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The State of React and the Community in 2025

FAQ

React server components allow React components to run on the server and manage data asynchronously. They are controversial because of misconceptions about their origins and their association with Vercel. They are a React concept, not exclusive to any framework.

Confusion arises from a lack of communication and clarity from the React team about new features and their intended use. The push towards frameworks and server components has also caused debate within the community.

Vercel collaborated with the React team to test and implement server components. Although there are misconceptions, server components were initially a React team idea, and Vercel helped in the development and alpha testing.

The React team believes frameworks provide built-in solutions for bundling, routing, and server-side rendering, which can improve app performance and reduce complexity for developers. They recommend frameworks to offer a better starting point for new projects.

Create React App became unmaintained and was eventually deprecated. It was replaced by modern tools like Vite and frameworks such as Next.js and Remix, which offer more comprehensive solutions for building React applications.

The React documentation underwent a major update to improve tutorials and emphasize function components. It faced criticism for not mentioning tools like Vite but has since been updated to include more options and reflect different use cases.

No, server components are optional in React. They offer a new way to handle data and reduce bundle sizes but are not required for React applications.

Mark Erickson is a senior engineer at Replay, a moderator for React communities, a Redux maintainer, and known for his Simpsons avatar. He is actively involved in the React community and shares insights through blog posts and podcasts.

In 2025, React is extremely successful and widely used, but it is also facing community frustrations regarding feature decisions and communication from the React team. The ecosystem is complex with debates over the use of server components and frameworks.

While the rollout has been slow, server components are gaining adoption and are expected to become another tool in the React ecosystem. They are not mandatory, but offer benefits in specific use cases.

react

Mark Erikson

29 min

13 Jun, 2025

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Video Summary and Transcription

Mark Erickson discusses the state of React in 2025, React community debates on React's direction and misconceptions, React's shift towards client-side frameworks and SSR emphasis, React's feature development process at Meta and Vercel, controversy around Vercel's server components involvement, tight relationship between React and Next, React team's emphasis on frameworks for app performance, critique of React's heavy-handed framework recommendation, React team's delay in adding VEET as a recommended tool, challenges with server components' origins and communication, no official signals support planned for React 19, social media impact on React development decisions, React community diversity and server components usage insights, React's evolving black box concept and tradeoffs discussed.

Available in Español: El Estado de React y la Comunidad en 2025

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