React, Angular, Vue: Which Framework Should You Choose in 2025?

The question of “Which framework is better: React, Angular, Vue?” has sparked countless debates. This trio has become the pillars of frontend development, each with its own community and use cases. You’ll see this question debated endlessly on Reddit, Quora, and tech forums, yet the answer always seems elusive. 

Spoiler: there is no ultimate winner, as each framework is built with specific goals, and what works for one developer or project might not work for another. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and the right choice depends entirely on your project’s needs. 

Today, we’re taking a closer look at React, Angular, and Vue. By the end, you won’t have a clear winner—but you’ll have a clearer understanding of which framework might be the best fit for your next project.

Let’s get started.

React: The Flexible Giant ( Freedom and Flexibility) 

React, or ReactJS, is technically a library (as even its Wikipedia page points out) but is widely considered a tool for front-end development with its component-based architecture and virtual DOM. Facebook created React in 2013 for internal use and later released it to the public. Its goal is to transform the way developers think about UI development and give them freedom and flexibility.  

React Key Features

JSX and the Virtual DOM

JSX - a syntax extension that combines JavaScript and HTML was introduced by React. Developers have mixed feelings about it because some find JSX cumbersome, while others appreciate its ability to simplify the creation of DOM elements. The library significantly improves responsiveness and performance thanks to React's Virtual DOM. Instead of updating the real DOM directly, React first makes changes to a lightweight copy and then determines the most efficient way to apply only the necessary updates. This reduces unnecessary rendering and speeds up the interface, making interactions smoother and more efficient.

Component-Based Architecture

React uses a component architecture, this is one of key features. Each component in web application is responsible for displaying a certain part of the interface. You can mix and match each component to build more complex elements. With this approach development process became more flexible and efficient and allows easily change and reuse components in different parts of the project managing their own logic and rendering.

Pros of React

• Flexibility and ecosystem: the approach offers a minimal core and does not force developers to adopt specific solutions for state management, routing, etc. It allows developers to choose and integrate the libraries they need and like, resulting in lighter and more optimized applications and greater flexibility in choosing tools.
• Performance: the Virtual DOM ensures quick rendering and responsiveness.
• Community and resources: There is tons of useful info on React's website and even more stuff out there online. The React community is huge and super active. You can find tutorials, articles, guides—basically anything you could need.
• TypeScript support: integrates seamlessly with TypeScript, which is good for safety and better maintainability.
• Testing: straightforward, requiring minimal configuration.

Cons of React

• Steep learning curve for best practices: React’s flexibility can be a problem for beginners and lead to inconsistent codebases.
• No built-in features: React focuses solely on the UI, everything else is on developers, such as choosing and configuring additional libraries for tasks like routing or notification and state management. (it takes extra time to pick and also can cost you more)
• JSX Polarization: While JSX is excellent for some, it can be off-putting for other developers which are used to separate HTML and JavaScript.
• Scaling Challenges: Without an enforced structure, scaling large React applications can become complex.

Quotes of developers on React:

"React changes too fast. Keeping up with Facebook’s updates is exhausting."

"React feels more flexible for projects that move fast and change often."

"React makes creating a simple component as easy as writing a function."

React Ecosystem: Exploring Frameworks Beyond React

React's flexibility has fostered the creation of several frameworks, such as Next.js, Remix, and Gatsby, that extend its functionality for specific use cases. These frameworks address some of React’s core limitations, like setting up routing and optimizing performance, while still allowing developers to build scalable and high-performing applications. Check this article for detailed research about React-based frameworks. 

Angular: The All-in-One Framework

The next one is Angular, which is a full-fledged framework that adheres to the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) architecture developed and maintained by Google. Unlike React, which focuses solely on the UI, Angular provides a complete structure with all the tools and utilities needed to build a web app right out of the box. 

Angular key features

Angular follows the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) architecture and comes with a rich set of features out of the box, including:

• A Command Line Interface (CLI) for automating tasks.
• integrated libraries for essential functionalities, including: routing, animations, forms, state management, server-side rendering, and HTTP client.
• Built-in Dependency Injection for cleaner, more maintainable code.

Modular Architecture

Angular applications are organized into modules, making them highly scalable and easier to maintain. This structure, combined with TypeScript integration, encourages clean and consistent codebases.

