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React: Up and Running
React is a new, open-source technology from Facebook that has stirred quite a storm in the web development community, and some would say it s the next best thing to a silver bullet for building web applications. With "React: Up and Running" you'll learn how to get off the ground with React, with no prior knowledge.
This book teaches you how to build components, the building blocks of your apps, as well as how to organize the components into large-scale apps. In addition, you ll learn about unit testing and optimizing performance, while focusing on the application s data (and letting the UI take care of itself)."
This book teaches you how to build components, the building blocks of your apps, as well as how to organize the components into large-scale apps. In addition, you ll learn about unit testing and optimizing performance, while focusing on the application s data (and letting the UI take care of itself)."
219 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
64 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 25, 2015
React: Up and Running is one of the few books that I've been waiting for since Q1 of 2015.
And here it is. Did I expect too much?
To better explain my review, I need to compare it. Let's take for example the React docs.
The best definition of the React docs is - a maze. There's a lot of information, but it's not so obvious how to navigate towards it.
React: Up and Running does not have the same issue. The fact that it's a book means that it has to be better structured.
Getting the basics down - easy with the book. However why do I rate it 3 / 5?
Lets say that when I buy a book about React, I expect it to teach me more than the documentation. Now the book is pretty short. Only 4 chapters with some of the more documentation-obvious content put in for easy writing.
Cut the `Hello world` first chapter a bit. Introduce `JSX` chapter almost exactly after chapter 1. Don't use anything but JSX in the next chapters as no one in their right minds would use React.render if they knew about JSX. Not even XML dislike can justify that.
Now 4 chapters beyond - where am I? I know how to build UNMAINTAINABLE React components. Testing? Not really. Debugging? Not really.
I've written 3 scrap apps that barely count for anything worthy with React. I expected something much larger as a whole, say, Real time train schedule page. Something that would really show React components communicate with each other and show good components separation and design.
And most importantly I would've liked a React architecture addressed - be that the now official Flux, Redux or whichever. You just can't neglect that with how the React community shapes up towards the before-mentioned architecture libraries.
Also a small suggestion regarding the "Now you know how to:" sections at the start of each chapter. It feels weird that they're at the start of a new chapter and explain what you learned in the previous one. It makes more sense to have them at the end of each chapter. Other O'Reilly book do it so. This one should follow the pattern.
I hope the book sees some edits and changes. Maybe a 2nd edition with the missing chapters, that would really make you learn React beyond the documentation.
And here it is. Did I expect too much?
To better explain my review, I need to compare it. Let's take for example the React docs.
The best definition of the React docs is - a maze. There's a lot of information, but it's not so obvious how to navigate towards it.
React: Up and Running does not have the same issue. The fact that it's a book means that it has to be better structured.
Getting the basics down - easy with the book. However why do I rate it 3 / 5?
Lets say that when I buy a book about React, I expect it to teach me more than the documentation. Now the book is pretty short. Only 4 chapters with some of the more documentation-obvious content put in for easy writing.
Cut the `Hello world` first chapter a bit. Introduce `JSX` chapter almost exactly after chapter 1. Don't use anything but JSX in the next chapters as no one in their right minds would use React.render if they knew about JSX. Not even XML dislike can justify that.
Now 4 chapters beyond - where am I? I know how to build UNMAINTAINABLE React components. Testing? Not really. Debugging? Not really.
I've written 3 scrap apps that barely count for anything worthy with React. I expected something much larger as a whole, say, Real time train schedule page. Something that would really show React components communicate with each other and show good components separation and design.
And most importantly I would've liked a React architecture addressed - be that the now official Flux, Redux or whichever. You just can't neglect that with how the React community shapes up towards the before-mentioned architecture libraries.
Also a small suggestion regarding the "Now you know how to:" sections at the start of each chapter. It feels weird that they're at the start of a new chapter and explain what you learned in the previous one. It makes more sense to have them at the end of each chapter. Other O'Reilly book do it so. This one should follow the pattern.
