Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Preact.js VS Blocks.js

Compare Preact.js VS Blocks.js and see what are their differences

Preact.js logo Preact.js

Preact is a fast 3kB alternative to React with the same modern API. Components & Virtual DOM.

Blocks.js logo Blocks.js

Deprecated repository. Contribute to Tixit/blocks.js development by creating an account on GitHub.
  • Preact.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11
  • Blocks.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-20

Preact.js features and specs

  • Size
    Preact is very small in size (about 3KB gzipped), which makes it easy to load and faster to execute, resulting in improved performance and quicker load times.
  • Compatibility
    Preact is largely compatible with React, allowing developers to switch to Preact with minimal code changes. This makes it easier to adopt for projects already using React.
  • Performance
    Due to its small size and efficient design, Preact offers excellent performance, especially on low-powered devices and in applications with heavy user interactions.
  • Ecosystem
    Preact can work with many tools and libraries that are designed for React, giving developers access to a rich ecosystem of resources.
  • Community
    Preact has an active and growing community that provides support, plugins, and third-party tools, making it easier for developers to find solutions and share knowledge.

Possible disadvantages of Preact.js

  • Feature Set
    While Preact covers most of the core React features, it lacks some of the advanced functionality present in React, which may require additional workarounds or third-party libraries.
  • Learning Curve
    For developers coming from a non-React background, learning Preact might involve a learning curve, particularly because of its similarities and subtle differences with React.
  • Tooling Compatibility
    Although many tools designed for React can work with Preact, some might not be directly compatible, requiring additional configuration or patches.
  • Community Size
    While Preact has a supportive community, it is smaller compared to the massive React community, which can result in fewer available resources and third-party packages.
  • Maturity
    Preact, being newer and less widely adopted than React, might not have the same level of battle-tested reliability for all use cases, especially for large scale applications.

Blocks.js features and specs

  • Modular Design
    Blocks.js allows for modular design construction with reusable and composable components, which enhances maintainability and scalability of projects.
  • Ease of Use
    The library is designed to be easy to use with a minimalistic approach, making it accessible for developers who want to build and manage DOM elements with less boilerplate.
  • Flexibility
    Blocks.js offers flexibility in building and managing UI components, enabling developers to create highly customized web interfaces without being restricted by typical framework constraints.
  • Efficient Component Updates
    It provides efficient ways to update the DOM, improving performance especially for applications that require frequent updates or changes to the UI.

Possible disadvantages of Blocks.js

  • Limited Popularity and Community Support
    Blocks.js is not as widely used as other UI libraries or frameworks, which might limit community support and resources available for troubleshooting or learning.
  • Lack of Comprehensive Documentation
    The library might not have exhaustive documentation, which can be a barrier for new users trying to learn and implement it properly.
  • Features Compared to Established Frameworks
    Compared to established frameworks like React or Angular, Blocks.js may lack some advanced features or optimizations, which could be crucial for certain complex applications.
  • Potential Integration Challenges
    Integrating Blocks.js with other libraries or existing projects might present challenges, especially if those projects are built with frameworks that have differing paradigms.

Analysis of Preact.js

Overall verdict

  • Preact.js is a strong option for projects where performance and load time are critical, or where a light footprint is necessary. Its compatibility with React makes it a flexible and efficient alternative in scenarios where React may be overkill due to its larger size.

Why this product is good

  • Preact.js is known for its small size and high performance, making it an excellent choice for developers who need a lightweight alternative to React without sacrificing functionality. It offers a familiar API for React developers, ensuring an easy transition, and is highly efficient in terms of rendering performance. Preact also offers excellent compatibility with existing React tools and ecosystems, meaning many React packages work seamlessly with Preact.

Recommended for

    Preact.js is recommended for developers building applications with stringent performance requirements, those needing to optimize for fast loading times in environments with limited bandwidth or resources, or those looking to integrate React-like architecture in smaller projects without introducing the full weight of the React library.

Preact.js videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Preact.js and Blocks.js)
Javascript UI Libraries
81 81%
19% 19
JavaScript Framework
77 77%
23% 23
JavaScript
83 83%
17% 17
Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Preact.js and Blocks.js

Preact.js Reviews

Top JavaScript Frameworks in 2025
PreactJS is a JavaScript library that is said to be the fast 3Kb alternative to ReactJS using the same modern API. It implements the fastest virtual DOM compared to other frameworks in the market. Moreover, it is one of the smallest libraries in terms of size.
Source: solguruz.com
20 Next.js Alternatives Worth Considering
Preact is like React’s little sibling, smaller in size but with the same familiar moves. It’s cutting down the fluff and zipping through tasks with less overhead. When performance budgets are tight, Preact wiggles in perfectly.
20 Best JavaScript Frameworks For 2023
Preact is built with the same core principle of React – A component-based approach with Virtual DOM while completely compatible with React. It can even use React packages without compromising on speed, performance, and leaner size. In instances where the full potential of React isn’t necessary, most developers even use React during development and switch to Preact for...
Top 15 jQuery Alternatives To Know
ReactJS is a powerful JavaScript library to create user interfaces. Developers can design easy views at each stage in the application and there is regular update and rendering for the actual components whenever there is any data alteration. It is component-driven and creates encapsulated components that manage their own state.
Top 5 JavaScript Frameworks To Learn in 2021
But according to the graph above, we can notice a decrease in interest in Preact. This might result from having many similar frameworks with the same specs, like react-lite, Inferno, etc. However, knowing a framework like Preact will be useful for your development journey.
Source: enlear.academy

Blocks.js Reviews

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Preact.js seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 93 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Preact.js mentions (93)

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Blocks.js mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Blocks.js yet. Tracking of Blocks.js recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Preact.js and Blocks.js, you can also consider the following products

Svelte - Cybernetically enhanced web apps

Deku - Functional view library for building UI components as an alternative to React

Vue.js - Reactive Components for Modern Web Interfaces

w2ui - W2UI is a small JavaScript UI library with a complete set of widgets: layout, grid, sidebar, toolbar, tabs, fields, popup, utilities.

React - A JavaScript library for building user interfaces

Inferno - An extremely fast React-like javascript library for building modern user interfaces.