React vs Vue.js in 2025: Which Framework Should South African Developers Choose?

The Frontend Framework Landscape in 2025

As we enter 2025, the choice between React and Vue.js remains one of the most important decisions for South African development teams. Both frameworks have evolved significantly, and the decision impacts not just technical implementation but also team productivity, hiring, and long-term maintenance.

Market Adoption in South Africa

React's Dominance

React continues to lead in South African job postings, with approximately 65% of frontend positions requiring React experience. Major companies like Takealot, Discovery, and Standard Bank have standardized on React for their web applications.

Vue.js Growing Presence

Vue.js has gained traction among South African startups and smaller companies, particularly those prioritizing rapid development and gentle learning curves.

Technical Comparison

Learning Curve

Vue.js Winner: Vue's template syntax and gradual adoption approach make it more accessible for developers transitioning from traditional web development.

// Vue.js Component
<template>
  <div>
    <h1>{{ title }}</h1>
    <button @click="increment">Count: {{ count }}</button>
  </div>
</template>

<script>
export default {
  data() {
    return {
      title: 'Hello Vue',
      count: 0
    }
  },
  methods: {
    increment() {
      this.count++
    }
  }
}
</script>

React: Requires understanding of JSX, hooks, and functional programming concepts.

// React Component
import { useState } from 'react'

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
  const title = 'Hello React'

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{title}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
        Count: {count}
      </button>
    </div>
  )
}

Performance

Slight React Edge: React's fiber architecture and concurrent features provide better performance for complex applications, though the difference is negligible for most projects.

Ecosystem and Community

React Winner: Larger ecosystem with more third-party libraries, extensive documentation, and stronger community support.

Project Suitability

Choose React When:

• Building large-scale enterprise applications


• Need extensive third-party library support


• Team has strong JavaScript/TypeScript skills


• Planning to use React Native for mobile


• Working with complex state management requirements

Choose Vue.js When:

• Rapid prototyping and MVP development


• Team includes junior developers


• Migrating from legacy jQuery applications


• Building content-heavy websites


• Prioritizing development speed over ecosystem size

Developer Experience

Tooling

Vue.js: Vue CLI and Vite provide excellent out-of-the-box experiences.

React: Create React App, Next.js, and Vite offer various starting points with different trade-offs.

Debugging

Both frameworks offer excellent browser extensions and debugging tools. Vue's template-based approach can be easier to debug for developers familiar with HTML/CSS.

Job Market Analysis (South Africa)

Salary Ranges (2025)

• React Developers: R350,000 - R800,000 annually


• Vue.js Developers: R320,000 - R750,000 annually

Job Availability

• React: 3x more job postings than Vue.js


• Vue.js: Growing demand, especially in startups

Future Outlook

React's Roadmap

• Continued focus on concurrent features


• Server Components maturation


• Better integration with meta-frameworks

Vue.js Evolution

• Vue 3 Composition API adoption


• Improved TypeScript support


• Enhanced developer experience tools

Making the Decision

For Established Companies

React remains the safer choice due to its larger talent pool and extensive ecosystem.

For Startups and SMEs

Vue.js can provide faster time-to-market and easier onboarding for new developers.

For Individual Developers

Learning React first provides better job opportunities, but Vue.js skills are increasingly valuable.

Conclusion

Both React and Vue.js are excellent choices in 2025. Your decision should be based on team expertise, project requirements, and long-term strategic goals rather than technical superiority alone.

Need help choosing the right framework for your project? ADigital's experienced frontend team can provide consultation and implementation services for both React and Vue.js projects.