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10+ Best React Development Companies

React.js, a dynamic JavaScript library renowned for its exceptional speed in rendering user interfaces has fundamentally transformed the landscape of web application development. While it is an amazing tool, though, using it effectively requires a deep understanding, proficiency, and hands-on experience.

That’s why it’s so crucial to select a React JS development partner who not only understands the intricacies of the library but also has the skill and experience to implement it in a way that maximizes its capabilities for your project.

In this post, we’ve rounded up some of the best React development companies for you to explore and potentially collaborate with. Dive in and discover your perfect match!

Key Traits That Define the Best React JS Development Agencies

Before you begin your quest for the ideal React development partner, you should know what traits to look for in the first place. Understanding these key characteristics can help you make an informed decision that aligns with your project goals and aspirations. Let’s explore these important factors.

Expertise and Experience

The hallmark of the best React JS development agencies is the extensive expertise and vast experience of its team members. Seek agencies with developers who possess a deep understanding of React principles, frameworks, and best practices. Seasoned professionals bring a wealth of knowledge acquired through years of building diverse applications, staying updated on emerging technologies, and honing their skills to deliver top-notch solutions tailored to your needs.

Strong Portfolio

A compelling portfolio is a testament to an agency’s (company’s) capabilities and achievements. When reviewing a potential partner’s portfolio, pay attention to the diversity of projects they have undertaken, the industries they have served, and the complexity of solutions they have delivered. A strong portfolio not only showcases technical proficiency but also provides insights into an agency’s creative prowess, problem-solving skills, and ability to adapt to varying client needs.

Positive Client Feedback

Client testimonials and reviews serve as valuable indicators of an agency’s reputation and reliability. Positive feedback from previous clients underscores a history of successful collaborations, excellent service, and client satisfaction. By seeking out providers with a track record of positive client feedback, you can gain confidence in their ability to meet and exceed your expectations.

Keeping those crucial aspects in mind, let’s now take a look at some of the top React development companies. We’ll delve into what makes them stand out, their expertise, and how they prioritize their clients to deliver exceptional solutions in the fast-paced world of web development.

An Overview of 10+ Best React Development Companies You Might Consider for Collaboration

GetDevDone

Location: Headquartered in San Francisco, California, with offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and some other regions
Experience: 19+ years in the web development industry
Team Size: 500+ (90% middle and senior developers)
Ratings: 5.0 based on 68 reviews on Clutch

GetDevDone offers a comprehensive suite of web development services tailored to meet the needs of diverse industries. Their expertise includes WordPress Development, Shopify Development, PSD to HTML Conversion, Drupal Development, Webflow Development, Craft CMS Development, Web App Development, PSD to Email Templates, HTML5 Banners Coding, and more.

The company’s technological proficiency spans across HTML5/CSS, Twitter Bootstrap, Flexbox, and JavaScript frameworks such as React, Vue, and Angular. They also have expertise in PHP frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, as well as Node.js.

Among their array of services, GetDevDone excels in React JS development. This includes custom web application development, seamless integration of user interfaces, migration to React, and ongoing support and maintenance to ensure optimal performance.

GetDevDone serves a wide range of industries, from healthcare and education to automotive and fintech, offering custom web development solutions that cater to the specific needs and challenges of each sector.

With their substantial experience, diverse service offerings, and specialized technical skills, GetDevDone is the number one choice as your React JS development partner. Their dedication to delivering high-quality solutions ensures that your project will be executed with precision and tailored to your business needs.

ATAK Interactive

Location: Los Angeles, California
Experience: Over 20 years of experience in the digital marketing and web
Team Size: 10-49
Ratings: 5.0 based on 14 reviews on Clutch

Hailing from the vibrant city of Los Angeles, ATAK Interactive thrives as a powerhouse in the realms of marketing and development. Their diverse clientele spans industries like education, financial services, healthcare, and more, showcasing a broad spectrum of expertise.

ATAK Interactive stands out with a wide array of services that cater to various business needs. Their offerings include marketing, development, design, strategy, and software support for major platforms such as HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zendesk. Particularly noteworthy is their provision of React JS development services, showcasing their adaptability and technical prowess.

To sum up, ATAK Interactive’s extensive experience, comprehensive range of services, and diverse industry expertise position them as a strong contender for your React JS project needs.

