What is React? The engine behind a website that feels instant.
React is one of the tools we build with. Here's what it is in plain English, why it makes your website feel fast and modern, and how it works together with Next.js.
The simplest way to explain it
React is the technology behind the interactive parts of a modern website: the menus that slide open, the forms that check themselves, the filters and buttons that respond the instant you touch them.
Older websites reloaded the entire page every time you clicked anything. React doesn't. It updates just the piece that changed, instantly. That's the difference between a site that feels like a printed brochure and one that feels like an app.
What it means for your business
You never see React, and neither do your customers. They just feel the result.
Your site feels instant
React updates only the part of the page that changed. Menus, filters, and forms respond the moment a visitor taps them, with no slow full-page reload. Site speed in general is worth money: when Deloitte and Google studied 37 brand sites, a 0.1-second mobile speed improvement lifted retail conversions 8.4%. (Deloitte and Google, 2020)
Fewer bugs, more reliable
React builds an interface out of small, reusable, well-tested pieces. The same button behaves the same way everywhere. Fewer things break, and what does break is easier to find and fix.
It's the industry standard
React is the most widely used tool of its kind, owned by the React Foundation (Meta, Microsoft, and Vercel are members) and backed by a large developer community. Your site sits on a proven, well-supported foundation that won't leave you stranded in a few years.
It pairs with Next.js
React on its own is the engine. Next.js wraps around it to make the site load fast and easy for Google to read. We build with both, so you get the app-like feel along with the speed and search visibility.
React and Next.js, and how they fit
People mix these two up all the time, so here's how they fit.
React
The engine
Builds the interface out of reusable pieces and makes it react instantly to every click and tap. On its own, it's a powerful engine without a car around it.
Next.js
The car around it
Wraps React so the site also loads fast and is easy for Google to read. It turns a great engine into a complete website that's fast and easy to find.
You want both, and every Upforge website uses both. React on its own can leave a site fast to click but slow to first appear. Slow first loads are common: only 48% of mobile sites pass all three of Google's Core Web Vitals, and loading is the one they fail most. (HTTP Archive, 2024) Next.js is what closes that gap. If you're curious about the framework side, here's what Next.js does.
Sources
Each source opened and verified · last checked- Deloitte and Google, Milliseconds Make Millions (2020) · A 0.1s mobile speed improvement lifted retail conversions 8.4% and average order value 9.2% across 37 brand sites and 30M+ sessions.
- HTTP Archive, Web Almanac 2024, Performance (2024) · Only 48% of mobile sites pass all three Core Web Vitals; LCP is the weakest metric at a 59% pass rate.
React, Answered
They're related, but they aren't the same. React is the engine that powers the interface. Next.js is the framework built around React that adds speed and search-engine visibility. We build every site with both.
Even a simple site benefits from how React keeps things fast and consistent. You never deal with React directly; you just get a website that feels smooth and modern to use.
React is the most widely adopted tool of its kind, and it now has its own foundation, backed by Meta, Microsoft, Vercel, and others. It's one of the safest, most future-proof foundations a website can be built on.
Want a website that feels this good to use?
We build every site on React and Next.js. Get a free audit of where yours stands today, or talk it through with a real engineer.