Angular to React: 5 Reasons to Migrate
November 7, 2024•4 min read
If you are thinking about migrating from Angular to React, it is a great idea to deal with. More and more companies see the excellence of ReactJS in every major market and compare it with Angular, whose popularity is declining every year.
Moreover, developers also choose the best options for themselves. They prefer working with tools that avoid routine tasks, give creative freedom, and push them to make the best product possible.
Today, I want to tell you the main reasons for Angular to React migration and explain why sticking with Angular might not be the best move for your business. But first, read our important note about AngularJS.
Note: If your site or platform is based on AngularJS, it doesn't really matter whether you migrate to Angular or React — this is far better than staying on AngularJS, as that technology is now dead and no longer supported. In such cases, migrating to Angular might make more sense, as its structure is similar to AngularJS. I've also posted a comprehensive guide about AngularJS to Angular migration, where you will find step-by-step instructions and answers to all your questions, so make sure to check it out.
Now, let's go to the 5 Reasons to Migrate from Angular to React.
Larger Talent Pool and Ecosystem
The first reason to migrate from Angular to React might seem trivial, but it's incredibly impactful. React community and ecosystem are the biggest in the frontend development industry, making hiring talents significantly easier and faster.
In fact, the Angular developer community is smaller than React's by almost 100%, and Google Trends confirms this.
This gap in community size is reflected in the job market: at the time of writing, UpWork lists over 5,600 job offers for React developers.
While Angular struggles to reach even 1,000.
This shift highlights that more businesses are choosing React because it enables the fast creation of dynamic user interfaces and continues gaining ground.
Moreover, React's ecosystem offers a vast selection of third-party libraries and tools at your disposal, so developers can quickly integrate new features without building them from scratch.
Better Performance for Complex Interfaces
The second key reason to convert Angular to React is the superior React performance when you work with complex, feature-rich user interfaces. If I were making a highly interactive system such as Figma or an Image Editor, I would choose React because its dynamic nature makes it an indispensable tool for implementing advanced features like drag-and-drop, control elements, and other intricate UI interactions.
These performance benefits are available due to virtual DOM. It minimizes the number of updates, making rendering faster and more efficient, even in applications with a high level of user interface complexity.
While Angular can also support large-scale applications, its structure is overhead when dealing with dynamic, real-time updates.
Global Operations
Angular to React migration is a crucial process for businesses that are operating multiple offices or preparing to expand globally.
React is the preferred choice around the world, whereas Angular is only prominent in a few South American countries like Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia.
Therefore, if you plan to open offices in the U.S., Germany, or China, transitioning to React will give you access to a larger pool of skilled teammates. Developers in these regions are more experienced with React, making the hiring and onboarding process faster and more efficient.
In contrast, sticking with Angular will lead to longer recruitment times, as the framework is less used in key markets. No one wants to spend much time hiring Angular talents and trailing behind competitors who are already moving ahead and achieving results faster with React.
Seamless Transition to Mobile with React Native
If your business plans to expand into mobile app development, or you need a mobile app to complement your core offerings, you need to think twice about sticking to Angular.
React Native allows developers to reuse much of the same codebase from a web application, significantly speeding up development times and reducing costs. Moreover, this cross-platform compatibility ensures that your app can be built for iOS and Android, cutting down the need for separate development teams.
Angular does not have the same level of seamless integration with mobile development. The transition between web and mobile products is not as smooth, often requiring additional steps and learning curves.
By choosing React and React Native, you can adapt quickly to new business needs, future-proof your business, and minimize duplication of work.
Versatility Across Industries
The last but certainly not least important feature of React is its unmatched versatility, which makes it an ideal choice for a broad range of industries and platforms.
While Angular is like a skyscraper — solid, structured, and well-suited for specific, large-scale applications — React is more like a multi-tool, adaptable and flexible for almost any task.
Whether you're building an e-commerce platform, a media application, or an automotive solution, React's component-based architecture and ease of integration with various tools make it perfect for quickly implementing changes and adding new functionalities.
If your project on Angular is becoming too restrictive or needs to evolve with new technologies, migrating to React will allow your team to move faster and address all challenges with ease.
Conclusion
The advantages of React undoubtedly overshadow Angular when it comes to flexibility, creativity, and ease of use. However, Angular is still an excellent tool that supports complex high-tech systems like Google.
After learning about the reasons for migrating from Angular to React, you may still have questions about realization. Don't worry. We are here to help. Contact us, and we will provide prospects for your project and recommend the best option for scaling your business for free.
FAQ
1. How long does it take to migrate from Angular to React?
The time for migration depends on the size and complexity of the project. For smaller apps, the process can take from a week to a couple of months. Larger, more complex systems may require several months to years.
To accurately estimate the time needed for migration, it's essential to conduct an assessment of the project, develop a detailed migration plan, and determine the number of developers needed. By understanding all these details, you can calculate the required time.
2. How many developers are needed for this migration?
A team of 2-3 developers may be sufficient for smaller applications. Larger, enterprise-level projects may require a dedicated team of 5 or more developers, including frontend specialists, backend engineers (if necessary), and quality testers.
The key is having an experienced team familiar with Angular and React to make the migration efficient.
3. What will happen to my project during the migration?
During the migration process, your project can continue to function as usual. The migration can be incremental, meaning parts of your application can be rewritten in React while the rest of the application continues to run on Angular.
Once the migration is complete, your project will be fully operational in React, with all the benefits that come with it — faster performance, greater flexibility, and easier maintenance.
Alex Vasylenko is the founder of The Frontend Company, DBC and several other successful startups. A dynamic tech entrepreneur, he began his career as a frontend developer at Deloitte and Scandinavia's largest banking company. In 2023, Alex was honored as one of 'Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs' by USA Today.
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