Factors Affecting ReactJS App Maintenance Cost and How to Reduce It

According to the StackOverflow Developers Survey of 2021, ReactJS is the most popular Web Library that has surpassed jQuery for all the right reasons. The main reason for its popularity is that it allows developers to streamline the development process and add new features to their software more easily.

Read: Top 10 Reasons To Choose Facebook ReactJS In 2022

ReactJS is known for developing websites and applications with high graphics, interactive user interfaces, and high performance. If the ReactJS app is not maintained regularly it will become impossible to deliver a seamless user experience. However, maintaining the ReactJS app can be expensive.

So what causes such an increase in the maintenance cost of the ReactJS web app and how can we reduce it? Let’s find out!

What is ReactJS?

ReactJS, also known as React and React.js, is an open-source and free front-end library of JavaScript developed and maintained by Meta (formerly known as Facebook) that is used to develop component-based user interfaces.

React along with Next.js can be used as the base for single-page, server-rendered, or mobile application development. While developing a React app, you will need additional client-side functionality and libraries for routing, since React only manages and renders the state to the DOM.

Read: REACT JS: POWER OF VIRTUAL DOM

However, the web app based-on ReactJS usually requires high maintenance once it has been released to the users and multiple components in the UI call for maintenance.

Aspects Causing High Maintenance Cost of ReactJS App

Now that you know what ReactJS is, let’s understand the factors affecting ReactJS app maintenance costs before we learn the methods to reduce them. Seemingly, every site has different factors that affect it to a different extent. So, here we will discuss the most common elements that everyone can acknowledge.

Read: Why ReactJS is Better For Web Application Development

• App Complexity: Complicating the React app by adding unnecessary functions and features can increase the maintenance cost.

• Third-Party Add Ons: Integrating several third-party add-ons that without which the app can work perfectly can also become heavy maintenance that can lead to high updates and upgrade costs.

• Unclear Documentation: If the developers will have no clear idea of the structure of the product, it will become harder to maintain the web app leading to increased cost of maintenance.

• Wrong Outsourcing Partner: Outsourcing companies with little to no experience in developing the ReactJS app can create a huge burden on the budget you have for its development.

• Wrong Approach to Development: If you are not sure whether you want to go for a logical, functioning, object-oriented, or imperative programming approach to developing the app, every update can also increase the maintenance cost easily.

• Outdated Version of Technology: Using outdated technologies can lead to errors and bugs in React Apps that are difficult to detect and debug, resulting in higher maintenance costs.

Best Ways to Reduce Maintenance Cost of ReactJS App

With the acknowledgment of the aspects that can increase the maintenance cost of the react web app, it is time to understand the ways that can help in reducing such higher costs of maintenance and updates.

• Use Structured JavaScript

Modular-based and encapsulated JavaScript code can boost better maintenance and reusability. It also helps in exposing only public members, modularizing code into reusable components, and more.

Read: Why Use React Native for Your Mobile App Development

By making sure that the developers that you are hiring can easily work with a structured JavaScript approach, you can easily lower the maintenance cost of the ReactJS app.

• Maintain Code Quality

Ensuring code quality is of the utmost importance when it comes to lowering maintenance costs. If the code of the web app is well-versed, errors and bugs become intensely rare and the execution of code takes less time and becomes smooth, and easy to modify if needed.

Besides, hiring developers that have adopted clean code practices can highly reduce maintenance costs in the future.

• Create Clear Documentation

Another critical aspect that can help in reducing the maintenance cost is the documentation you create for developers. When confused, developers majorly go back and forth to look at the documentation to examine different factors including project progress, code quality and get historical code.

Read: React Developer Roadmap 2022

By giving clear documentation, you can simplify the process of project arrangement and development process while reducing the maintenance cost.

• Responsive Approach

Keeping the application design responsive simplifies the process of CSS structuring in the application. In case you don’t go for the responsive design the first time, you will have to hire developers again for accomplishing the same which will increase the maintenance cost.

• Impact New Features Can Have

Before asking the developers to add any new features to the application, you need to discuss the impact it can have on the application functionality. You can also create surveys for the users to decide whether they want such features on the app or not, only after getting positive feedback you should work on such features. Opting for this technique will help in cost reduction when it comes to post development maintenance.

Read: Angular vs React: Which is better for web app development

• Add Code Testing Tools

Adding testing tools to conduct code analysis throughout the development process is an essential part of reducing the maintenance cost of the ReactJS app because it can easily reduce the number of bugs and errors that the app might have. You can go for automated testing tools as both will help in saving efforts and time spent on error detection manually.

• Maintenance Support

Rather than waiting for errors and bugs to appear in the app, it will be beneficial to take a continuous maintenance package. This will help in reducing the maintenance cost as well as any chances of problems that might take the app down.

• Version Upgrade

The ReactJS library is frequently updated for security, bug, and performance fixes. Therefore, it is important to upgrade to the latest version of the ReactJS which will not only remove any vulnerabilities from the app but also reduce the maintenance cost.

• OutSource Experience Professionals

Before outsourcing any company or individual professionals, remember to cross-verify their experience and expertise in the field as well as the relationship of the company with past clients and their success rate. Hiring an expert and professional development team will not only make the development process easier but also reduce the maintenance cost.

Conclusion

Lastly, remember to keep all the aspects that can affect ReactJS app maintenance costs in check and use the ways suggested to reduce any additional costs. If not done accordingly, developing a ReactJS app for your business can cost you a fortune. However, cutting down the cost doesn’t compromise the quality of the app which can lead to the failure of the project.

Read: Why Hire Reactjs Developers