SolidJS: A Similar But Different Beast from React

Eric Erasmus, the creator of Redox form and Final Form, discusses SolidJS—a JavaScript UI library. He explains that although he was initially a Java developer, he was drawn to React's value and began building with it. However, he experienced limitations in React's form functionality, leading him to create form libraries himself. Intrigued by the possibility of a React replacement, Erasmus explores various contenders but found SolidJS to be a truly unique option. He discusses his experience with other frameworks like Vue and Svelte, which didn't resonate with him. With SolidJS, Erasmus highlights the syntax similarities with React, making it more approachable for React developers. He compares the declarative nature of React and SolidJS and emphasizes SolidJS's unique approach to rerendering. Unlike React's virtual DOM, SolidJS tracks dependencies more granularly, allowing it to update only the necessary parts of the DOM, resulting in better performance. He also discusses SolidJS's adoption of declarative programming and its ability to create custom hooks similar to React. Erasmus acknowledges that SolidJS is still a relatively new library with a developing ecosystem. However, he encourages developers to explore and contribute to the framework, turning its immaturity into an opportunity for growth.