react-router vs react-router-dom, when to use one or the other?

React-Router vs React-Router-Dom: When to Use One or the Other?

As a JavaScript developer, you may have come across the terms React-Router and React-Router-Dom when working with React applications. These two libraries are commonly used for routing in React, but what exactly is the difference between them and when should you use one over the other? Let’s dive into the details.

React-Router

React-Router is the core library for routing in React applications. It provides a powerful routing system that allows you to define routes, handle navigation, and render different components based on the current URL. React-Router is framework-agnostic, meaning it can be used with any JavaScript framework or library, not just React.

Here’s an example of how you can use React-Router:

import { Router, Route, Switch } from 'react-router';

const App = () => {
  return (
    <Router>
      <Switch>
        <Route exact path="/" component={Home} />
        <Route path="/about" component={About} />
        <Route path="/contact" component={Contact} />
      </Switch>
    </Router>
  );
};

In this example, we import the necessary components from React-Router and define the routes using the Route component. The Switch component ensures that only one route is rendered at a time. React-Router also provides additional features like nested routes, route parameters, and route guards.

React-Router-Dom

React-Router-Dom is a wrapper around React-Router specifically designed for web applications. It provides a set of additional components that are optimized for browser-based routing. React-Router-Dom is the most commonly used version of React-Router, especially for React web applications.

Here’s how you can use React-Router-Dom:

import { BrowserRouter, Route, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';

const App = () => {
  return (
    <BrowserRouter>
      <Switch>
        <Route exact path="/" component={Home} />
        <Route path="/about" component={About} />
        <Route path="/contact" component={Contact} />
      </Switch>
    </BrowserRouter>
  );
};

As you can see, the usage is very similar to React-Router. The only difference is that we import the components from react-router-dom instead of react-router. React-Router-Dom also provides additional components like Link for creating navigation links and NavLink for styling active links.

When to Use One or the Other?

So, when should you use React-Router or React-Router-Dom? The answer depends on your specific use case:

• Use React-Router if you’re building a React application that needs routing but is not intended for the web. For example, if you’re building a React Native app or a desktop application using Electron.
• Use React-Router-Dom if you’re building a React web application. React-Router-Dom provides the necessary components and optimizations for browser-based routing.

It’s worth noting that React-Router-Dom is built on top of React-Router, so it includes all the features and functionality of React-Router. Therefore, if you’re building a React web application, React-Router-Dom is the recommended choice.

Now that you understand the difference between React-Router and React-Router-Dom, you can make an informed decision on which library to use based on your specific project requirements.

Happy routing!