BairesDev

Location: San Francisco, California
Experience: Established in 2009, 1,200+ projects delivered to 500+ companies across 100+ industry sectors
Team Size: 4,000+
Ratings: 4.9 based on 54 reviews on Clutch

BairesDev, a prominent software development company, offers a spectrum of services to accelerate technology projects through outsourced development. Their flexible engagement models, encompassing Staff Augmentation, Dedicated Teams, and Software Outsourcing, cater to diverse client needs.

With expertise in a wide range of technologies such as React, Node.js, Python, and more, BairesDev ensures tailored solutions for clients across various industries. Their commitment to excellence is evident through a track record of successfully executing over 1,200 projects in more than 100 industry sectors.

BairesDev’s top-notch nearshore tech talent is renowned for their full-stack expertise in Custom Software Development, QA and Testing, AI and Data Science, Mobile App Development, UX/UI Design, and Platform Infrastructure.

Devox Software

Location: EU-based
Experience: Established in 2017, 70+ projects delivered
Team Size: 100+
Ratings: 4.9 based on 29 reviews on Clutch

Devox Software, a prominent EU-based software development company, offers a wide range of business consulting and custom solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiencies.

Their services span various crucial areas such as DevOps, Quality Assurance, Web Development, Data Analytics, Front End, Mobile Development, and UI/UX Design. With expertise in technologies like React JS, Angular, .NET, Java, Python, Vue JS, and Node JS, Devox Software has garnered recognition through awards and certifications from reputable platforms including UpWork, Clutch, and The Manifest.

The company showcases an impressive portfolio that includes works in website management platforms, HR tools, and enterprise digital workplace management solutions.

Devox Software’s specialization extends to various industries, notably finance software development, logistics software solutions, artificial intelligence applications, collaboration models, and hiring solutions.

With its experience across technologies and industries, Devox Software is well worth considering as your React development ally.

Radixweb

Location: Globally distributed company
Experience: 23 years
Team Size: 250-999
Ratings: 4.8 based on 46 reviews on Clutch

Radixweb is a globally renowned software development company that caters to diverse industry needs with end-to-end and resilient solutions characterized by innovation and creativity.

Specializing in ReactJS development services, Radixweb assists businesses in automating and streamlining operations, mitigating risks, and enhancing client engagement efficiency. Their commitment to building a competitive edge is evident in their ability to create modern, easily navigable apps that adhere to W3C and ECMAScript standards.

The company’s expertise extends beyond ReactJS to encompass a wide array of technologies such as AngularJS, AWS, NodeJS, JavaScript, and Microsoft-based technologies. The team showcases robust knowledge and provides valuable insights into development processes.

With a focus on quality, efficiency, and client satisfaction, Radixweb stands out as a trusted partner for businesses seeking cutting-edge software solutions that drive success and innovation.

Bacancy Technology

Location: Headquarters in Ahmedabad, India, with offices in New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Florida, London, Ontario, Australia, UAE, and Sweden
Experience: 12+ years, 2,500+ projects delivered
Team Size: 500+
Ratings: 4.7 based on 50 reviews on Clutch

Bacancy Technology, a globally renowned React JS development company, boasts over a decade of industry experience and a successful track record of delivering more than 2,500 projects. Specializing in React JS development, Bacancy Technology excels in building isomorphic and complex applications with enhanced rendering performance.

The company provides a comprehensive range of React JS development services, covering custom React JS app development, consulting, interactive UI development, front-end web development, React Native app development, API integration, enterprise app development, template creation, plugin development, migration services, support and maintenance, and much more.

With offices and development centers strategically located in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore, Bacancy Technology has established a strong presence not only in India but also globally, with offices in New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Florida, as well as international locations in London, Ontario, Australia, UAE, and Sweden.

The company’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction positions them as a trusted partner for businesses seeking advanced React JS solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Damco Solutions

Location: Global presence with offices in US, UK, Luxembourg, and India
Experience: 28+ years
Team Size: 250-999
Ratings: 5.0 based on 10 reviews on Clutch

Damco Solutions stands out as a dynamic and versatile technology solutions provider with a widespread global footprint, maintaining offices in strategic locations such as the US, UK, Luxembourg, and India.

