Of course people do. No one is forced to use React or any other web framework unlike how they are practically forced to use JavaScript, and yet React wins. This should be enough evidence that people like it enough, at least more than most other frameworks out there.

It is also somewhat ironic that until late 2010s a common complaint about web development is how fast it changes and how many new things are coming up all the times. It was a very valid complaint, of course. But then when the React monoculture rose to the top, and everyone decides to complain about how that sucks instead. You really can't win.

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r0m4n0 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I have never been able to pick the framework and libraries for my day job. I’m almost always working on something someone started years prior or bound to an organization that has strict choices. Personally I wouldn’t pick react :)

React wins because it has become a default choice and folks like what’s comfortable to their preferences

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pibaker an hour ago | parent | next [-]

I mean, that means someone at your work liked React enough to choose it over the alternatives.

I see a lot of personal projects, solo founder applications etc running made in React. I respect your opinion but other people definitely do choose it when they have fully control of what they use.

	▲	TonyStr an hour ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Most decision-makers make decisions based on what they already know. Most of my colleagues only know React, because they've only been exposed to React. Why do you think Java dominates the market still? React solved a huge problem when it was new, and it still solves that problem fine (change detection - the reactivity model). There are better alternatives available now (Vue - signals), but the difference isn't big enough to create a new monoculture. Sure there are peripheral concerns like how mature the ecosystem is or the particular ergonomics of a framework, but these are mostly fluff.
	▲	janalsncm an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		That doesn’t mean they like it now, and more importantly it doesn’t mean it was actually the best choice at the time. I used to be on a team that used Mongo for a relational database because Mongo was trendy at one time. So all joins had to be done in the application layer.

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curtisblaine 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

React wins because it has a predictable interface that has become industry standard. Industry standard saves money. Not everything must be creative.

	▲	pjmlp 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Not very predicatble with Vercel ownership.

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Cakez0r 38 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

React does have its benefits, but there is also a tendency to pick it because of the inertia it has over whether it is the best tool for the job. "Everyone uses react and this will maximize our hiring pool / set of contractors we can use", "A react project will look good on my resume".

	▲	pibaker 23 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I don't see why "inertia" or adoption should be excluded when deciding what library to use for the job. If you are manufacturing a physical product you will need to consider how easy it is to source any component before adding it to your bill of materials. I don't see why software engineering should be different. There is a reason why we are all working in boring languages and not Haskell or LISP despite their supposed technical superiority.

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pjmlp 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

On the contrary, I am forced to use React and Next.js as many SaaS vendors have partnerships with Vercel, and only make extension points available with them.

If I want anything else, I have to implement the integrations myself, search for some open source project that has already done it, or ask AI.

Doable on hobby projects, unthinkable in professional settings.