The Angular.js Days

My journey with JavaScript frameworks began in 2012 with Angular.js. I was working at an e-commerce company, and we needed a dynamic shopping cart and checkout system. Angular.js was mind-blowing - with just a few lines of code, we could create reactive interfaces that updated in real-time. Watching the cart totals change instantly as customers added or removed items was nothing short of magic at the time. It was my first taste of the power of modern frontend frameworks, and I was hooked.

Diving into React: A New Paradigm

In 2016, I took the plunge into React, learning both React and React Native. It was a significant shift from Angular.js, introducing the concept of a virtual DOM and a more component-based architecture. The vibrant community and wealth of packages available was incredible. I built some cool stuff and really enjoyed working with React's component model. The ability to create native mobile apps with React Native was particularly exciting, opening up new possibilities for cross-platform development.

The Vue Era: Simplicity and Elegance

But then in 2018, Vue caught my eye. The simplified templating and reactivity system just clicked for me. I found myself reaching for Vue (and specifically Nuxt) for all my frontend projects. Paired with Laravel on the backend, I thought I had found the perfect tech stack.

For several years, I was cruising along happily in Vue-land. But the tech world moves fast, and I was about to get a wake-up call.

The Shifting Job Market

By 2023, the job market in Toronto had changed dramatically. After unexpectedly finding myself out of work, I spent nearly a year interviewing. Time and time again, companies were looking for React and Next.js developers.

I'll admit, I was resistant at first. The new hook-based React syntax seemed way more complicated than what I was used to with Vue. I had gotten so comfortable with Vue's simplicity that React felt alien again.

The Return to React

Eventually, I had to face facts - if I wanted to stay relevant in the job market, I needed to bite the bullet and relearn React. So I buckled down and dove back in.

You know what? It wasn't as bad as I feared. Yes, hooks took some getting used to. But a lot of the core concepts I learned 5 years ago still applied. Components are still components. Props are still props. The mental model was still there, just with some new syntax on top.

The Evolution of React

In many ways, it's been exciting to see how far React has come. The ecosystem has matured so much. Things that used to require complex boilerplate are now baked right in. And Next.js feels like the fully-realized vision of what we were all trying to hack together with server-side rendering back in the day.

Embracing Change

Don't get me wrong - I still love Vue and use it for personal projects. But I'm glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to relearn React. It's reminded me how important it is to stay adaptable in this industry.

Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies is crucial. The tech landscape is always evolving, and what's popular today might not be tomorrow. By staying open to learning new things, we not only make ourselves more marketable but also keep our skills sharp and our passion for coding alive.

So if you find yourself facing a similar challenge - whether it's learning React, Vue, or any new technology - embrace it. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy the process and where it might lead you in your career.