Pros of Angular

• All-in-one solution: includes everything developers need, reducing reliance on third-party libraries.
• TypeScript Integration: TypeScript is at the core of Angular, providing type safety and advanced tooling.
• Scalability: modular design makes it an excellent choice for large-scale enterprise applications.
• Community and resources: provides great documentation. Google’s backing ensures continuous updates, and supportive community with a lot of different kind of resources. 
• Documentation: Includes best practices, coding guidelines, and tips for optimizing performance and processes.
• Debugging and Testing: The Angular State Inspector tool simplifies debugging, allowing developers to inspect states directly in the browser without needing excessive boilerplate or breakpoints.

Cons of Angular

• Steep Learning Curve: Angular’s extensive feature set can be daunting for beginners.
• Performance Considerations: While powerful, Angular applications can become sluggish without careful optimization, as they often suffer from larger bundle sizes.
• Complexity: The framework’s all-encompassing nature can feel overwhelming for smaller projects.

Angular and Wiz: What Developers Should Know

If we’re speaking about Angular it’s also worth mentioning its gradual merge with Google’s internal framework, Wiz. Though it is not widely known outside Google, Wiz has powered high-performance applications like Drive and Maps, which makes it an intriguing addition to Angular's ecosystem. While the full impact remains unclear, this collaboration hints at significant changes in performance optimization and possibly even Angular's syntax and practices. This brings questions about how these updates will shape existing workflows and what benefits Wiz might bring to real-world projects. This process would take years, but we should keep an eye on it.

Reddit about Angular 

"I work in Angular, but sometimes all the RxJS boilerplate feels like overkill."

"Angular is like .NET. Everything I need is in there. With React, I have to pick and choose libraries, which gets confusing."

“I love that it's heavily opinionated. At the base, almost all projects are the same and if you follow best practices, it's relatively easy to get into projects you don't know yet, even if they are large”

Vue: The Balanced one

Vue, created by Evan You, has gained a reputation for its simplicity, performance, and versatility. It’s often seen as a middle ground between React and Angular, borrowing the best aspects of both while creating its unique approach.

Its lightweight design and intuitive architecture make it a favorite for projects of all sizes, especially small to medium-scale applications.

Component-Centric Simplicity

Vue employs a component-based approach similar to React and Angular but with a unique twist: Single File Components (SFCs). Each SFC consolidates a component's logic, template, and styling into a single .vue file, streamlining the organization and enhancing maintainability. This structure is especially helpful for developers working on large projects who value neat, modular code.

Flexibility Meets Familiarity

As I’ve mentioned, Vue borrows the best of both Angular and React, offering a declarative syntax akin to Angular’s Directives and a Virtual DOM for high performance, much like React. With Vue 3, the Composition API introduced a modern approach to writing components, resembling React's functional components and hooks, while retaining the option to use the older Options API for those who prefer it.

Moreover, tools like Nuxt and Quasar are transforming Vue's ecosystem into one of the most developer-friendly environments(according to reddit review). Nuxt simplifies routing, server-side rendering, and data fetching, offering a polished meta-framework that rivals the functionality of React’s Next.js but with fewer complexities. Quasar, on the other hand, is a game-changer with its integrated component library and seamless development tools, making Vue an even more appealing choice for a range of applications.

Pros of Vue

Documentation: official documentation is often praised as the standard for clarity and accessibility. 

Gentle Learning Curve: for those familiar with HTML and JavaScript, Vue is easy to grasp thanks to its approachable syntax.

Flexible Ecosystem: it functions as a full-fledged framework or a lightweight library for specific features, depending on your project needs.

Community Support: A growing community and ecosystem provide access to third-party tools and plugins for enhanced functionality.

Innovative Tools: The ecosystem includes standout frameworks like Nuxt and Quasar, which eliminate the need for extensive third-party libraries.

Cons of Vue

Limited Resources: Vue’s ecosystem is smaller compared to Angular and React, so there are way less  libraries and tools.

Incompatibility Between Major Versions: Upgrading between major releases can be challenging due to breaking changes.

Debugging Complexity: Older versions, like Vue 2.6, were criticized for unclear error messages. This area was improved with the release of Vue 3, but some challenges remain.

Typescript Integration: Although TypeScript support in Vue 3 is much better, yet there’s still room for fine-tuning.

Reddit 

"I forgot how good the docs are. They're super easy to read, and if you just read them, you'll learn the entire framework in an afternoon."

"I'm using Nuxt, and it just works out of the box. And there are devtools for it! And they look amazing!"

