Should we consider Blazor for our app?

Blazor vs. Angular and React

A Comparison of Web Development Frameworks

Web development is a fast-paced and dynamic field, where new technologies and frameworks emerge constantly to meet the needs and expectations of users and developers. In this blog post, I will compare and contrast three popular web development frameworks: Blazor, Angular, and React. I will explain what they are, how they work, and what are their advantages and disadvantages.

What is Blazor?

Blazor is a framework for building interactive web applications using C# and .NET. It allows developers to write both front-end and back-end code in the same language and use the same tools, such as Visual Studio and .NET Core. Blazor runs C# code in the browser using WebAssembly, a binary instruction format that can be executed by modern web browsers. Blazor also supports server-side rendering, where the C# code is executed on the server and the UI is updated via SignalR (WebSocket). Blazor also allows you to develop mobile apps, which gives it an edge over other alternatives.

What is Angular?

Angular is a framework for building web applications using TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing and other features. Angular uses HTML as a template language and provides data binding, dependency injection, routing, testing, and other features. Angular runs TypeScript code in the browser using JavaScript engines, such as V8 or SpiderMonkey.

What is React?

React is a library for building user interfaces using JavaScript and JSX, a syntax extension that allows writing HTML-like elements in JavaScript. React uses a virtual DOM to manage the UI state and updates the real DOM only when necessary. React also supports server-side rendering, where the JavaScript code is executed on the server and the HTML is sent to the browser.

How do they compare?

Blazor, Angular, and React have different approaches to web development, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of the main aspects to consider when choosing a framework:

• Language: Blazor uses C#, a strongly typed, object-oriented, and multi-paradigm language that has a rich set of features and libraries. Angular uses TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing and other features. React uses JavaScript, a dynamically typed, prototype-based, and multi-paradigm language that has a high level of flexibility and expressiveness.
• Tools: Blazor uses Visual Studio and .NET Core, which provide a comprehensive and integrated development environment with debugging, testing, deployment, and other features. Angular uses Visual Studio Code and Node.js, which provide a lightweight and modular development environment with extensions, plugins, and tools. React uses various tools and libraries, such as Babel, Webpack, Redux, etc., which require configuration and integration.
• Performance: Blazor uses WebAssembly to run C# code in the browser, which has near-native performance and low memory consumption. Angular uses JavaScript engines to run TypeScript code in the browser, which has variable performance and memory consumption depending on the browser and the code quality. React uses a virtual DOM to update the UI efficiently, which has high performance but also high memory consumption.
• Security: Blazor benefits from the security features of .NET, such as sandboxing, code verification, exception handling, etc., which prevent malicious code from accessing sensitive resources or compromising the system. Angular and React depend on the security features of JavaScript engines and browsers, such as CORS, CSP, etc., which prevent cross-origin requests or script injection attacks.
• Reliability: Blazor benefits from the reliability features of .NET, such as garbage collection, memory management, error handling, etc., which prevent memory leaks or crashes. Angular and React depend on the quality and compatibility of third-party libraries and frameworks, which may introduce bugs or inconsistencies.

Frameworks in action

To illustrate how Blazor, Angular, and React work in practice, let's look at some sample code that implements a simple counter component that increments or decrements a number when a button is clicked.

Blazor

@page "/counter"

<h1>Counter</h1>

<p>Current count: @currentCount</p>

<button class="btn btn-primary" @onclick="IncrementCount">Click me</button>

@code {
   int currentCount = 0;

   void IncrementCount()
   {
      currentCount++;
   }
}

Angular

import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
selector: 'app-counter',
template: `
<h1>Counter</h1>

<p>Current count: {{ currentCount }}</p>

<button class="btn btn-primary" (click)="incrementCount()">Click me</button>
`})

export class CounterComponent {
currentCount = 0;

incrementCount() {
   this.currentCount++;
   }
}

React

import React, { useState } from 'react';

function Counter() {
  const [currentCount, setCurrentCount] = useState(0);

  const incrementCount = () => {
    setCurrentCount(currentCount + 1);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Counter</h1>

      <p>Current count: {currentCount}</p>

      <button className="btn btn-primary" onClick={incrementCount}>
        Click me
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Counter;

Which one could be a better option?

By using Blazor you can use the same language and tools to develop the backend and the frontend of your application, reducing the complexity and the learning curve of your project. Moreover, Blazor enables you to create cross-platform applications that can run on different devices, such as desktops, mobile phones, and tablets. You can leverage the power and performance of .NET to create rich and interactive user interfaces with Blazor.

Blazor has been evolving rapidly since its inception, and Microsoft has been providing consistent and reliable updates that improve its features and functionality. Blazor is also backwards compatible, so you can upgrade to the latest version without breaking your existing code. Blazor is a modern and innovative framework that offers many benefits for web developers who want to create fast, scalable, and secure applications using C#.

Blazor also has some advantages over other popular web frameworks, such as React and Angular. Unlike React and Angular, which use JavaScript or TypeScript for the client-side logic, Blazor uses C#, which is a more mature and robust language with better tooling and debugging support. Blazor also eliminates the need for transpiring or bundling your code, as it uses WebAssembly to run C# directly in the browser. This results in faster loading times and lower bandwidth consumption. Blazor also has a simpler and more intuitive component model than React and Angular, which makes it easier to create reusable and maintainable UI elements. So it seems Blazor is a better option for web developers who want to use C# throughout their application stack and enjoy the benefits of .NET.

Is there any open-source project to kickstart Blazor?

Yes, Blazor-based open-source projects are abundant and increasing. For example, Bitplatform is a great option to start your work with. They claim it has the smallest file sizes compared to other frameworks such as Telerik, Syncfusion and more. With Bitplatform, you can create your own website with powerful components and also develop mobile apps that give you an advantage over other options.

Conclusion

Blazor, Angular, and React are three popular web development frameworks that have different advantages and disadvantages. Blazor allows developers to use the same language and tools for both front-end and back-end development, while Angular and React require different languages and tools for each layer. Blazor uses WebAssembly to run C# code in the browser, while Angular and React use JavaScript engines to run JavaScript code in the browser.

Blazor benefits from the performance, security, and reliability of .NET, while Angular and React depend on the quality and compatibility of third-party libraries and frameworks.

Choosing a framework depends on various factors, such as the project requirements, the developer preferences, the available resources, etc. There is no definitive answer to which framework is better or worse, as each one has its own pros and cons. The best way to decide is to try them out and see which one suits your needs and expectations better.