With a wealth of experience in delivering diverse technology services, Damco Solutions caters to a wide range of industries and client needs, showcasing expertise in AI & ML, Cloud services, Data & Analytics, DevOps, and Digital Marketing.

In addition to their robust service offerings, Damco Solutions’ proficiency extends to React JS development, Mobile App Development, Product Engineering, QA & Testing, Robotic Process Automation, Salesforce integration, Virtual CTO services, and Monday Consulting, making them well-equipped to address the evolving technology requirements of businesses across various sectors on a global scale.

Algoworks

Location: Sunnyvale, California
Experience: 1,400+ projects, 900+ clients since 2006
Team Size: 630+
Ratings: 4.9 based on 97 reviews on Clutch

Nestled in Sunnyvale, California, Algoworks Solutions Inc. emerges as a formidable force in the tech solutions domain with a global workforce of approximately 630+ professionals. Their track record boasts the successful delivery of over 1,400 projects to a diverse clientele of 900+ satisfied businesses. The company’s commitment to excellence is underscored by a collection of 50+ awards and recognitions, alongside an impressive count of 170+ five-star ratings from CEOs and Founders.

Algoworks offers a broad range of services and technologies, including custom development, seamless integration, and robust support and maintenance. They specialize in front-end development, with a particular focus on React JS development services. Their expertise in React JS includes creating highly responsive, scalable web applications, ensuring seamless integration, and providing efficient migration services tailored to meet specific business needs.

Algoworks serves various sectors, such as healthcare, finance, e-commerce, education, and entertainment. This diverse industry experience allows them to provide solutions that address the unique challenges and requirements of different sectors.

With their extensive expertise and industry-specific insights, Algoworks is a top choice for your React JS project, offering reliable, innovative, and effective solutions tailored to your needs.

Waverley Software

Location: Palo Alto, California, USA (with global offices)
Experience: Over three decades in the software development industry
Team Size: 250-999
Ratings: 4.9 based on 44 client reviews on Clutch

Waverley Software excels in providing a broad spectrum of services and technologies. They specialize in software product development, digital transformation consulting, software maintenance, and CTO services. Their expertise encompasses cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud services, and more.

A standout feature of Waverley’s offerings is their proficiency in React JS development, such as custom web app development, UI/UX design, React migration, plugin development, progressive web apps, React Native development for mobile, MVP and prototyping, as well as ongoing support and maintenance.

Waverley Software serves diverse industries, including healthcare, finance, retail, telecommunications, robotics, e-learning, smart home, energy, and automotive.

With their extensive expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a proven history of delivering high-quality solutions, Waverley Software deserves to be your React JS development partner.

MindInventory

Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and Strongsville, Ohio, USA
Experience: 13+ years, 2,500 projects
Team Size: 250+ in total, 30+ React developers
Ratings: 4.6 based on 46 reviews on Clutch

MindInventory excels in providing a comprehensive array of digital solutions. Their expertise covers full-cycle product development, customer experience and design, application development, game development, and quality engineering.

They are also proficient in areas like dedicated team augmentation, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation, generative AI development, and computer vision development.

In terms of technologies, MindInventory specializes in React JS, Flutter, iOS, Android, Swift, React Native, Python, Golang, Node.js, Laravel, PHP, wearable app development, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Tailwind CSS, among others. The company is home to skilled UI/UX designers, AI developers, FastAPI developers, DevOps engineers, MERN stack developers, MEAN stack developers, and game developers.

Notably, MindInventory provides robust React JS development services. This includes crafting custom web applications, designing intuitive user interfaces, migrating existing applications to React, developing plugins, and building progressive web apps. They also have expertise in React Native development for mobile platforms, MVP and prototyping, as well as offering ongoing support and maintenance.

MindInventory caters to a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, real estate, retail, education, and logistics.

With their deep expertise, commitment to innovation, and a diverse service portfolio, MindInventory is well-equipped to handle your React JS project, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and reliable outcomes.

Relevant Software

Location: Lviv, Ukraine; Warsaw, Poland
Experience: 10 Years, 200 clients served across countries and continents
Team Size: 80+ (92% middle and senior engineers)
Ratings: 4.9 based on 27 reviews on Clutch

Relevant Software is a top-rated outsourcing company specializing in providing senior tech talent and product development expertise to build world-class software. Their services encompass a wide spectrum of digital solutions including IT outsourcing, machine learning & AI, IoT, product development, product discovery, web and mobile development, SaaS development, quality assurance, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, DevOps, and AI chatbot development.

