Today, JavaScript (JS) is the most popular programming language, with 64.96% of developers utilizing it. Instead of building JS code from scratch, however, software engineers are meeting today's demanding market needs by leveraging JS frameworks. The best JS frameworks give developers access to robust tools that streamline JavaScript app development for a range of web and mobile projects.
Before your business undergoes the app development phase, it's essential to understand the top JavaScript frameworks so you can select the right one, and hire JS developers at scale, with confidence. To inform your decision-making, our experts at TECLA have brought together key statistics about the best four JS frameworks for building exceptional apps.
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Top JavaScript Frameworks
According to the 2021 JavaScript Rising Stars report, which tracks the number of stars added on GitHub, React has taken the #1 spot with 18.5k+ downloads, followed by Vue, Svelte and Angular.
However, GitHub stars aren't the only way to understand front-end JavaScript frameworks. While they give you a sense of the trend, other statistics suggest a fuller picture of these top four frameworks.
All About React: #1 Most Popular JS Framework
Popularity: 182k stars / 37.2k forks / 8.9 million users / 1,539 contributors
Initially developed by Facebook, React is a robust open-source JS framework known for building top-notch responsive user interfaces (UI). It's best defined by its minimalistic framework that gives businesses great flexibility to scale projects and create SEO-friendly final products.
From a developer standpoint, React is an ideal JS framework as well. Not only is this framework painless to debug, a massive community also supports it.
Key React Statistics
1. React is the #1 most popular JS framework with 15.7 million downloads.
According to the sheer number of downloads reported by NPM Trends, React outpaces Angular, Vue, and Svelte with more than 15.7 million package downloads. In practice, businesses choose React over other frameworks, likely due to its flexibility and scalability for building web and mobile apps.
2. React shows the highest levels of user satisfaction at 70%.
The 2020 State of JavaScript Report confirms developers' satisfaction with React. A whopping 70% of React users say they would use this JS framework again. This level of satisfaction speaks to React's ease of use from a developer's point of view. For businesses who want to speed up development time, React may be a top pick, as developers show a high level of comfort with it.
Developers also ranked Vue and Svelte highly, though perhaps the most interesting takeaway is how little developers regard Angular. For example, 33% of developers say they wouldn't want to use Angular again, the lowest satisfaction score for a JS framework.
3. React developers are in the highest demand from employers and businesses.
The job market is another measure of the importance of certain front-end JavaScript frameworks over others. This data comes from Hacker News Hiring Trends and shows the percentage of posts for developer job openings.
React developers are overwhelmingly in the highest demand, though Vue and Angular jobs are also present at low numbers. (Svelte jobs have yet to be posted.) Overall, the higher market demand for React developers shows that most employers and businesses are choosing React.
Are you looking to interview and hire top JavaScript developers? TECLA can help you hire React developers, hire Angular developers, and hire Node developers in less time.
All About Vue: A Lightweight JS Framework
Popularity: 193k stars / 31.4k forks / 404 contributors
Vue is a lightweight JS framework advantageous for building highly dynamic apps, such as single-page applications (SPAs). From a business perspective, Vue has a reputation as a small-sized JS framework that achieves top results with little overhead.
In addition to its business-friendly features, Vue is widely considered the most straightforward JS framework to learn due to its ease of use.
Key Vue Statistics
1. The share of developers regularly using Vue has grown to 42%.
As a dynamic JS framework ideal for small-sized projects, Vue has steadily become more popular with businesses. According to JetBrain's State of Developer Ecosystem Report, 43% of developers report using Vue on a regular basis. This statistic is just shy of reaching React's usage rating at 49%.
2. Vue is the #1 JS framework in specific locations such as China.
Though React is the most popular JS framework worldwide, Vue is the #1 JS framework in certain locations. Based on Google search trends, Vue is searched at high volumes in countries such as:
- China
- U.K.