“Vue 3 composition api is remarkable, named slots and the emit system make communication between components clean and easy.”

Which Framework Should You Choose in 2025?

When to Use React

React is the most adaptable of the three, making it suitable for everything from simple websites to complex, large-scale applications. This flexibility comes with a trade-off: you’ll need to make decisions about additional tools for things like routing and state management. However, React’s strengths—a component-based structure, Virtual DOM, and simple data flows—make it a fantastic choice for developers who value performance and versatility.

React is backed by a massive community and ecosystem, which means there’s no shortage of resources and support. Whether you’re creating a real-time chat app or an e-commerce platform, React gives you the tools to get the job done efficiently.

When to Use Angular

If you’re working on a large-scale or enterprise-level project, Angular is a solid choice. It’s a full-featured framework that provides everything you need straight out of the box, from dependency injection to powerful tools for building complex applications. That said, Angular isn’t the best option for smaller projects or quick prototypes—its steep learning curve and complexity can slow things down.

Angular really shines when scalability and structure are key priorities. Enterprises often choose Angular because it’s built for handling feature-rich applications that need to grow and evolve over time.

When to Use Vue

Vue is an excellent option if you’re looking for something that strikes a balance between simplicity and capability. It’s straightforward to learn, making it a favorite for beginners and experienced developers alike. Its reactivity system ensures smooth user experiences, with components that automatically update whenever the data changes.

Vue works particularly well for small to medium-sized projects and rapid prototyping. Its intuitive syntax and growing ecosystem, including tools like Nuxt and Quasar, make it a flexible yet structured framework for developers who want the best of both worlds.

Insights from Surveys

The Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024 reveals that React is currently the most sought-after and well-regarded framework among developers. To the survey’s question: "Which web frameworks and web technologies have you worked with extensively over the past year, and which do you want to work within the next year?" The results among professional developers were as follows:

• React ranks 1st, with 41.6% of developers choosing it.
• Angular is 4th with 19.4%.
• Vue lands in 8th place with 16.6%.

State of JavaScript Research

The 2024 State of JavaScript survey also shows React dominance with higher usage and positive developer response. Angular lags behind with moderate usage and less favorable opinions. Vue, however, offers an interesting perspective—it nearly matches Angular’s usage but significantly outshines it in positive feedback.

Graph from 2024 State of JavaScript survey showing web framework usage, developer opinions, and rising/falling popularity.

Developer Trends: React, Angular, Vue (March 2025 Data)

Exploring alternatives

In both of these surveys, frameworks such as Svelte, Solid, Preact, and Astro have some part in the JavaScript ecosystem. While their market share remains smaller, they still have shown consistent growth over the years. 

Let’s have a quick look:

• Svelte: takes a bit different approach than traditional frameworks that rely on a virtual DOM. Svelte compiles your code directly into efficient JavaScript during the build process. This makes apps faster and cuts down on unnecessary code. Its focus on simplicity and reactivity has made it a popular choice for developers looking to avoid boilerplate-heavy workflows.
• Solid: Known for its fine-grained reactivity and high performance. For those who worked with React, it would feel similar but faster and more focused. Unlike React, it skips the virtual DOM entirely, compiling templates to real DOM updates that are efficient and precise. This makes it ideal for applications where responsiveness is key.
• Preact: A lightweight React alternative that’s only 3KB in size, making it a solid choice for projects where performance and speed are critical. Preact’s compatibility with React also allows developers to transition to or from React seamlessly, offering flexibility for scaling projects.
• Astro: Tailored for content-heavy websites, Astro prioritizes speed with its server-first rendering approach. It supports multiple frameworks and excels in delivering performance for static and dynamic content, making it a go-to for content-rich sites.

Conclusion

As with most things in development, the choice comes down to your project’s needs. React shines for its adaptability, Angular is ideal for enterprise-scale projects, and Vue offers simplicity and elegance for small to medium-sized applications.

At the end of the day, frameworks are just tools. The key is to choose the one that best aligns with your team’s skills, your project’s scope, and your long-term goals. As one developer wisely put it: "Framework debates are fun, but at the end of the day, it’s the users’ experience that matters most."

No matter which framework you choose, Flexmonster has you covered. We have wrappers for React, Angular, and Vue, as well as the other front-end frameworks.

Explore our live demos to see Flexmonster in action:

• React Pivot Table Demo
• Angular Pivot Table Demo
• Vue Pivot Table Demo