Among their services, Relevant Software offers robust React JS development capabilities. They specialize in custom React JS development, React Native app development, React JS UI/UX design and development, migration to React, ongoing maintenance and support, and consulting services. They also excel in developing progressive web apps, social and interactive apps, enterprise applications, e-commerce platforms, and more.

Relevant Software serves a diverse range of industries, including energy, fintech, real estate, retail, construction, travel, insurance, healthcare, logistics, e-commerce, media and entertainment, and agriculture.

Thanks to their extensive expertise, innovative strategies, and unwavering commitment to quality, Relevant Software is an excellent partner for your React JS project. Their ability to deliver customized, efficient, and high-performing solutions ensures your project’s success and aligns perfectly with your business needs.

Wrapping Up

Choosing the right React JS development company is crucial to the success of your project. Each of the companies highlighted above offers unique strengths and specialized services that could match your specific business needs.

To make an informed decision, it is important to conduct thorough research. Analyze their portfolios, reach out for client testimonials, and compare their expertise against your project requirements.

Taking the time to evaluate these factors will help you select the best partner, ensuring a high-quality, efficient, and reliable outcome for your React JS project.

Comparing Vue, React, and Angular: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Applications

Choosing the correct technology for your upcoming project can be daunting. The framework you opt for will directly impact your future application’s performance, scalability, and security, as well as the development cost, speed, and timeline.

In this post, we’ll delve into a comparison of three leading technologies for web application development – React.js, Vue.js, and Angular.js, highlighting their advantages, disadvantages, and suitable use cases.

Understanding Framework vs. Library

Before we pit Angular, React, and Vue against each other, it’s crucial to understand the primary distinction between them. Technically, Angular and Vue are deemed web development frameworks, while React.js is often categorized as a library.

Compared to a library, a framework is a more extensive tool that provides more features for application development, while a library only offers specific and pre-defined functions.

However, the line between a library and a framework is somewhat blurred. Some developers argue that all three technologies discussed in this article are frameworks, while others disagree.

Although a library might seem limited compared to a framework as a development tool, in some cases, they are sufficient to build a robust solution.

Let’s kick off with an overview of React.js to understand how this technology can be effective for the web development process, especially when its technical features are appropriately adapted to the use case.

React.js

An Overview of React.js

React.js is a web development library built with JavaScript. Developed by Facebook, it’s used for front-end development. It’s the most popular library and the top choice among professional web developers in 2023, according to the results of the StackOverflow Developer Survey 2023.

More than 42% of developers worldwide choose React.js, so it’s no surprise that this technology powers renowned solutions like Instagram, WhatsApp, and The New York Times. This popularity contributes to React.js’s growing community and large talent pool.

Key Features of React.js

Virtual DOM. DOM or Document Object Model is a concept that outlines the logical structure of documents and how developers can manipulate them. React.js uses a virtual DOM, duplicating a web page in virtual memory for quicker responses. For instance, when a developer alters a specific element, a virtual DOM only updates this element instead of re-rendering all of them.
Components. React.js is an extensive JS library with numerous pre-developed UI components that can be immediately reused or slightly modified to better suit your project’s needs.
JSX. JSX is a technique at the crossroads of JavaScript and HTML that adds flexibility to both technologies. However, mastering this extension can be challenging, despite the simplicity of learning React.js.
One-way data binding. This method means that data travels in one direction, so each time developers modify the component, the view is instantly changed as well, saving development time and effort.

Limitations of React.js

Technically, React.js is almost a universal technology that allows for creating small to medium websites with good performance and clear UI. As for the drawbacks of this library, some developers mention that its supporting documentation lacks clarity.

Best Uses for React.js

E-commerce projects. Thanks to a wide selection of components, React.js is a top choice for e-commerce project development. With this library, websites in this sector feature interactive UI elements like sliders, drag-and-drops, etc. React.js also offers good SEO opportunities, essential for promoting e-commerce projects.
Single Page Applications. React.js is also suitable for SPAs due to fewer client-server requests, making SPAs created with React fast and user-friendly.
Social media projects. Due to the reusability of components, security, and enhanced performance, React.js can be a good choice for building social media apps. This library also allows for creating numerous animated components for better engagement without affecting the web app performance.
Startups. React.js has many features that are particularly beneficial for startups. These include SEO-friendliness, easy scalability, and compatibility with React Native to target customers using mobile devices, among others.

