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Helitha Rupasinghe
Helitha Rupasinghe

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Vue vs. Angular: Which is better for front-end development? (2022)

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In this post, we'll compare Vue.js vs Angular to determine which framework is best for you.

What is VueJS?

JavaScript frameworks like Vue are versatile and progressive because they allow code modifications without affecting core features, allowing for the creation of progressive UI components. Due to its high decoupling, Vue also provides opportunities to enhance the functionality of the web application with customised modules and visual components.

Vue ensures that no mistakes are repeated by learning from the ups and downs of Angular and React.

Advantages of VueJS

Let us look at the benefits that VueJS provides.

Virtual-DOM

Vue.js makes advantage of virtual DOMs to speed up page loading and work more efficiently. The use of virtual DOMs reduces the amount of server-side rendering, which increases performance.

Data Binding

Vue.js utilizes two data binding to synchronise all the data in various components, just as Angular. However, Vue has a special attribute called Prop, which may be assigned to any component that uses one-way data binding.

State Management

Vue provides a state management library known as Pinia. This centralised state management library facilitates the management and development of complicated applications.

Typescript support

Vue is completely rebuilt in Typescript and then compiled to Javascript. Therefore there is no need for a web developer or test engineer to learn another programming language, resulting in a smoother learning curve and speedier adoption.

Disadvantages of VueJS

  • Community : VueJS is so popular in China, the majority of the dialogue is in Chinese, which makes it difficult for English-speaking developers to learn and exchange resources.

  • Support : When utilised for large-scale projects, VueJS is still a relatively new framework with a small ecosystem, making it difficult for less experienced developers to handle problems.

  • Flexibility Risk : Normally, having options and flexibility is a good thing, but VueJS offers just too much. It's often believed to be a framework that makes projects too complicated, leading to mistakes and odd code.

  • Resource limitation : VueJS has a large ecosystem, however it still lacks plugins and utilities that are compatible with the majority of alternative tool sources and frameworks. The majority of the resources offered are also unsupported.

What is Angular?

Angular is a typescript-based Javascript framework that allows businesses to build scalable web apps. It is a stand-alone front-end architecture with built-in tools and functions that do not increase the size or performance of the application. Its adaptable code can be used for any deployed target and offers development opportunities across all platforms.

Angular was initially released in 2016, and it was a complete redesign of the 2010 version of AngularJS. The application framework was built by Misko Hevery and the Angular team at Google. The framework is now controlled by the same team as well as other external developers.

Advantages of Angular

Let us look at the benefits that Angular provides.

Complete Framework Package

Angular is regarded as a complete package for web development. It comes with the MEAN stack. MongoDB, a NoSQL database, Express.JS, back-end middleware, Angular, a front-end Javascript framework, and Node.JS, the runtime environment, are all represented by the letters M, E, A, and N, respectively.

Directives

Directives were initially introduced in AngularJS, and their usefulness has grown with each release. Developers can use it to extend the functionality of HTML components. The directives control the behaviour and data of DOM (Document Object Model) trees. This improves the productivity of desktop and web apps and contributes to the creation of richer user interfaces.

Data Binding

Angular uses two-way data binding to store the data across multiple layers. A bidirectional data flow between the various components is beneficial. It will ensure that the view components and logic layers are constantly in sync without the need for further work. In Angular, this may be accomplished by utilising the ngModel directive.

Cross-Platform

Angular is a cross-platform web development framework. Progressive web apps, mobile apps, and desktop applications can be created for the Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems.

TypeScript

Like other front-end frameworks, the code compiles to JavaScript, but TypeScript provides enhanced navigation, refactoring services, and autocomplete, all of which assist developers in building enterprise-scale programmes with fewer errors.

Core Library

Many built-in libraries in Angular make it easy for developers to work. The Angular-CLI project includes core libraries such as RxJS. It also includes various API-specific and frontend-specific libraries.

Disadvantages of Angular

  • Complexity : The frontend framework's handling of components and repetitiveness, given its element architecture, makes it time-consuming for developers.

  • Versions in AngularJS : For developers, switching from AngularJS to Angular is important, especially when employing a large framework application. Additionally, being aware of each edition lessens its appeal and raises the learning curve.

  • Heavily Weighted Framework : Boilerplate code, abstractions, and other packaged features can cause small and straightforward applications to grow in size.

Comparison of VueJS, ReactJS and Angular(Performance + Speed + Memory)

I'll demonstrate a benchmark test created by Stefan Krause so you can see the benefits of utilising each framework. A table with four columns and 1000 rows is displayed in this test. You choose which frameworks to use; I went with Vue-v3.2.37. Angular 13.0.0 and React 17.0.2.

