The problem is really folks trying to one-size-fits-all web projects. React basically exists to give a “good enough” GUI toolkit functionality in the browser. On the other hand, the web was built to publish content as in articles and information. Everything kind of sits somewhere on the continuum between static content and the interactive app experience. At the extreme it can be interactive “art” piece.

It is important to consider digital media (as in art medium) best to convey an idea. And folks should start with HTML/CSS. Minimally, JS can be used for client-side validation. But that’s not necessary since the server needs to validate anyway.

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killerstorm a day ago | parent | next [-]

I think main reason people choose React now is "nobody was fired for choosing React". (That used to be a saying about IBM as a vendor.) People can build their career around React.

And it is better "job security" than pure HTML+JS: React apps need constant maintenance

	▲	pjmlp a day ago \| parent [-]
		Another reason are SaaS and iPaaS SDKs having it as favoured stack, which kind of builds on your assertion.

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DANmode a day ago | parent | prev [-]

> React basically exists to give a “good enough” GUI toolkit functionality in the browser.

and it’s sole usage for so many apps is one of the top-five reasons, following 2010s SPA frameworks, that people believe web apps inherently suck.