React Over Everything: How I Choose a Frontend Stack
The framework matters less than the ecosystem around it. Here's the checklist I run before committing.
React is my default, but not out of habit — it's the gravity of the ecosystem. Data fetching, forms, tables, animation, and design systems all have mature, battle-tested libraries that compose well. That ecosystem is what ships features fast.
When I evaluate a stack I ask three questions: how does it handle server state, how does it handle forms, and how does it scale to a large team. For me that usually answers to TanStack Query, React Hook Form, and a typed component library with clear conventions.
The trap is over-engineering. Most apps don't need a meta-framework's every feature on day one. I start lean, measure, and add structure when the pain is real — not before.
Vivek Jalondhara
Full Stack Software Engineer