Over the years of building complex React applications, I have often found myself at a crossroads when starting a new enterprise project.
Many developers ask me if they should stick with the React ecosystem or move toward native Web Components.
In this guide, I will share my firsthand experience with both technologies to help you decide which is right for your next USA-based business application.
The Rise of Modern Web Architecture
When I first started with React, the idea of “components” was revolutionary because it allowed us to break down UI into manageable pieces.
However, the browser has evolved significantly since then, and native Web Components are now a powerful built-in alternative.
What are Web Components?
Web Components are a suite of different technologies that allow you to create reusable custom elements.
They run natively in the browser without the need for a heavy library like React or Vue.
What is React?
React is a JavaScript library used specifically for building user interfaces, maintained by Meta.
It relies on a virtual DOM and a declarative syntax (JSX) to manage how your data translates into UI.
Method 1: Build a Custom Element with Web Components
In my experience, Web Components shine when you need to build a design system that works across multiple frameworks.
If your company uses React for the dashboard but legacy HTML for the marketing site, Web Components are a lifesaver.
Below is a full example of a USA State Tax Calculator built as a native Web Component.
class TaxCalculator extends HTMLElement {
constructor() {
super();
this.attachShadow({ mode: 'open' });
this.stateTaxRates = {
'NY': 0.04,
'CA': 0.0725,
'TX': 0.0625,
'FL': 0.06
};
}
connectedCallback() {
this.render();
}
calculateTax(amount, state) {
const rate = this.stateTaxRates[state] || 0;
return (amount * rate).toFixed(2);
}
render() {
this.shadowRoot.innerHTML = `
<style>
.wrapper {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #00529b;
border-radius: 8px;
max-width: 300px;
}
label { display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; }
select, input { width: 100%; padding: 8px; margin-bottom: 15px; }
#result { color: #d32f2f; font-weight: bold; }
</style>
<div class="wrapper">
<h3>State Tax Calculator</h3>
<label>Sale Amount ($):</label>
<input type="number" id="amount" value="100">
<label>Select State:</label>
<select id="state">
<option value="NY">New York</option>
<option value="CA">California</option>
<option value="TX">Texas</option>
<option value="FL">Florida</option>
</select>
<div id="result">Estimated Tax: $4.00</div>
</div>
`;
this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#amount').addEventListener('input', () => this.update());
this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#state').addEventListener('change', () => this.update());
}
update() {
const amount = this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#amount').value;
const state = this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#state').value;
const tax = this.calculateTax(amount, state);
this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#result').innerText = `Estimated Tax: $${tax}`;
}
}
customElements.define('tax-calculator', TaxCalculator);You can refer to the screenshot below to see the output.
To use this on any page, you simply add: <tax-calculator></tax-calculator>
Method 2: Build the Same Component in React
While Web Components are great for portability, I still prefer React for complex applications that require heavy state management.
React’s “Reconciliation” process makes it much easier to handle frequent UI updates without writing manual DOM manipulation code.
Here is that same USA State Tax Calculator written in modern React (using Hooks).
import React, { useState, useMemo } from 'react';
const ReactTaxCalculator = () => {
const [amount, setAmount] = useState(100);
const [state, setState] = useState('NY');
const stateTaxRates = {
'NY': 0.04,
'CA': 0.0725,
'TX': 0.0625,
'FL': 0.06
};
const taxAmount = useMemo(() => {
const rate = stateTaxRates[state] || 0;
return (amount * rate).toFixed(2);
}, [amount, state]);
const containerStyle = {
fontFamily: 'Arial, sans-serif',
padding: '20px',
border: '1px solid #61dafb',
borderRadius: '8px',
maxWidth: '300px'
};
return (
<div style={containerStyle}>
<h3>React Tax Calculator</h3>
<label style={{ display: 'block', fontWeight: 'bold' }}>Sale Amount ($):</label>
<input
type="number"
value={amount}
onChange={(e) => setAmount(e.target.value)}
style={{ width: '100%', padding: '8px', marginBottom: '15px' }}
/>
<label style={{ display: 'block', fontWeight: 'bold' }}>Select State:</label>
<select
value={state}
onChange={(e) => setState(e.target.value)}
style={{ width: '100%', padding: '8px', marginBottom: '15px' }}
>
<option value="NY">New York</option>
<option value="CA">California</option>
<option value="TX">Texas</option>
<option value="FL">Florida</option>
</select>
<div style={{ color: '#007bff', fontWeight: 'bold' }}>
Estimated Tax: ${taxAmount}
</div>
</div>
);
};
export default ReactTaxCalculator;You can refer to the screenshot below to see the output.
Key Differences I’ve Noticed
After years of debugging both, here is how I compare them across three critical categories:
1. Data Binding
In React, data flows one way (downward). This makes it very predictable for large teams.
With Web Components, you have to manually handle attributes and properties, which can get messy as the component grows.
2. Styling (Shadow DOM vs CSS-in-JS)
Web Components use the Shadow DOM, which provides perfect style encapsulation. Your styles will never “leak” out.
In React, we usually use libraries like Tailwind or Styled Components, which offer more flexibility but require more setup.
3. Ecosystem and Speed
React has a massive library of pre-made components (like Material UI or Radix).
Web Components are still catching up in terms of ready-to-use enterprise UI kits.
Comparison Table: Web Components vs React
| Feature | Web Components | React |
| Learning Curve | Moderate (Native JS) | Steeper (JSX, Hooks) |
| Performance | Native (Fast) | High (Virtual DOM) |
| Portability | Excellent (Any framework) | Limited to React apps |
| State Management | Manual | Built-in (useState/Redux) |
| Standard | W3C Web Standard | Proprietary (Meta) |
When to Use Web Components
I recommend using Web Components if you are building a Component Library or a Design System.
Since they are framework-agnostic, you can share them with teams using Angular, Vue, or just plain HTML.
This is very common in large USA corporations where different departments might use different tech stacks.
When to Use React
I recommend using React if you are building a Single Page Application (SPA) with lots of moving parts.
If you have complex forms, real-time data updates, or a large team of developers, React’s ecosystem will save you hundreds of hours.
In this article, I’ve shared my experience choosing between Web Components and React for professional projects.
Both technologies have their strengths. Web Components offer long-term stability and native browser support, while React provides a robust developer experience and a massive ecosystem.
I hope this comparison helps you make the right choice for your next project.
You may read:
- How to Fix Framer Motion Drag Not Working in React
- React Inline Style Component
- React Render Component from Variable
- React Container Component Pattern
I am Bijay Kumar, a Microsoft MVP in SharePoint. Apart from SharePoint, I started working on Python, Machine learning, and artificial intelligence for the last 5 years. During this time I got expertise in various Python libraries also like Tkinter, Pandas, NumPy, Turtle, Django, Matplotlib, Tensorflow, Scipy, Scikit-Learn, etc… for various clients in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Check out my profile.
