Survey: there’s no match for React or Node

Stack Overflow’s annual developer survey is now out, and if one thing is clear, it’s that there’s no match for JavaScript, Node, React and other related technologies. What’s more, React and Node have also become the most desired technologies among developers who do not yet use them in their day-to-day work, noted Opus’s CEO Margus Eha.

This year marked the 10th year in a row where JavaScript ranked as the number one language used by professional developers, and it marked the first year where TypeScript entered the top five. Looking at web frameworks, the picture is equally clear: Node.js leads the pack, followed by React.js, and soon followed by the likes of Express and Nest.

“With web frameworks, it’s interesting to note the small disparity between professional developers and those still learning – for professionals the use of Node and React is almost equal, hovering around 45% of respondents, whilst among those still taking their first steps, Node is leaps and bounds ahead with nearly 63% compared to React’s 43%,” said Eha.

This, according to Eha, shows clearly that younger developers see Node as the future and as the most sensible framework to spend their energy on. “But I’m happy to see that even younger developers understand that when it comes to pure front-end skills, React is the way to go. Being comfortable with both React and Node gives you a huge leg up and it’s worth your time to familiarize yourself with both of them,” he added.

Who wants to work with what?

Taking a look at what technologies developers actually want to work with, React topped the charts once again with nearly a quarter of respondents indicating their interest. However, nearly 32% of respondents noted that they somewhat dread working with React, compared to 16% who dreaded working with the most-loved framework this year, Phoenix.

“It’s somewhat understandable – React and Node are incredibly popular, so people know what they’re really about and where their weak spots lie. With lesser-used technologies, such as Phoenix or Svelte, these weird and annoying things have not yet penetrated through the pink cloud of awesome and new,” Eha noted. “But as time goes and more people try them out, they too will reveal their true colors.”

Looking at who wants to work with Node and React, it’s clear that it’s somewhat of a never-ending circle: people who work with React want to work with Node, and vice versa. On the other hand, React is also highly desired by people working with Angular and Express, while Node attracts mostly people working with Next and Express.

“At the end of the day, most large-scale projects utilize a variety of frameworks, so it’s understandable that people working with one would like to try out the others,” Eha added. “It’s just important to know which one to pick and where to spend your time. Today, React and Node act as the base with everything else supplementing those.”

“With that in mind, if you’re still thinking about where to start, I’d suggest starting off with those two. The market is hot and there’s a huge need for React, Node, and full-stack developers. If you’re looking for certainty, then this is the way to go,” he added.

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