That doesn't mean that those merits don't exist. Most of the new React competitors are just reinventions of HTML templating done client-side. React has been dominant for so long that there's a whole generation of frontend devs who don't remember why it was invented in the first place. Writing loops in HTML? We tried that, it sucks!
It's telling that the "new" frameworks have no ideas other than to revert to ideas that were tried in the past. React is so modern it makes its replacements feel dated.
Couple of thoughts regarding this:
* A competing alternative would have to have really big benefits from a technical standpoint to outweigh the React advantages that you mentioned.
* When exploring alternatives IMO the burden of proving that something is better lies within the person/people that want to go with an alternative option. React is the de facto standard these days so it shouldn't be a matter of "why React" but "why not React".
Its easy and well known, even now.
The answer I see is that react is technically good enough.
Using boring technology doesnt mean using the technically most advanced thing.
It means picking something safe and stable.
What can it do that others cant? Literally nothing.
That didnt and does not stop it from being used for connivence sake.
The point is: if its not about the technical quality; why are we not still using it now?
As a new grad, I would’ve picked a react job over a JQuery job even if the JQuery one paid me 10k more.
even when not being opinionated react foundationally has more structure for complex code.
Besides if you are a small company, or a start up, your job is to get things done. Not to embark on a global technology crusade to push your favourite tech.
By and large the best thing about react is the overall ecosystem, libraries, talent and ubiquitousness. And thats a good thing.
I also am not saying teams I have been on that picked react made the wrong choice. That's all in context and as you said startups are often in the "get things done" mentality where tech debt won't matter if you can't survive long enough for it to matter.
React has React Native as part of its ecosystem. That’s a massive advantage. react-strict-dom is going to be a game changer for the development of universal apps.
You aren't arguing on merits. You're arguing on everything else. Why aren't we all still using C? Or B? Why isn't every website on good old PHP?
Things change because people want better or different. Saying "people already use it" is not an argument for something.
But these substantial technical merits are also largely shared by the other modern React competitors, and the differences between these modern options are small enough that they won't outweigh the social benefits of React (except in narrow use cases).
