Software as a Service (SaaS) is a standard business model for many companies in fintech, e-commerce, and other leading, digital-based industries. They rely on the technological prowess of development teams and their knowledge of modern tech stacks and solutions. ReactJS is a good example of how software, in this case a library, can structure and speed up development.

What is SaaS and why it’s important?

Today, users want to continue their experience of using an app when they switch devices. That’s why digital products offer access to data, user profiles, settings, and more to consumers connected to the internet or using a browser instead of a stand-alone app. On the other hand, software developers manage servers, and databases, and maintain the application to handle traffic.

There are two basic delivery models for SaaS:

  • SaaS with extensive hardware. Here companies outsource almost all the maintenance and troubleshooting.
  • SaaS with a subscription model. On-premise software is pre-paid.

What is ReactJS?

ReactJS is an open-source JavaScript library, with a history that dates back to 2011. The man behind it is Jordan Walke. He created ReactJS working for Facebook. It was officially released in 2013. Currently, it’s maintained by a team of developers and users alike. I guess it’s a way of saying that it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.

ReactJS is one of the most widely adopted JavaScript libraries in the world. Developers praise it for its ability to create cross-platform applications.

The significance of ReactJS in web development

It’s no exaggeration is say, that web development would not be the same without ReactJS. Besides the benefits of using it (we will get to them in a second) there are clear perks for front-end development specialists:

  • Speed. Component-based architecture promotes code reusability and increases development speed.
  • App efficiency. Quick load times, smooth user interactions, and an overall enhanced performance.
  • User experience (UX) efficiency. Developers can create highly interactive user interfaces easily, promoting superb user experience.
  • Versatility. Developers can create virtually anything – single-page apps and very complex portals for any given industry or a creative platform for content creators.
  • Flexibility and compatibility. One of the major perks of ReactJS is its ability to be easily repurposed. Once you have the hang of it, you can use it for development across a variety of platforms. It’s important, because, as we stated before, users mix and match their experiences. They want cross-platform, cross-save, and cross-progression across all their devices. And it’s not only about video games. Once you start binge-watching your favorite TV series on Netflix, you will appreciate picking it up from the exact same point on any device you own.

Plus, developers can now build desktop and mobile applications, and static websites, handle server rendering, and incorporate concepts like 360-degree views for virtual stores, parks, etc.

Reusability of components. Here is where ReactJS shines. It’s a big advantage over other frameworks, where you have to build your components from scratch, every single time. With ReactJS, you can simply pick up previously developed components and use them in another project. Or in other parts of the same project, if the demand applies. 

The other benefit comes from the application’s consistency. With reused components, developers can easily optimize and support applications in months and years to come.

  • High performance, boosted by Virtual DOM. ReactJS uses a virtual DOM to keep track of changes to the view, and this means that all view changes are immediately reflected in the virtual DOM. This makes React fast and responsive. It also means that complex applications can be built using the library. The fastest read/write time is then achieved by introducing a minimum amount of updates, which improves overall speed.
  • Flux and Redux. Flux is an Architecture that was built around a CQRS concept. CQRS is a shortcut for Command and Query Responsibility Segregation – its main purpose is to separate parts responsible for reading information from the ones that take care of its modification.

Redux was invented to simplify Flux. It implements Flux concepts but in a different way. It introduces new components, such as reducer (logic that manages data changes) and centralized store (a state object that denotes the entire application’s state).

  • Powerful toolset. This one is pretty straightforward. The framework has a large and very active community, delivering solutions left and right. With that level of support, you can make sure that React development isn’t going anywhere.

Key building blocks of ReactJS

With ReactJS, developers can easily create a reusable user interface (UI). There are a few key features of this library that allow specialists to create performing products.

They are called components. They are self-sustaining, independent micro-parts that describe parts of the user interface. Components facilitate code reusability and division of the UI into manageable pieces.