Vue.js

Vue.js Snapshot

Vue.js is a front-end development framework that’s worth noting in 2023. Despite being the smallest framework, its technical prowess competes with React and Angular. It merges the best attributes from both while remaining more user-friendly, flexible, and efficient.

Moreover, Vue.js has a substantial talent pool and offers fast development speeds. It often emerges as the preferred choice for validating ideas, rapid MVP development, and speed development. The solution’s most notable feature is its flexibility, coupled with its ease of learning.

As per the State of Vue 2021 survey, 60% of the respondents picked this technology due to its intuitive start-up process, and 90% regarded Vue.js as the primary tool for their upcoming projects. High-profile companies like Grammarly and Trustpilot are leveraging it.

Key Features of Vue.js

Two-way data binding. Vue supports the Model-View-View-Controller approach and two-way data binding. This implies that any change in the model will reflect in the view and vice versa. This approach may be challenging for developers accustomed to the traditional MVC, but it’s this feature that brings immense flexibility to Vue.
Virtual DOM rendering. Similar to React.js, Vue uses virtual DOM rendering to enhance webpage robustness.
Components. Vue.js also provides numerous reusable components that developers can integrate, thereby saving on development time and cost.

Limitations of Vue.js

The talent pool for Vue.js isn’t as extensive as React or Angular. Some developers argue that Vue’s flexibility can sometimes be a disadvantage as it can lead to unpredictability. Additionally, scaling websites built with Vue can be challenging.

Ideal Use Cases for Vue.js

MVP development. Thanks to Vue’s accelerated development speed, it is well-suited for swift MVP development. The tool supports the Rapid Development method, enabling developers to quickly produce the first MVP and collect user feedback promptly.

Animated websites. Vue.js is also apt for websites with intricate animations.

UI-centered websites. As a UI-centric framework, Vue.js offers almost limitless possibilities for websites that prioritize user interface clarity and convenience.

Angular.js

Angular.js and Its Capabilities

As part of the MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js, Node.js), Angular.js is a consistently popular and enduring technology. Developed by Google in 2010, it remains a pertinent choice for front-end web app development. Angular.js continues to evolve and is supported by a robust community and a vast talent pool.

Prominent projects like Forbes and Upwork have been developed using Angular.js. As per Stack Overflow, it’s one of the most preferred frameworks among web developers. However, React and Vue still rank higher. Let’s delve into the technical features of Angular.js.

Key Features of Angular.js

Model-View-Controller architecture. This feature accelerates UI component creation as changes made in the Model are instantly reflected in the View. Unlike React.js, Angular.js employs two-way data binding, meaning changes are instantaneously applied to both parent and child UI components.
Server-side rendering. This functionality enhances the robustness and performance of Angular web pages due to API calls to the server.
Dependency injection. This feature allows developers to make certain UI components independent from each other and test them as separate units. Dependency injection simplifies and enhances the testing and debugging processes.

Limitations of Angular.js

Despite its advantages, Angular.js has some drawbacks. Firstly, Angular.js is a comprehensive framework that can be challenging to master. Some developers also contend that it lacks security. Websites built with Angular may encounter SEO issues, which is why it’s often chosen for software intended for internal use.

Ideal Use Cases for Angular.js

Enterprise applications. Angular is robust and stable enough to build web applications with intricate architecture and numerous dependencies. The framework also supports implementing complex business logic and using TypeScript to add static types to the code.
Progressive web applications. While not the most common use case for Angular.js, developing PWAs is possible, primarily due to the service worker add-on.
Dynamic and static content applications. Whether for lightweight pages with static content or more interactive solutions with dynamic content, Angular.js can be an excellent choice without risking slowing down the website.

Deciding on the Perfect Framework for Your Project: A Step-by-Step Guide

Angular.js, React.js, and Vue.js are each renowned and potent tools, ideal for web project creation. Here’s a step-by-step process to help you select the most suitable one, keeping in mind the specifics of each technology.

