HTMX vs React: Complete Comparison Guide
Compare HTMX and React on architecture, complexity, performance, and use cases. Discover when a hypermedia approach works better than a SPA framework.
HTMX
A lightweight library (approximately 14kb) that extends HTML with attributes for AJAX requests, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events. HTMX follows the hypermedia approach where the server returns HTML fragments instead of JSON. This eliminates the need for a complex client-side JavaScript framework.
React
The dominant JavaScript library for building rich, interactive user interfaces as Single Page Applications. React offers a component-based model, a massive ecosystem, and is used by millions of applications worldwide. It is the foundation for frameworks like Next.js and Remix.
Comparison table
| Feature | HTMX | React |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Hypermedia — server sends HTML fragments, minimal client JS | SPA — client-side rendering with JSON API communication |
| Bundle size | Approximately 14kb — no extra dependencies needed | Approximately 40kb+ baseline, grows with dependencies |
| Complexity | Very low — HTML attributes, no build step required | Higher — JSX, state management, build tooling, bundling |
| Interactivity | Good for CRUD operations and forms, limited for rich UI | Unlimited — suitable for the most complex interactive interfaces |
| SEO | Excellent — server-rendered HTML is crawlable by default | Requires SSR/SSG via Next.js for optimal SEO |
| Backend integration | Works with any server-side language (Python, Go, Java, PHP) | Requires a JSON/GraphQL API — decoupled from backend language |
Verdict
HTMX and React serve fundamentally different markets. HTMX shines when you want to enrich a server-rendered application with dynamic behavior without the complexity of a JavaScript framework. It is ideal for CRUD applications, forms, and content websites. React is irreplaceable when you need rich, interactive user interfaces with complex state management. The choice is not always either-or: HTMX can be excellently deployed for the simpler parts of an application while React handles the complex interactive portions.
Our recommendation
At MG Software, we build our applications primarily with React and Next.js due to the flexibility and rich ecosystem. However, we recognize that HTMX offers an elegant solution for projects where the complexity of a SPA framework is not justified. For internal tools, admin panels, and simple CRUD applications, we advise clients to consider HTMX, especially if the team has strong backend experience. For customer-facing applications with rich interactivity, React remains our default choice.
Frequently asked questions
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