They are:

  • Architecture. React operates on Model View Controller (MVC) architecture. It means, that it divides the functionality into three parts: Model, View, and Controller. The Model is responsible for all information logic, while the View is in charge of the application’s UI logic, and the control system is a link between the Model and the View.
  • Extensions. Besides Flux and Redux, ReactJS has a plethora of add-ons. Among the best are VSCode React Refactor, Prettier, Import Cost, Stylelint, GitLens, and others.
  • Virtual DOM. Virtual Document Object Model (DOM) is a key concept in modern, front-end development. It allows effective rendering and updating elements on the website without directly impacting the real DOM. It works based on a comparison of two website’s states: the current one and the next one. Both are generated after every single actualization or modification of the site’s structure and data. Based on these differences, Virtual DOM generates a minimal set of operations, that has to be done on the actual DOM, so it can be transformed to a new state.

This allows for optimizing the cost of DOM, which is a time-consuming element of the website optimization process. Therefore, it can significantly boost a website’s performance and make users happy.

  • Debugging. Facebook even offers a special plugin for a browser, to make a debugging process faster and more accessible to a larger development audience. 
  • State. The State is a built-in React object. It contains data or information about a given component. A component’s state can change over time. When it does, the component re-renders. State is used to store the data of the components that have to be rendered to the view. The state can only be used in class components.
  • JSX. JSX, or JavaScript XML, is a syntax extension for JavaScript. It’s not mandatory if you want to use ReactJS, but it comes highly recommended. It simplifies the code and enhances readability. 

Benefits of ReactJS for SaaS products

ReactJS allows a native approach for all – website, iOS, and Android applications. Native rendering allows you to create and process HTML and other content without a browser, which means you can run React on the server. This grants two major benefits:

  • You can share code between the client and the server, and manage your application with ease. 
  • You can customize the user interface (UI) and create new components from scratch since ReactJS renders with Java Script.

There is also server-side rendering compatibility. That means rendering components on the server. This makes the process of visiting a website or using an app more pleasant for customers. Plus, the performance is better. Especially when there’s a high traffic (usually at launch or during promotions).

SEO-friendliness is not to be overlooked. The server-side rendering capabilities ensure that your application is easy to find on Google and other major search engines.

Rapid development is also a thing. The component-based architecture makes ReactJS stand out in the crowd. It’s a popular framework, especially for startups. They are aiming to launch Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) as quickly as possible to verify an idea, scale it, optimize it, and monetize the outcome. ReactJS allows them faster time-to-market and development ease.

Interoperability – apply ReactJS to already developed apps. You don’t have to rewrite the entire codebase during the integration. Instead, you can modernize your legacy software with next-gen technologies.

Third-party integrations for rich ecosystems. No one’s an island, even an app. It’s especially true for modern development and business models, where integrations with payment processing providers, other frameworks, data mining solutions, and other software make or break your product. React’s flexibility grants you a strong emphasis on integrations.

Real-time updates for content-centric applications. The SaaS model is perfect for these. No matter if it’s a fintech with minute-to-minute stock value updates or e-commerce with promotion changes on a daily basis, you need a robust delivery and processing system on your platform. React can create live updates (social media feeds for example) quickly.

Tailored interfaces. The very nature of the framework spawns many solutions. Developers like React for its scalability and flexibility. That’s why you can have an interface that perfectly matches your audience’s needs.

Dynamic data visualization. Only a few front-end frameworks allow dynamic data visualization. Naturally, React is among them. These powerful capabilities are interactive, and you can generate insightful reports. Understandably, it’s crucial for any fintech and healthtech application. You can showcase complex data with interactive graphics, making your shareholders and users happy.

Companies using ReactJS for development and growth

Here are just a few of the very well-known companies that utilize ReactJS in its purest form. Naturally, the list can go on and on.

Netflix uses the framework to analyze a massive quantity of data. On a daily basis, which supports the app and allows to make decisions based on user profiles.

Coinbase is a tool for advanced crypto traders. Its massive traffic would not be possible to handle without a reliable framework that is ReactJS.

Emma is a personal financial management tool. Personalized data feeds would be more complicated without React.

Incard is an innovative financial platform for e-commerce. Budget monitoring for small businesses and influencers would not be so easy if it wasn’t for React.

Summary

ReactJS is a perfect choice for all who want to quickly build and scale a SaaS app.  Fintech software development, as we have shown above, benefits immensely. But it’s for everyone who is looking for great, performing software.

We have a recipe to make that happen. We hire only the top 1.6% of developers that want to work with us. The result? Read our case studies. They speak for themselves.