Assess the scope and size of your project. Vue.js is more suited for smaller projects, while React.js can accommodate small to medium-sized website development needs. For larger, more complex projects, Angular.js might be a better choice.
Identify key features. Following this, outline the crucial features that your website’s UI should possess. Then, determine how each framework could aid in its development.
Consider performance expectations. Your choice of framework will largely depend on the performance requirements of your future solution. Both React and Vue offer good performance, which could potentially be a challenge with Angular.
Balance development time, cost, and speed. Depending on how complex your project is, developing with Angular.js could be slower and more costly compared to using React.js or Vue.js. React.js is generally a less expensive option, primarily due to the availability of skilled professionals and its user-friendly nature.
Investigate the available talent pool. This final step is particularly crucial if your project has strict deadlines. You might also want to consider hiring a dedicated development team to save time, money, and effort on recruitment, team formation, and support.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the choice between Angular.js, Vue.js, and React.js depends on the unique requirements of your project, the complexity of the features needed, performance expectations, development time and cost, and the available talent pool.

Remember that the success of your project heavily relies on aligning these factors with the capabilities of the chosen framework.

The Pros and Cons of Developing a React WordPress Theme

In this post, we’ll delve into the details of creating a WordPress theme with React and explore the value it brings to the table.

We all know that content is king, but simply creating content isn’t enough. Efficiently manipulating it – adding, editing, and removing – is equally important.

Back in the early days of the Internet, working with content was a daunting task for regular users. That all changed with the advent of content management systems (CMS), and one of the most popular platforms to emerge is WordPress. With its user-friendly admin panel, WordPress allows site owners to effortlessly handle both back-end and front-end tasks.

However, a monumental shift occurred a few years ago when REST API was integrated into WordPress’s core. This decoupled the front-end from the back-end, enabling developers to use other technologies such as React.js to create custom WordPress themes or enhance existing ones. React.js, released by Facebook in 2013, has become one of the most beloved JavaScript frameworks/libraries for this purpose.

So, what makes building a WordPress theme with React so attractive? It all boils down to the REST API, which serves as the architectural style that enables developers to work with React and WordPress. Let’s discuss it next.

REST API: The Architectural Style That Empowers Developers to Build React-Powered WordPress Themes

Previously implemented as a plugin, the REST API is now an integral part of WordPress, revolutionizing the platform.

REST API, an acronym for Representational State Transfer, defines the rules for manipulating website data in the form of collections and objects. Each data type in WordPress has its own endpoint or URL, which developers can leverage in their code to interact with the database.

Data is exchanged between the back-end and front-end as JSON objects, utilizing JavaScript Object Notation. Think of it like a TV remote control – pressing a button sends a signal to the TV, and information starts flowing. In this analogy, the endpoint is the button, and the corresponding JSON object is the signal.

Using the REST API for a WordPress theme with React (or a similar JavaScript framework) offers several advantages. Firstly, the front-end and back-end are distinctly separated, allowing different development teams to work from different locations and servers. This also means you can create a React app as a WordPress theme, resulting in a Single Page Application (SPA) with a unique design and exceptional user experience.

Moreover, a WordPress React theme is highly dynamic, performs well, and can incorporate animations more easily than other frameworks. It can also store data on the client side for faster performance and even function offline thanks to Service Workers.

While using the WordPress REST API isn’t mandatory, the benefits it brings to your project are undeniable. So, why choose React for your WordPress theme? The answer lies in its ability to create a powerful, interactive, and visually appealing website that stands out from the crowd.

React WordPress Theme Development: The Ideal Choice for Your Website

Let’s delve into why React is an excellent library for building WordPress themes.

Fast Development Speed and Easy-to-Grasp Syntax

React’s syntax, known as JSX, combines JavaScript code with HTML elements. Additionally, React treats everything as a component, housing logic, structure, and visual presentation in one place.

Although this may challenge the separation of concerns principle, developers quickly adapt to this concept and find it convenient. Those familiar with JavaScript and HTML can grasp React’s fundamentals swiftly, while mastering advanced concepts may take some time.

The straightforward syntax and familiar technologies make React WordPress theme development fast and efficient, contributing to reduced development costs. However, certain tasks like implementing server-side rendering may require additional time.

Reusable Components

React WordPress theme development offers the advantage of reusing components from one project in another, similar to Lego building blocks. WordPress developers can extract and insert a single ‘cube’ into different sites seamlessly.

