# React > The library for web and native user interfaces - **Canonical URI:** https://www.vioscale.ai/software/react - **Category:** Frontend UI Frameworks - **Vendor:** Meta - **Homepage:** https://react.dev - **Also known as:** reactjs, react.js - **Profile claimed by vendor:** no - **Last updated:** 2026-08-01T16:07:57.371Z ## Vioscale score **78.7 / 100**, confidence 44% (low). Composite of weighted, independently-sourced signals (no user reviews, no vendor payment). | Signal | Score | Weight | Contribution | Evidence present | |---|--:|--:|--:|:--:| | price_level | 100 | 6 | 600 | ✓ | | reliability | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | | capabilities | 45.8 | 16 | 733.1 | ✓ | | github_stars | 100 | 5 | 500 | ✓ | | integrations | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | | github_activity | 56.9 | 18 | 1023.5 | ✓ | | release_cadence | 66.7 | 10 | 666.7 | ✓ | | security_posture | 0 | 13 | 0 | - | | package_downloads | 100 | 26 | 2600 | ✓ | | pricing_transparency | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | | stackoverflow_activity | 100 | 12 | 1200 | ✓ | ## Pricing _As of 2026-08-01, [verify at source](https://react.dev). Independently observed._ Open source ## About A JavaScript library for building user interfaces from reusable components. React components are JavaScript functions that can manage state, respond to user interactions, and use JSX markup syntax. _Independently observed._ ## Platform & deployment - **Platforms:** Web ## Capabilities _The capabilities that matter for Frontend UI Frameworks. "-" = undocumented, not absent._ | Capability | Supported | |---|:--:| | **Core** | | | Paradigm | component-based | | **Rendering** | | | Virtual DOM | - | | Signals / fine-grained reactivity | - | | SSR support | - | | **DX** | | | First-class TypeScript | - | | **Core** | | | Reusable component model | ✓ | | **State** | | | Built-in state management | ✓ | | **Ecosystem** | | | Official router | - | | **Performance** | | | Runtime size | - | ## FAQ ### What is React? React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces using a component-based architecture. It uses a declarative programming model, allowing developers to describe what the UI should look like for any given application state. React employs a virtual DOM abstraction to efficiently update only the parts of the interface that have changed. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### Is React open source and free to use? Yes, React is open source software released under the MIT license, permitting free use, modification, and distribution in both commercial and personal projects. There are no licensing fees or cost barriers to using React. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### Who maintains React? React is maintained by Meta (formerly Facebook) along with contributions from the open-source community. Meta created React to solve its own internal UI challenges and later open-sourced it to enable broader adoption and community feedback. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### What programming languages and platforms does React support? React is built on JavaScript and TypeScript, running natively in web browsers. Meta also maintains React Native, a separate framework that allows developers to apply React principles to build native iOS and Android mobile applications using JavaScript. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### What are the main alternatives to React? Popular alternatives include Vue.js (a progressive JavaScript framework), Angular (a comprehensive full-featured framework), Svelte (a compiler-based framework), and Preact (a lightweight React-compatible library). Each offers different trade-offs in learning curve, ecosystem size, and performance characteristics. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### How are React applications typically deployed? React applications can use multiple rendering strategies: client-side rendering (browser handles all rendering), server-side rendering (server generates initial HTML via Node.js), or static site generation (pre-built HTML files). Deployments typically run on web servers, content delivery networks, or serverless computing platforms. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ### What build tools and libraries are commonly paired with React? React projects typically use build tools such as Webpack, Vite, or Parcel for bundling and development. Common complementary libraries include React Router for navigation, Redux or Context API for state management, and Jest or React Testing Library for testing. _Source: [https://github.com/facebook/react](https://github.com/facebook/react)._ ## Facts Every value below carries its source and our confidence. Facts are re-crawled on a freshness schedule. ### adoption | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 161,654,447 | [link](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react) | 2026-08-01 | 85% (high) | | adoption.github_stars | 246,836 | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react) | 2026-08-01 | 90% (high) | | adoption.stackoverflow_questions | 470,000 | [link](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/reactjs) | 2026-07-30 | 80% (high) | ### activity | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | activity.commits_last_30d | 63 | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react/pulse) | 2026-08-01 | 65% (medium) | ### release | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | release.cadence_days | 60 | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react/releases) | 2026-07-30 | 70% (medium) | ### license | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | license.spdx | MIT | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react) | 2026-08-01 | 99% (high) | ### pricing | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | pricing.model | commercial | [link](https://react.dev) | 2026-08-01 | 40% (low) | | pricing.price_level | free | [link](https://react.dev) | 2026-08-01 | 60% (medium) | ### language | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | language.primary | JavaScript | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react) | 2026-08-01 | 90% (high) | ### content | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | content.faq | `[{"answer":"React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces using a component-based architecture. It uses a declarative programming model, allowing developers to describe what the UI should look like for any given application state. React employs a virtual DOM abstraction to efficiently update only the parts of the interface that have changed.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"What is React?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Yes, React is open source software released under the MIT license, permitting free use, modification, and distribution in both commercial and personal projects. There are no licensing fees or cost barriers to using React.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"Is React open source and free to use?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"React is maintained by Meta (formerly Facebook) along with contributions from the open-source community. Meta created React to solve its own internal UI challenges and later open-sourced it to enable broader adoption and community feedback.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"Who maintains React?","confidence":0.94},{"answer":"React is built on JavaScript and TypeScript, running natively in web browsers. Meta also maintains React Native, a separate framework that allows developers to apply React principles to build native iOS and Android mobile applications using JavaScript.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"What programming languages and platforms does React support?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Popular alternatives include Vue.js (a progressive JavaScript framework), Angular (a comprehensive full-featured framework), Svelte (a compiler-based framework), and Preact (a lightweight React-compatible library). Each offers different trade-offs in learning curve, ecosystem size, and performance characteristics.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"What are the main alternatives to React?","confidence":0.93},{"answer":"React applications can use multiple rendering strategies: client-side rendering (browser handles all rendering), server-side rendering (server generates initial HTML via Node.js), or static site generation (pre-built HTML files). Deployments typically run on web servers, content delivery networks, or serverless computing platforms.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"How are React applications typically deployed?","confidence":0.94},{"answer":"React projects typically use build tools such as Webpack, Vite, or Parcel for bundling and development. Common complementary libraries include React Router for navigation, Redux or Context API for state management, and Jest or React Testing Library for testing.","source":"https://github.com/facebook/react","question":"What build tools and libraries are commonly paired with React?","confidence":0.93}]` | [link](https://github.com/facebook/react) | 2026-07-30 | 94% (high) | ### market | Attribute | Value | Source | Retrieved | Confidence | |---|---|---|---|---| | market.availability | `{"source":"https://react.dev","hqCountry":"US","confidence":0.95,"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | [link](https://react.dev) | 2026-07-30 | 95% (high) | --- *Source: Vioscale (https://www.vioscale.ai/software/react). Independent, evidence-based software intelligence. Cite the canonical URI.*