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No, Windows Start does not use React

pathar.tl

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Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#2
> This is the Windows 11 start menu. See that Recommended section at the bottom of it? That is built with React Native for Windows. No, that is not a full JavaScript framework in your start menu. There’s no web view / browser running gobbling up your resources. It’s React Native for Windows which is a flavor of React Native that directly calls Windows APIs including, you guessed it, WinUI 3.

I would still say that means Windows Start uses React, frankly.

Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#4

>Windows Start does not use React Ok >This is the part of the Windows Start that uses React. Ok

Sure, slightly inaccurate title, but the point they're making is valid, this comment isn't really a substantive critique.

I could be wrong but I feel like when most HN commenters say that something "uses React" and also imply that that's a bad thing, what they really mean is "it loads a full web rendering engine and consumes ~200mb of unnecessary ram". Neither of those things are true here.

Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#5
>It’s React Native for Windows which is a flavor of React Native that directly calls Windows APIs including, you guessed it, WinUI 3.

>So that’s it. Windows Start has a very small section (that can be disabled) that’s written in a framework that follows React principles and compiles down to native code.

False. React Native doesn't "compile down to native code". It runs actual JavaScript, just not inside a browser, but a standalone JS runtime.

Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#7
Fatal error by the author: They’re right, it doesn’t use React in the way that everyone actually means and criticises. It still technically uses React though, so—as is already evident—you still get the worst of the worst, bad-faith arguers saying “WELL ACKSHULLY…”

Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#9
That is actually still React. React is React Core + ReactDOM (web) renderer. React Native is the React Core + native renderer. They are both still React, and they both use Javascript, which while fast when JIT'd, is typically much slower than native code.

I'm not commenting on whether this is a good or bad thing, but the article strikes me as a bit misleading.

Re: No, Windows Start does not use React

#10

> This is the Windows 11 start menu. See that Recommended section at the bottom of it? That is built with React Native for Windows. No, that is not a full JavaScript framework in your start menu. There’s no web view / browser running gobbling up your resources. It’s React Native for Windows which is a flavor of React Native that directly calls Windows APIs including, you guessed it, WinUI 3. I would still say that me…

React Native, absolutely - as with Office 365, using WinUI 3 as the underlying UI layer.
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