React 18: What's New Features are Expected? How to Try React 18

Because of its simplicity and versatility attained by long-established development options, React JS remains one of the most popular front-end technologies. React JS v17 didn't make many changes, but it made it easier to update React in the future by attaching event handlers to the base DOM container rather than the top of the DOM. With that gradual upgrade process in place, the upcoming version 18 can bring out a lot more of the new features React users are looking for.

Did you know that React is now 7 years old? React has been one of the most successful web technologies at this period. With each subsequent release, its popularity grew to new heights. According to the most recent Stack Overflow 2020 study, React is the most popular frontend development framework among developers (only behind the jQuery library, but before all full-fledged frontend development frameworks).

What’s coming in React 18:

React 18 will provide out-of-the-box enhancements (such as automated batching), new APIs (such as start transition), and a replacement streaming server renderer with built-in support for React.lazy when it is launched.

Because of a replacement opt-in method, these functionalities are possible. It's known as "concurrent rendering," and it allows React to prepare many versions of the UI at the same time. This modification is often made behind the scenes, but it opens up new opportunities to improve both the important and perceived performance of your program.

You may have heard of "concurrent mode" or that it will ruin your app. The update mechanism for React JS has been revised for progressive adoption. Concurrent rendering will be allowed only for updates triggered by one of the new features, rather than as an all-or-nothing "mode." In reality, this means you'll be able to use React 18 without rewriting anything and experiment with the new features at your speed.

Projected React 18 release timeline

Despite the fact that the React JS team has established release date, they predict that it will take several months of feedback and development before React 18 is ready for most commercial applications.

• Library Alpha: Available today
• Public Beta: At least several months
• Release Candidate (RC): At least several weeks after Beta
• General Availability: At least several weeks after RC

More details about react 18 projected release timeline are available in the Working Group.

How to try React 18 Alpha today

The @alpha tag is used to identify new alphas that are pushed to npm on a regular basis. The most current commit to our main repo is used to build these releases. When a feature or bugfix is integrated, it will be available in alpha the next weekday.

Between alpha releases, there may be major behavioral or API changes. Please keep in mind that alpha versions are not suitable for user-facing, production applications.

Why is React so popular?

Such popularity is often linked to the aspects that distinguished React development from the crowd – its robust data binding and component-based structure of the virtual Document Object Model. Since the beginning, they have embodied the essence of React-based frontend development.

It doesn't imply that developers aren't excited about new React features. However, the developers behind the popular framework opted to leave things the same in React JS v17. First and foremost, let us explain why the React team proudly said that React 17 contains "no new features." How can certain things that are so unique in the field of software development be considered honest? or is it some kind of silent joke?

React 18 coming soon

The React team has already created an Alpha version that anyone may use. A working committee has been formed to prepare the community for what is to come. Following the scalability-focused version 17 mentioned above, the transition to the slightly more feature-filled version 18 is made easier.

React users can expect tons of latest stuff, including (but not limited to):

• out-of-the-box improvements (including automatic bathing),
• new streaming server renderer with built-in support for React.lazy,
• other concurrent features such as start transition, useDeferredValue,
• new root API.
• However, the most important, new addition in React 18 seems to be the concurrent rendering and the related concurrent mode.