React is mostly hype

> React automatically manages UI updates, but this is only true if your UI is extremely basic.

The exact opposite is true. The whole point of React is in building complex UIs.

> React becomes counterproductive when developing apps that aren't mere demos.

A few sites using React that are not mere demos:

https://facebook.com

https://instagram.com

https://netflix.com

https://airbnb.com

https://discordapp.com

> It's marketed to developers by billion dollar Facebook, a company historically intent on squashing startups.

Except when they are buying them for billions (WhatsApp, Instagram, Oculus). All things being equal, Facebook is probably more likely to buy your startup if you use React.

I am not fan of React. It is great to have something like React for people that aren't primarily into software development, because of html and css and js (many designers and hobbyists got into programming with those) but I do not appreciate it. The fact that I do not have (nor want) any single Electron app installed on my computer tells something. It is okay to be there as a choice for app development but I want to see less of it. It doesn't come close to native apps. And Qt is getting really better and better each day, and right now is pretty portable, so you don't have to write 3 different versions of apps for different operating systems. Just not my cup of tea, and I hate that it is hyped, because it is reflecting bad on some developing habits and community.

Whoa. I have been working on larger web apps at pre- react\ angular\vdom time and i'm really glad i don't have to read tons of tutorials about what might cause my Browser to repaint or even reflow the entire doc to get some Good enough performance. And react really shines for bigger projects since you only care of locale components.

The arguments are pretty vague, for example

> React becomes counterproductive when developing apps that aren't mere demos.

I have developed big apps in Backbone, moving very the same apps to React and the productivity went up madly. Facebook does develop apps which certainly cannot be considered "mere demos" and you can see them in action, for example Ad Manager for Facebook on iOS (written in React Native). Facebook invests a lot in React development and there is a reason for that - they use it internally intensively.

> It's marketed to developers by billion dollar Facebook, a company historically intent on squashing startups.

This is not an argument at all. I would be really surprised that's the reason for React to exist. Also React is more a way of thinking, the library itself can be replaced if Facebook should enforce it on a successful startup.

> The utility gained by using React's ecosystem is significantly outweighed by its overhead.

This is certainly not my experience. React has very little overhead and from my experience it's pretty easy to grasp the concept for new developers.

I have no idea where does hate for React come from, it's >> just << an open source library and I wonder how people are willing to start flamewars about a few lines of code. If you don't like React, don't use it. There are a few alternatives like Ember, Angular or even Backbone (although I would say Backbone deserves much more hate than React).