, examine its compliance with the functionalities of your project, as well as the features it provides and how highly supported it is by the community that supports it. 

#1 Material UI 

Material-UI is a well-known React UI package that follows how Google has Material Design (MD) guidelines. It has many customizable components, such as controls, inputs, navigation bars, etc. 

Material UI has many characteristics, theming possibilities, and responsive design abilities, making it an adaptable alternative for creating visually beautiful and easy-to-use user interfaces.

‍#2 Ant Design

Ant Design is a complete React user interface library created by Alibaba Group. It provides an extensive library of reusable components motivated by the Ant Programming language. 

Ant Design prioritizes a clean, minimalist aesthetic and offers a consistent, user-friendly interface across multiple applications. It also provides internationalization ability and a large selection of icons.

#3 Semantic UI React

Semantic UI React is a Semantic user interface library integration for React. It offers a collection of user interface (UI) elements emphasizing concepts and intuitive naming standards. 

The semantic user interface (UI) of React provides a variety of components and layout options to simplify development and promote code consistency. It also offers theming and customization to meet a variety of design needs.

#4 React Bootstrap

React Bootstrap combines the capabilities of React and the Bootstrap framework, a well-known CSS platform. It includes pre-built React components that adhere to the Bootstrap style language. 

React Bootstrap includes a plethora of responsive components as well as a grid-based structure, making it simple for web application development services. It enables developers to take advantage of both React and Bootstrap’s flexibility and adaptability.

#5 Chakra UI

The Chakra user interface is a React UI component framework that is simple and lightweight to use. Its primary goal is to provide a uniform and adaptable design system that corresponds to the requirements of accessibility. 

Chakra UI comes with a plethora of parts and stylistic possibilities, as well as color modes, theming, and responsive design. It attempts to increase developer efficiency while also creating helpful user interfaces.

The Popular State Management Libraries In React

There are numerous popular React.js state-managing libraries that offer more complex and scalable ways for handling states in more prominent apps. The following are just a few of the most extensively used state-managing libraries:

#1 Redux

Redux is a JavaScript application’s predictable state manager. It allows for centralized state management by storing the state of an application in a single store. Redux updates the form via the use of unidirectional data flow and reducers. It is well-known for its rigorous immutability rules as well as its vast ecosystem of connectors and tools.

#2 MobX

MobX is an easy-to-use and extensible state management framework that focuses on implementing functional reactive programming (FRP) principles in a visible manner. It enables programmers to define observables that keep track of and modify connections continuously. MobX allows for a more adaptable and dynamic method of state management.

#3 React Context API

The Context API integrated into React enables the management of the state at the level of a component without the use of other libraries. It allows the state to be passed down the component tree without the need for explicit prop drilling. Context API can be used for handling simple or localized forms, and it can be integrated with other state management tools to handle more sophisticated scenarios.

#4 Zustand

Zustand is a small state-managed toolkit that makes use of hooks provided by React and the Context API. It provides a straightforward and minimalistic approach in terms of state management, with a focus on a limited API surface and good performance. Zustand is best suited for small to medium-sized applications or projects that require an easy-to-use solution.

#5 Recoil

Recoil is a Facebook management of the state library designed primarily for handling state in React apps. It uses atoms and selectors to give a more flexible and declarative method to state management. Recoil attempts to make state management for extensive systems simple and scalable.

Wrapping It Up

React Native has done well in establishing a positive reputation in the development market. This is due to the easy-to-understand features and customization options available to developers. Whether you are just getting to hire ReactJS developers or a seasoned developer in your field, all of the resources listed above will assist you in making the design and development process more accessible. 

FAQs