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// 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...
# 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.
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.
Better Alternatives
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Full-stack framework for Laravel that makes building dynamic interfaces simple.
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