Let’s get one thing straight: React is fine.
But fine isn’t the same as good — fine is what you say when you burn dinner and still eat it anyway.
React became the “default” framework not because it’s perfect, but because it was first to go mainstream. It’s the MySpace of modern web dev — everyone’s on it, but no one’s really happy about it.
💀 The Cult of the Component
Every time I open a React codebase, I feel like I’m entering a Russian nesting doll of divs and curly braces. You import 12 libraries just to make a button that says “hi.” The runtime overhead could power a small nuclear plant, and every update breaks three things you didn’t even touch.
🧠 “But Everyone Uses It!”
Yeah, and everyone used Internet Explorer once.
Popularity doesn’t equal quality — it just means people got too used to the pain.
Let’s not pretend writing hooks that look like cryptic algebra is a fun developer experience. I don’t wake up in the morning excited to debug state management for a counter app.
⚡ Alternatives That Don’t Suck
If you want to actually enjoy coding again, try one of these:
- Astro: Ships zero JS by default, works with anything, and doesn’t gaslight you about hydration.
- EJS: Old-school but so clean. You write templates, they render — magic.
- Svelte: React’s cooler, more elegant cousin who actually works out.
- Solid.js: Same concept as React but faster and somehow doesn’t make me question my life choices.
- Preact: React’s mini-me, for when you want the vibes without the bloat.
🧩 The “It’s What Companies Use” Argument
Sure, big companies use React. You know what else big companies use? Java, SAP, and 17-year-old legacy systems duct-taped to AWS.
Corporate adoption isn’t a seal of quality — it’s usually just inertia.
🪄 The Web Doesn’t Need More Frameworks
It needs better design choices. Frameworks like Astro are leading the way by focusing on content, speed, and developer sanity instead of 8GB node_modules folders.
🥂 Final Thoughts
If React works for you — cool. I genuinely hope you’re happy.
But for me? I’d rather eat glass than spend another hour debugging hydration mismatches because a div forgot it was “use client.”
There are better tools, faster tools, and honestly, more human tools.
So next time someone says “just use React,” tell them:
“Nah, I like my websites fast, my bundle small, and my sanity intact.”