Cycle.js vs React
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript framework for building apps with reactive streams and pure functions.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building interactive user interfaces out of reusable components.
The short answer
Choose Cycle.js if you need…
- Developers who already know reactive streams such as RxJS, xstream, or most.js
- Teams that want explicit, testable data flow in front-end code
- Developers interested in functional programming applied to user interfaces
Choose React if you need…
- Developers building interactive web interfaces with JavaScript
- Teams adding React gradually to an existing project, as the README describes
- Developers who want to reuse the same component model for mobile apps via React Native
- Students learning how modern front-end UIs are structured
Side-by-side
| Cycle.js | React | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Framework | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 10.2k | 252k |
| Setup difficulty | Advanced | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 5 months ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Cycle.js
Cycle.js is a JavaScript framework for building web apps in a functional, reactive style. Your app is written as a pure function that takes input streams (such as user events or HTTP responses) and returns output streams, which keeps side effects separated and the code easier to predict. The project is split into small packages, such as @cycle/dom and @cycle/run, that you combine as needed.
React
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. You describe what the screen should look like for each state of your data, and React updates and redraws only the parts that change. It is built around components, small self-contained pieces of UI that you combine into larger screens. The README also says React can render on the server with Node and power mobile apps through React Native.
Best for
Cycle.js
- Developers who already know reactive streams such as RxJS, xstream, or most.js
- Teams that want explicit, testable data flow in front-end code
- Developers interested in functional programming applied to user interfaces
React
- Developers building interactive web interfaces with JavaScript
- Teams adding React gradually to an existing project, as the README describes
- Developers who want to reuse the same component model for mobile apps via React Native
- Students learning how modern front-end UIs are structured
Strengths
Cycle.js
- Side effects are pushed to the edges through driver packages, which the README presents as the core design
- Built from separate packages, so you install only the parts you need
- MIT licensed and actively maintained, with a recent push to the repository
React
- Declarative views make code easier to predict and debug, according to the README
- Adopts incrementally, so it can be added to an existing project without rewriting it
- Large, active project with an MIT license and a documented site at react.dev
Not ideal for
Cycle.js
- Beginners looking for a large, widely documented ecosystem, since the README points mainly to official docs and a chat channel
- Projects that need a mainstream framework with many off-the-shelf components, because the README does not describe one
React
- People who want a complete, opinionated framework with routing and data fetching built in, since the README says React makes no assumptions about the rest of your stack and points to a separate toolchain for new projects
- Non-programmers looking for a no-code website builder
Trade-offs
Cycle.js
- Requires understanding of reactive streams before the code feels natural
- The README is short and defers most learning to the external documentation site
- Release is listed only as a tag with no downloadable binaries, so it is used as a library through npm
React
- It is a UI library only, so you must choose and add other tools for routing, data, and build setup
- The README's examples use JSX, a syntax extension that adds a learning step, though the README notes JSX is not strictly required
Getting started
Cycle.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/cyclejs/cyclejs.gitReact
Install React and React DOM from npm
npm install react react-domFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cycle.js and React?
Cycle.js: A JavaScript framework for building apps with reactive streams and pure functions. React: A JavaScript library for building interactive user interfaces out of reusable components. Cycle.js suits developers who already know reactive streams such as rxjs, xstream, or most.js, while React suits developers building interactive web interfaces with javascript.
Are Cycle.js and React free?
Cycle.js: Free and open source. React: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Cycle.js or React?
React is easier to get started with (rated intermediate); Cycle.js is rated advanced and usually needs more setup.
Is Cycle.js or React more popular?
React has more GitHub stars (252k) than Cycle.js (10.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Cycle.js and React?
Other options people compare them with include Svelte, Angular, Preact, FoldingCell, RAMAnimatedTabBarController.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.