Speed Test

Speed-Test

Vue is the fastest framework in this area, followed closely by Angular and React in terms of performance. At the bottom of the table, we can see something called Geometric mean. The geometric mean is a framework's indicator of overall effectiveness and quickness. This leads us to the following category ranking:

  1. Vue - 1.24 geometric mean
  2. Angular - 1.59 geometric mean
  3. React - 1.83 geometric mean

Startup Metrics

Startup-metrics

You may see how well Vue performs. React and Vue are just in front of Angular, who is dead last. This leads us to the following category ranking:

  1. Vue - 1.27 geometric mean
  2. React - 1.64 geometric mean
  3. Angular - 1.77 geometric mean

Memory Allocation

The memory test determines which framework consumes the least amount of memory when doing the same test. Let's get right to the findings.

Memory-Allocation

Vue is undoubtedly the winner yet again. Angular and React are close behind, with Angular (once again) performing the worst. This allows us to derive the category rating.

  1. Vue - 1.67 geometric mean
  2. React - 2.19 geometric mean
  3. Angular - 2.28 geometric mean

Conclusion

In 2022, Angular and VueJS are preferred by 63.16% and 52.27% of developers, above the other frontend frameworks now in use.

While Vue is more straightforward and intuitive and Angular is more complex and equipped with a wider variety of tools, they both share similar features.

Success will be achieved by selecting the appropriate web framework for the task while keeping your application requirements in mind.

Useful Resources

Angular Docs
VueJS Docs

Top comments (7)

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stefnotch profile image
stefnotch • Edited

A few of the points also apply to the other framework, and some are arguably wrong. I'd suggest correcting this article.

Here is an incomplete list of things I've noticed.

Vue.js makes advantage of virtual DOMs to speed up page loading and work more efficiently. The use of virtual DOMs reduces the amount of server-side rendering, which increases performance.

That's an incomplete and slightly misleading description of what a virtual DOM does. Using server side rendering is the recommended, go-to option for having a faster first page load.

However, Vue has a special attribute called Prop, which may be assigned to any component that uses one-way data binding.

I can't tell what you're referring to. Angular has one-way data binding as well.

Vue provides a state management library known as Vuex.

Outdated info already, the new go-to library is Pinia.

Vue is written entirely in JavaScript

Outdated as well, Vue 3 is written in Typescript and then compiled to Javascript.

And then the Angular section has parts on "Cross-Platform" and "TypeScript", which also absolutely apply to Vue.js.

Heck, you're even missing one big Vue.js advantage/Angular disadvantage: The build tooling. Vue.js uses Vite these days, which is much faster than Angular with Webpack. That makes for a much nicer developer experience.

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hassanzohdy profile image
Hasan Zohdy • Edited

That was really a good article to go through, i prefer React over both thoughπŸ˜‚

In real world, you won't feel that performance issue unless the app is written very porrly or it is a large project, other than these performance won't be affected by the framework itself (Not the UI i mean) in terms of these three major frameworks.

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aarone4 profile image
Aaron Reese • Edited

more precisely, AngularJS refers to V 1.x of Angular which was much more like Vue in it's syntax and thought process, in fact Evan You (author of Vue Js) was part of the Angular 1.x dev team.
As for Angular 1.x being dead, it is only dead in the same way as JQuery. I expect there are still lots of browser based applications written in it that are still being used, especailly internally within organisations,

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thi3rry profile image
Thierry Poinot

I dream of a day this war about js framework will end.
All framework has a differents approach, it's only a question of :

  • your project
  • your skills (you and/or your teams)

I prefer Vuejs because I hae been trained on.
Vuejs has also directives and hook that can handle and control the dom.
The fact is that in 2022, you can choice which framework you can use, and you can try all of these and take the more efficient for your stack, typology of work/project.

Js ecosystem seems to be like php 10 years ago, each frameworks/cms was in a such of war. Today, each framework uses part of each others in their fundations. Prestashop, Drupal, Wordpress, Gutenberg, Symfony, Laravel.
And each ones have specifities that fit to project structure and teams skills.

Maybe js framework should be start to be more interoperable with other framework libraries to be more agile.

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hr21don profile image
Helitha Rupasinghe

I also hope that will happen!

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bobwalsh47hats profile image
Bob Walsh

Stupid question, in all of its forms. Answer: it depends.

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hr21don profile image
Helitha Rupasinghe

What would be a better question? @bobwalsh47hats