- France
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Ireland
- Morocco
- Switzerland
3. Vue is an optimal choice for top businesses.
While Vue doesn't have as strong a market presence as Angular, it's important to note what type of businesses are selecting it. By putting websites into categories - Top 10K sites, Top 100K sites, Top 1M sites, and Entire Web - it's clear that Vue is a preferred JS framework for these top businesses. This is an essential distinction for companies seeking industry-best JS frameworks.
All About Angular: A High-Use JS Framework in Decline
Popularity: 79.6k stars / 20.9k forks / 2.1 million users / 1,545 contributors
Though Angular has seen a decline in popularity in recent years, it's still highly used across the web and considered a top JS framework. Developed by Google, Angular is a robust JS framework ideal for businesses requiring large-scale web applications and/or real-time web applications.
Though Angular has a reputation for being clunky, this JS framework comes equipped with a suite of software developer tools and a massive community base. It's primarily known for its reusable user interface (UI) components, which can help speed up development time.
Key Angular Statistics
1. Angular still has a strong market presence with current websites.
To measure how often web companies use these frameworks, it's also helpful to look at web penetration. Similar Tech has kept a running tab on the number of websites and domains that use these JS frameworks.
Though React remains the top choice with 1.2 million sites, over 350,000+ businesses have chosen to develop their websites on Angular.
2. Angular has a steady developer usage ranking at 22.96%.
According to Statista data, 22.96% of developers utilize this JS framework - more than Vue and other JS frameworks like Svelte. This shows that many businesses still rely on Angular's tried-and-true features for their web development projects.
3. Developers have a marked low interest in working with Angular, with only 8.47% wanting to use it.
Angular was once the most popular JS framework, but newer, more lightweight options such as React and Vue have since become preferred tools for developers. Today, only 8.47% of developers want to use Angular, according to Stack Overflow's Developer Survey.
Learn more about the programming languages in high demand by checking out our recruitment hub.
All About Svelte: A Young, Ultra-Fast JS Framework
Popularity: 55.9k stars / 2.7k forks / 81.5k users / 476 contributors
Built by Rich Harris, Svelte is a relatively new JS framework that developers love due to its user-friendly features. In addition, this JS framework supports ultra-fast coding because it doesn't rely on traditional virtual DOM techniques. Businesses like The New York Times have opted for this lightweight JS framework, and experts believe it may grow in popularity as it matures.
Key Svelte Statistics
1. Svelte is a favorite JS framework in the industry, with 71.47% of developers "loving" it.
According to the 2021 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, developers are most fond of Svelte with 71.47% of developers reporting that they "love" it. Though businesses have been relatively slow to adopt Svelte, it's still a young JS framework and may gain popularity over time.
It's noteworthy that developers are highly satisfied with this framework. In fact, many industry experts believe Svelte's new approach may be a crucial part of JavaScript's future.
2. Svelte has grown steadily since its launch five years ago.
It takes time for developers to learn and adopt new JS frameworks. However, according to NPM Trends, the number of package downloads for Svelte has steadily increased since its launch five years ago. Though it hasn't yet reached React, Vue, or Angular levels, businesses should watch this JS framework and consider it for their future projects.
Are you interested in learning about other JS frameworks and programming languages? We've got industry tips for Node.JS and more!
Final Takeaway: JavaScript App Development Today
Today, businesses rely on JavaScript app development to build critical mobile and web application projects. Therefore, the choice of JS framework is a key step in the development process, as every option has different strengths and limitations.
The top JS frameworks - React, Vue, Angular and Svelte - are excellent for streamlining JavaScript app development. While React is the most popular JavaScript framework in terms of overall usage and satisfaction, Vue, Angular and Svelte have their share of advantages.
Whatever JS framework you choose for your business, be sure to understand the programming landscape by looking closely at statistics like these and general remote IT numbers. This way, you'll be better prepared to pinpoint the best JS framework for your business and achieve outstanding results for your next development project.
The demand for JavaScript app development is only skyrocketing. If your business requires JS programming skills, TECLA can help recruit top talent for your team. Learn more about our recruitment service here.