Explain what exactly React is, simple terms

Question

I am currently learning React and Redux on here(just finished the React lessons, but still little confused on HOW to use it), and I kinda sorta understand it. I probably just need to go through again and also practice coding it more, but I dont really understand WHERE i can practice coding with React(besides StackBlitz). Also, I am super confused on how to use Node.js, part of the React lessons on sololearn it had me install Node, buuuut I am VERY confused on how to even use the thing. So if somebody can, just kind of help explain to me in a nutshell what React is all about and also about Node, Thank you for any help at all :)

Answer 1

Basically react is a javascript framework and it is used to build web apps (single page application)
React allows us to code reusabilty
For large websites we have to write large codes which may be similar but with the use of react we can use similar code again without writing it again

Answer 2

In simple and technical term,React is a javascript library(keep in mind that technically, it's not a framework) used to combine the javascript logic inside the Complex UI( using JSX syntax) for creating web apps.

Answer 3

Hey Izac,
I understand the confusion.

This confusion is well deserved.

I made my first site in plain HTML, CSS and very minor JS.
It was greatest feeling ever.

Then I realized, I don't even need to write HTML. I can just create HTML dynamically using JS. It was a massive revelation.

Eventually I picked up jQuery and realized "wow , working with JS is now so simpler with the built-in methods". Life was going good. I was able to build anything alone.

But then i keep hearing React, Angular, etc. Friends told me that's the only way to get a job in front-end development these days.

So I started learning React and realized
"Wow....., i just made a complete website with many pages with just few lines of code"
It was magical.
Not only that, I realized theres a lot of stuff going on in background to handle performance and security.

Eventually everyone realized why the heck are we working so hard to build the same features. Let's use these Angular React

Answer 4

Part 2:

In short, anyone jumping to React and Angular without playing with plain HTML, CSS and Javascript will be confused all the time.

I see junior developers coming right out of their college working in Angular React rethinking about their life choices. It's because they do not understand that Angular and React is the result of decades of web development by hardcore web developers in companies like Facebook and Google. Pushing boundaries of front end development.

Mere mortals like us are bound to get confused.

Unless...

We know plain HTML, CSS and Javascript.

Answer 5

Regarding, Node..

People were pushing the boundaries of Javascript in early 2000s.
Sept 2008 Google dropped a brand new JS engine called V8. It changed the whole frontend development game around the world.
It was 500 times faster than the next best JS engine.

Javascript lovers got crazy and there was only limited stuff we can do with JS in browser.
So in 2009, node was made using V8 to do everything with Javascript .

Eventually it got so popular that everyone started using it. I mean why not. No one wanted to learn another language to do server side stuff.

So.. yeah, now whole front end ecosystem revolves around Nodejs even Angular and React uses node to spit out plain HTML, CSS and JS.

Answer 6

Redux is just a plain big object to store information in browsers.
It can tell you whenever someone updates the data in that object.

It's a good design pattern.

Answer 7

Morpheus, thank you so much you explained it very easy and simple for me, I feel like i understand the concept a bit more, Im gonna keep trying to learn it and try to actually code with it to get used to it, thanks again👍🏻