Laravel 10 with React.JS

I recently experimented with using React alongside Laravel 10, and my experience was a bit of a rollercoaster ride. After about a week of tinkering, I came to realize that while there are certainly benefits to using React with Laravel, there are also some challenges that come with it, much like any new technology.

One of the aspects of React that immediately grabbed my attention was its live updating feature. It was truly fascinating to see how changes I made in my code editor were reflected instantaneously in the browser without needing to refresh the page. This dynamic nature of React made the development process feel incredibly fluid and responsive.

Another aspect of React that I found appealing was its component-based architecture. Everything in React revolves around components, which are essentially reusable building blocks for constructing user interfaces. This modular approach not only promotes code reusability but also makes it easier to manage and maintain complex applications.

However, as I delved deeper into using React with Laravel, I encountered some stumbling blocks. One of the major hurdles was the need to deal with a plethora of dependencies. Unlike traditional PHP or JavaScript development, where you typically rely on a minimal set of libraries, using React with Laravel often requires installing numerous additional packages and tools. This dependency overload can be daunting, especially for developers who are accustomed to working with simpler tech stacks.

Moreover, the syntax and coding conventions used in React can be quite different from what many developers are accustomed to. Coming from a background primarily in PHP or C#, I found myself having to adjust to React's JSX syntax and functional programming paradigm. While the learning curve wasn't insurmountable, it did add an extra layer of complexity to the development process.

One particular challenge that stood out to me was when I attempted to fetch data from a database. In a traditional Laravel application, this task would typically be accomplished using server-side rendering or AJAX requests. However, with React, I found myself needing to integrate additional tools such as Atom and Laravel API to facilitate communication between the frontend and backend. This added layer of abstraction felt somewhat cumbersome, especially considering that similar tasks could be achieved more seamlessly using simpler methods like AJAX and jQuery.

In hindsight, I believe that the decision to use React with Laravel ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the project. For smaller, more straightforward applications, the added complexity of integrating React may not be justified. However, for larger-scale projects that demand a high degree of interactivity and responsiveness, React can offer significant advantages, particularly when combined with Laravel's robust backend capabilities. It's all about finding the right balance between functionality and maintainability based on the unique needs of the project at hand. but if you have your own ERP with business component that covers into your application you don't need react with Laravel in that case.