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Difference between Virtual DOM and Real DOM
Virtual DOM and Real DOM are important terms in web development. They both influence the rendering and updating of user interfaces. Virtual DOM is a transparent overlay that maximizes updates, whereas Real DOM is the underlying structure that the browser manipulates.
To maintain optimal performance, web development frequently calls for effective ways to handle user interface (UI) modifications. Given their frequent changes and performance issues, traditional Document Object Models (DOMs) have been replaced by Virtual DOMs in contemporary frameworks. It is very important to understand the differences between Virtual DOM and Real DOM and how current frameworks achieve greater performance and user experience.
What is Virtual DOM?
Modern JavaScript libraries like React mostly use the Virtual DOM, a small, in-memory version of the Real DOM. It serves as an abstraction layer, reducing direct interactions with the Real DOM and enabling modifications to be made quickly. When an application changes its state, the Virtual DOM generates a new version. This will be completely different from the older version and only update the modified portions of the Real DOM. This procedure speeds up and reduces UI updates while also improving performance.
Applications
- Gaming applications: Updates to gaming interfaces in real-time.
- Real-Time Updates: Apps with regular changes in status, such as stock tickers, benefit greatly from real-time data updates.
- Mobile Apps: Used for cross-platform user interface development in frameworks such as React Native.
What is Real DOM?
Real DOM, the Document Object Model representation of a web page is created and maintained by the browser. The developers can change the structured HTML and XML elements of a webpage directly with the use of technologies such as JavaScript. The updates can be costly and slow, particularly for complicated applications. Performance is affected by frequent updates because every modification starts a re-rendering process.
Applications
- Document-Centric Applications: Websites that mostly provide static material, including catalogues and portfolios.
- Small-Scale Applications: Applications that are lightweight and don't prioritize performance.
- Direct DOM Manipulation: It is quite good for jQuery programs as they mostly rely on direct DOM control.
How does the Virtual DOM work?
- Initial Rendering: The Virtual DOM builds an in-memory tree representation of the Real DOM when an application loads.
- Changes in State: The framework modifies the Virtual DOM in response to adjustments inside the application state.
- Algorithm for Diffing: The modern-day model and the earlier model are compared using the "diffing" method by means of the Virtual DOM.
- Reconciliation: The discrepancies, or patches, are computed and effectively applied to the Real DOM.
- Batch Updates: Performance is improved by batching updates to reduce the number of reflow/repaint cycles.
Why do Modern Frameworks Use Virtual DOM?
- Better Performance: Frameworks are able to update user interfaces more quickly by reducing direct interactions with the Real DOM.
- Improved Developer Experience: Enables developers to create declarative code by streamlining state management and user interface rendering.
- Cross-Browser Consistency: Browser implementation and interaction variations are abstracted by cross-browser consistency.
- Optimized Rendering: By ensuring that only the essential elements are updated, batch updates and the diffing algorithm minimize overhead.
Difference between Virtual DOM and Real DOM
| Parameters | Virtual DOM | Real DOM |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Quicker since fewer direct modifications are made to the Real DOM. | Slower as a result of regular direct upgrades. |
| Updates | It only makes changes to the DOM's altered sections. | For even the smallest of updates, the entire DOM tree is updated. |
| Memory Usage | It needs less memory for updates. | It uses extra memory because it keeps rendering. |
| Animation | Effective management through variety. | For complex animations, it may get slower. |
| Learning Curve | It requires knowledge of libraries and tools, such as React. | It is comparatively easier than Virtual DOM because it makes use of direct DOM APIs. |
| Debugging | Due to established frameworks, debugging is easier. | Debugging in complex DOMs can be difficult. |
| Error Handling | As modifications are verified before applying, errors are less likely to cause the application to fail. | Instability can result from errors that directly affect the application. |
| Manipulation | It is manipulated indirectly using React and other libraries. | It is directly manipulated by the use of jQuery or JavaScript libraries. |
| Use Cases | Ideal for high-performance and dynamic applications. | Utilized in simpler or static applications. |
Virtual DOM or Real DOM - Which is better?
As it minimizes direct modifications to the Real DOM, the Virtual DOM maximizes performance, making it generally superior for complex and dynamic applications. It makes the user interface (UI) fast and quite responsive with the usage of algorithms. Even though it's far easier, the Real DOM works great in applications which might be less interactive or static and in which speed isn't a top precedence.
Conclusion
While the Real DOM is better for simple, static use cases, the Virtual DOM gives advanced performance and efficiency for dynamic, fairly interactive programs. Each has special advantages, and the project's complexity and needs will determine which is suitable for the business.
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