I hope the book sees some edits and changes. Maybe a 2nd edition with the missing chapters, that would really make you learn React beyond the documentation.
November 9, 2017
Great book to start learning React.js. It has great app example with very detailed explanations by author.
December 26, 2017
Nice introduction to react and redoux. Author is showing how framework is working. He wants reader to understand the idea which should be valid even if new version of framework arrives. In my opinion he spent too much time showing how to use react without JSX which... come on is there anyone doing html tags without JSX?
I enjoyed introduction to Flux and whole application store idea. Instead of showing us some version of library that will be outdated soon author show us how we can implement one by hand and help under the concept.
I enjoyed introduction to Flux and whole application store idea. Instead of showing us some version of library that will be outdated soon author show us how we can implement one by hand and help under the concept.
May 20, 2018
Great book on React. A complete run-through from start to finish.
Very thorough but allows you to take things further on your own.
Starts at the most basic level, without the use of any packages or dependencies.
It then works its way up so that you gradually incorporate the newer tools available to you in React. Especially those for transpiling, module bundling, and testing.
Would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn React.
Very thorough but allows you to take things further on your own.
Starts at the most basic level, without the use of any packages or dependencies.
It then works its way up so that you gradually incorporate the newer tools available to you in React. Especially those for transpiling, module bundling, and testing.
Would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn React.
May 10, 2017
Basic introduction to a fast moving environment, already feels a bit out of date. Half the book is code examples and screenshots of Chrome dev. tools. Code samples were inconsistent and didn't always apply best practices.
March 23, 2018
After reading this book I can say that there is enough content to get started with React. The title of this book clearly fair with you, especially if you get ready to some interview in a hurry. However, this book shows you nearly 15% of the true power of React. So, continue reading other sources.
November 22, 2018
I wanted to learn react from scratch by reading a good resource like a book. So, i decided to grab this book. It was pretty much straight forward and it has good contents that helped me learn some basic principles of this great front-end language.
December 27, 2017
A little outdated now but still good info and background.
December 30, 2017
A great book for React starter.
December 12, 2018
Great intro to React, although as always in the programming world, it's getting a little dated and will only continue to.
March 10, 2019
Good intro to React book at the time it was written, but mostly outdated now (2019). It would be nice if another version were released, or if the github repo was updated to modern React.
February 12, 2017
Great book not only for React but also for Javascript developers
It helps me to understand deeper on react.
And for the new javascript developer like me. This book helped me to open my eyes and my mind about the wolrd of JS, building stronger app (UI, types checking, unit test, ...)
It helps me to understand deeper on react.
And for the new javascript developer like me. This book helped me to open my eyes and my mind about the wolrd of JS, building stronger app (UI, types checking, unit test, ...)
September 17, 2016
A gentle introduction for beginners, but I was expecting a little bit more and felt the content was shallow. By Up and Running, I'm not sure if was just in regards to your local environment; would have liked more production quality examples and topics.
Component examples were very simplistic and little talk of the ecosystem of libraries needed to get things running. The core topics covered in depth official documentation should have been kept to a minimum and more focus on practical and above intermediate applications. The 'advanced' topics towards the end could have been the main examples and gotten more involved as the book progressed.
Component examples were very simplistic and little talk of the ecosystem of libraries needed to get things running. The core topics covered in depth official documentation should have been kept to a minimum and more focus on practical and above intermediate applications. The 'advanced' topics towards the end could have been the main examples and gotten more involved as the book progressed.
September 6, 2016
Very clear introductory to React and ES6. The pacing is rather quick, so I would recommend it to developers aware of modern client-side libraries.
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November 4, 2016Location: GG6 IRC
Accession No: DL028590
Accession No: DL028590
April 20, 2017
This is a good introductory book for getting started with React.
Unfortunately, although it was only published in 2015, it's already quite dated in the react world.
Unfortunately, although it was only published in 2015, it's already quite dated in the react world.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews