Reacting to React.js

I've heard this too many times: "I've used React.js and Angular and I liked them." Ok... Angular... I mean Angular 1...I've looked at it before. Angular 1 is now passé. Now there a completely different animal known as Angular 2. Yes, completely different.. that requires a Microsoft created (surprised?) Typescript thing. Check that out https://angular.io/docs/ts/latest/quickstart.html.

Angular 1 is actually not too bad... but as with some other javascript framework the goodness of chrome debug and Firebug will be tossed as so many things are done behind scene for data-binding and magic substitutions taking place.

Now let's look at React.js. It has some wacky looking JSX that mixes HTML and somewhat C++ like stuff, and basically requires Nodes.js (so does Angular 2) and need to install a lot of stuff. See https://www.tutorialspoint.com/reactjs/ for a tutorial.

I fail to share enthusiasm. Big learning curve.. what's the benefit? And it requires a server (like Node.js). Look if you do that much on server side why don't you go hefty server side with Java (or .NET). Waita minute this isn't exactly a MVC framework like Angular... it is for breaking your thing into "components". See http://blog.andrewray.me/reactjs-for-stupid-people/. (uh hem, who are you calling stupid?)

So this isn't something I need now (probably will never need). But I needed to look it up so I understand what people are talking about.