Pete Hunt explains why React's virtual DOM was built, how it compares with databinding-style systems, and what it means for future browser technology. Recorded at FutureJS 2014 in Barcelona.
Why Hacker News points people here: Commenters point to it as the clearest explanation of why re-rendering beats tracking data changes, and say it sold them on React.
“Pete Hunt did a great talk on what actually makes React / virtualdom different from other databinding approaches.”HN comment, 2015
“Pete Hunt did a great talk on what actually makes React / virtualdom different from other databinding approaches.”
Explains what makes React's virtual DOM different from databinding approaches
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I agree that calling it "React-like" seems misleading. When I read about a 'x'-like library I expect something that could actually replace 'x' and provide nearly the same features. Pete Hunt did a great talk on what actually makes React / virtualdom different from other databinding approaches.[1] Using this definition Riot.js looks a lot more like Angular, Ember et al. to me. [1] this video
RecommendsyazaddaruvalaJun 2023
“these talks, they are the ones that sold me on React”
One of the talks that convinced the commenter of React
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I'll try one last time: > Sorry none of this makes any sense to me. If you're not familiar with the MVC variants (MVVM, MVP, MVI, MOVE)[0][1] we should start there. Next you should read through some common mistakes of Backbone.js like applications link and some criticisms of MVC on HackerNews in 2012[0]. Finally if you haven't before these talks, they are the ones that sold me on React: - this video - link - link [0] link [1] link
Cites itjesstaaFeb 2016
“Pete Hunt gave a talk on exactly this almost two years ago.”
Talk on why re-rendering beats tracking data changes
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Performance characteristics are that this increases expsense with the size of your data where as just re-rendering increases expense with the size of your UI. It's actually much more common to have lots of data but only render a small amount of it, so re-rendering is generally cheaper. The size and complexity of UIs have a natural limit because of screen size and usability, but the amount of data you use to generate a UI has essentially no natural upper limit. Pete Hunt gave a talk on exactly this almost two years ago. this video
