We all know ReactJs, the JavaScript library to build user interfaces. Now at Facebook they found out that latency between client and server is an issue (sic), and then what about moving React components to the server ? Sounds like a good idea or like seen before ! Notice that moving React component to the server mean also moving their rendering load from the client to the server. So if the latency time won on the load, is not spent on the component rendering, that’s a good idea. If the opposite, the whole idea is just a waste of time…
The video below show in details what the React team are experimenting, and personally I wouldn’t comment before making any real benchmark. Notice that React Server Components are still in research and development, and the React team are sharing this work in the spirit of transparency and to get initial feedback from the React community.
If you want to check them out, we recommend to go in the following order:
- Watch the talk to learn about React Server Components and see the demo.
- Clone the demo to play with React Server Components on your computer.
- Read the RFC (with FAQ at the end) for a deeper technical breakdown and to provide feedback.
Most web applications use ReactJs for the client side UI, and any other programming language for the server side, let’s say PHP for example. Now if ReactJs will add its server components you will have to manage both PHP and React, or find a balance between both, or maybe abandon one of them PHP or React ? What do you think ?
