I’ve been wondering why there’s so much buzz around React. Everyone seems to be raving about it, but I couldn’t help but ask, “Why React? Why not Ember?” 🤔

Personally, I’m a big fan of Ember. Maybe it’s because I learned Ember before diving into React. When I did get around to learning React, I found that many of its features seemed quite similar to Ember’s. But despite the similarities, I still find Ember to be easier and more intuitive.

I learned Ember using its official documentation, without relying on additional resources. I also clarified my doubts with colleagues and others who have experience with Ember. This hands-on experience has solidified my appreciation for Ember’s strengths.

Let me share why Ember stands out in my book, especially when compared to React:

🚀 Ember CLI

This might be a major reason to consider using Ember instead of React. Ember CLI is a powerful tool that streamlines tasks such as adding routes, components, or plugins. It’s integrated and designed to work seamlessly.

React’s CLI tools, like Create React App, are handy but typically offer less built-in functionality. They often require additional configuration for complex setups, which can increase development overhead.

🚀 Easy Routing

Ember’s routing is particularly straightforward, making navigation smooth and intuitive. With Ember, setting up routes is simple thanks to its built-in conventions.

React’s routing requires more setup and configuration, especially when dealing with nested routes and dynamic segments.

🚀 Strong Conventions

One of Ember’s strengths is its self-configuring nature. Much like Spring Boot, Ember is designed to work out of the box with its conventions and defaults. This reduces the time spent on initial configuration and allows more focus on building the application.

React’s flexibility is advantageous but often means more configuration and decision-making, as it doesn’t enforce a specific structure. This flexibility can lead to inconsistent codebases if not carefully managed.

🚀 Effortless Testing

Testing in Ember is straightforward and robust. The framework’s CLI comes with built-in testing support, making it easier to write and run tests.

React also supports testing well, but it often requires additional tools and libraries like React Testing Library. While these tools are powerful, they can add an extra layer of setup.

🚀 Ember Mirage

For front-end development, Ember Mirage is a significant advantage. It acts as an in-memory server that allows you to mock API interactions without needing a real backend. This is particularly useful for developing and testing features when the backend is still in progress or when simulating various server responses.

React doesn’t have a built-in solution for mocking APIs. Developers often use third-party libraries or tools like MirageJS, which, while inspired by Ember Mirage, may require additional setup.

So, what do you think? Have you tried Ember? 🤔 Do you have any experiences or opinions on why one might be better than the other?

Let’s start a discussion in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 😊

If you’re interested in learning more about Ember, you can check out the official Ember.js documentation here.