Inferno vs React: What are the differences?

Introduction

Inferno and React are both JavaScript libraries used for building user interfaces. While they share many similarities, there are key differences that set them apart.

1. Virtual DOM vs. real DOM: One major difference between Inferno and React lies in their approach to updating the DOM. Inferno uses a highly optimized Virtual DOM implementation, which allows it to achieve faster rendering and higher performance compared to React's real DOM approach. Inferno updates only the specific parts of the DOM that have changed, resulting in reduced memory usage and faster updates.

2. Size and performance: Inferno boasts a significantly smaller package size compared to React. This smaller footprint translates into faster load times and improved performance, especially on low-end devices or slower network connections. It also means that Inferno is a good choice for applications with strict size constraints.

3. Lifecycle methods: Inferno and React have similar lifecycle methods, but there are some differences in their implementation. Inferno omits certain less frequently used lifecycle methods, such as componentWillUpdate and componentWillReceiveProps, to keep its core footprint small. However, these methods can still be accessed using the react-component package in Inferno.

4. Type checking and prop validation: React has built-in support for type checking and prop validation using PropTypes. It allows developers to specify the expected types of props for a component, helping catch errors early on. Inferno, on the other hand, does not have built-in support for PropTypes, but developers can use external libraries like inferno-types to achieve similar functionality.

5. Community and ecosystem: React has a larger and more established community compared to Inferno. This means that React has a wider range of third-party libraries, tools, and resources available. Inferno, while gaining popularity, has a smaller community and a more limited ecosystem.

6. Compatibility with existing React code: Inferno aims to be a drop-in replacement for React, which means that existing React components can be used with Inferno. However, due to some differences in implementation and lifecycle methods, there may be cases where changes are required for seamless interoperability between React and Inferno applications.

In Summary, Inferno and React differ in their DOM manipulation approach, size and performance, lifecycle methods, type checking and prop validation, community and ecosystem, as well as compatibility with existing React code.