React is Overhyped
Fuck It, Chuck It
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React (Complex)~200+ lines across 4 files
// UserForm.jsx (60 lines)
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
import { yupResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/yup';
import * as yup from 'yup';
import FormInput from './FormInput';
import FormError from './FormError';
import LoadingSpinner from './LoadingSpinner';

const schema = yup.object({
  name: yup.string().required('Name is required'),
  email: yup.string().email('Invalid email').required(),
  bio: yup.string().max(500, 'Bio too long')
});

function UserForm({ user, onSubmit }) {
  const [isSubmitting, setIsSubmitting] = useState(false);
  const { register, handleSubmit, formState: { errors } } = useForm({
    resolver: yupResolver(schema),
    defaultValues: user
  });

  const onFormSubmit = async (data) => {
    setIsSubmitting(true);
    try {
      await onSubmit(data);
    } finally {
      setIsSubmitting(false);
    }
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(onFormSubmit)}>
      <FormInput
        label="Name"
        {...register('name')}
        error={errors.name}
      />
      <FormInput
        label="Email"
        type="email"
        {...register('email')}
        error={errors.email}
      />
      <div className="form-group">
        <label>Bio</label>
        <textarea
          className="form-control"
          {...register('bio')}
          rows={4}
        />
        {errors.bio && <FormError error={errors.bio} />}
      </div>
      <button
        type="submit"
        className="btn btn-primary"
        disabled={isSubmitting}
      >
        {isSubmitting ? <LoadingSpinner /> : 'Save'}
      </button>
    </form>
  );
}

// userSlice.js (45 lines)
import { createSlice, createAsyncThunk } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
import api from '../api';

export const fetchUser = createAsyncThunk(
  'user/fetch',
  async (id) => {
    const response = await api.get(`/users/${id}`);
    return response.data;
  }
);

export const updateUser = createAsyncThunk(
  'user/update',
  async ({ id, data }) => {
    const response = await api.put(`/users/${id}`, data);
    return response.data;
  }
);

const userSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'user',
  initialState: {
    data: null,
    loading: false,
    error: null
  },
  reducers: {},
  extraReducers: (builder) => {
    builder
      .addCase(fetchUser.pending, (state) => {
        state.loading = true;
      })
      .addCase(fetchUser.fulfilled, (state, action) => {
        state.loading = false;
        state.data = action.payload;
      })
      .addCase(fetchUser.rejected, (state, action) => {
        state.loading = false;
        state.error = action.error.message;
      })
      // Similar cases for updateUser...
  }
});

// UserEditPage.jsx (50 lines)
import React, { useEffect } from 'react';
import { useParams, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
import { fetchUser, updateUser } from './userSlice';
import UserForm from './UserForm';
import PageLayout from './PageLayout';

function UserEditPage() {
  const { id } = useParams();
  const navigate = useNavigate();
  const dispatch = useDispatch();
  const { data: user, loading, error } = useSelector(state => state.user);

  useEffect(() => {
    dispatch(fetchUser(id));
  }, [dispatch, id]);

  const handleSubmit = async (data) => {
    try {
      await dispatch(updateUser({ id, data })).unwrap();
      navigate(`/users/${id}`);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to update user:', error);
    }
  };

  if (loading) return <LoadingSpinner />;
  if (error) return <ErrorMessage error={error} />;
  if (!user) return null;

  return (
    <PageLayout title="Edit Profile">
      <UserForm user={user} onSubmit={handleSubmit} />
    </PageLayout>
  );
}

// FormInput.jsx (25 lines) + package.json deps (20 lines) + more...
Rails + Hotwire (Simple)~35 lines total
# users_controller.rb (20 lines)
class UsersController < ApplicationController
  before_action :set_user, only: [:edit, :update]

  def edit
  end

  def update
    if @user.update(user_params)
      redirect_to @user, notice: 'Profile updated!'
    else
      render :edit, status: :unprocessable_entity
    end
  end

  private

  def set_user
    @user = User.find(params[:id])
  end

  def user_params
    params.require(:user).permit(:name, :email, :bio)
  end
end

# views/users/edit.html.slim (15 lines)
.container
  h1 Edit Profile

  = bootstrap_form_for @user do |f|
    = f.text_field :name, required: true
    = f.email_field :email, required: true
    = f.text_area :bio, rows: 4, maxlength: 500
    = f.submit "Save", class: "btn btn-primary"

# That's it! Validations in the model, no state management needed

Why This Matters

The web has become unnecessarily complex. It's time to fight back.

73%
of React projects are overengineered for their actual needs
5x
faster development with server-side frameworks
90%
less JavaScript code needed for the same functionality

The Real Cost of React

  • Hiring Complexity: Finding developers who understand your specific React stack is expensive
  • Technical Debt: Breaking changes, deprecated patterns, and constant refactoring
  • Performance Tax: Bundle sizes, hydration costs, and runtime overhead
  • Decision Fatigue: State management, routing, build tools - endless choices

What You're Missing

  • Rapid Prototyping: Ship features in hours, not weeks
  • Maintainable Code: Convention over configuration means less to remember
  • SEO by Default: Server-side rendering without the complexity
  • Happy Developers: Focus on solving problems, not fighting tools

The React Problem

🎭

Complexity Theater

Simple features require complex state management, build tools, and abstractions.

📦

Dependency Hell

Hundreds of packages, constant breaking changes, and security vulnerabilities.

🐌

Performance Issues

Massive bundles, slow initial loads, and runtime overhead for basic functionality.

🔧

Tool Fatigue

Webpack, Babel, ESLint, Prettier... Hours configuring instead of building.

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