While some features might pose challenges when porting them, simple components can be easily transferred. Best of all, these building blocks are independent, allowing modifications without impacting other elements.

Efficient Redrawing of React.js Theme Components

React.js employs a virtual DOM, unlike manipulating the real DOM, which consumes time and resources. Consider a scenario with six checkboxes, one of which is selected. With Vanilla JavaScript or other frameworks, the entire group of checkboxes reloads to reflect the changes in the DOM.

However, if you choose to create a React app for your WordPress theme, only the selected checkbox will be redrawn in the DOM. React provides a virtual DOM object for each real DOM object, serving as a comparison tool. The lightning-fast virtual DOM is re-rendered without delay.

Afterward, React compares the new virtual DOM with the previous version, redrawing only the selected checkbox in the physical DOM. This approach boosts the performance of your themes significantly.

These are just a few remarkable features of React.js that attract site owners towards using React themes for their WordPress projects. To explore more about React’s advantages, check out this post.

Like any technology, React has a few drawbacks, too, but they are minimal.

Limitations of React for WordPress Theme Development

React.js is Continuously Evolving

While React is fast and efficient, it remains a relatively new tool, first released in 2013. Consequently, ongoing development means occasional issues and bugs.

However, with each new version, React becomes more mature and robust. The thriving React development community ensures developers can find solutions to their problems easily.

Additional Efforts for Implementing WordPress REST API With React Might Be Required

Connecting React.js to WordPress through the REST API doesn’t guarantee instant speed improvements. Extensive data retrieval from the database, particularly for complex user interfaces, can hinder performance.

To create a truly fast WordPress theme with React, developers must go the extra mile. For example, they might need to create an indexer to optimize data retrieval or employ other workarounds to enhance the efficiency of the React-WordPress combination.

If you find this overwhelming, the Site Slinger WordPress development team can handle React WordPress theme development for you. With years of experience in React.js, we have created numerous custom WordPress themes harnessing the power of this advanced technology.

React WordPress Theme Development: Frequently Asked Questions

Does a React WordPress theme work well on mobile devices?

Certainly! React is a versatile solution that ensures seamless rendering across all devices. React apps can be built to deliver a flawless user experience on both desktop and mobile platforms.

What about the SEO-friendliness of React?

Search engine optimization can be a challenge when building React apps due to factors like JavaScript rendering and metadata management. Although Google can crawl and index client-side rendered websites, other search engines and SEO tools may have limitations.

To address these issues, developers can employ techniques such as creating isomorphic React apps or utilizing pre-rendering. Isomorphic apps can render on both the client and server sides, enabling search engines to access content while JavaScript loads in the background. Frameworks like Next.js and Gatsby facilitate the development process and help solve SEO-related problems.

Why Is creating React components so efficient?

When building UIs, developers often rely on modern CSS frameworks like Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, or Material Design. These frameworks offer pre-built components that can be easily integrated into React apps, saving significant development time. By leveraging these ready-to-use components, developers can focus on customizing and scaling their apps without starting from scratch.

Is React suitable for WordPress theme development?

Yes, React is a viable option for WordPress theme development since the introduction of the REST API functionality in the core system. With the decoupling of the back-end and front-end, developers can leverage various technologies to create custom WordPress themes. React.js stands out as one of the best choices, allowing seamless communication with the WordPress back-end through HTTP calls and JSON objects.

What are the benefits of using React for WordPress theme development?

Simple Syntax: React offers an easy-to-master syntax, making it accessible for front-end developers of any level.
Component Reusability: React components can be easily reused across different applications, making the development process faster and more efficient.
Virtual DOM Implementation: React’s virtual DOM concept enables rendering only the elements that have changed, resulting in exceptionally fast UI updates.

Can React be used to build custom WordPress themes from scratch?

Absolutely! Building a React.js WordPress theme from scratch gives site owners complete control over every aspect of their websites. Rather than relying on pre-designed themes and struggling to customize them, React empowers developers to create tailor-made themes that perfectly align with their business needs.

10 Reasons NOT to code your own HTML

At The Site Slinger, we see LOTS of different kinds of web designs from our customers, and we hear lots of different reasons why they choose us to turn their designs into code. I wanted to share 10 of these reasons with you to show you the ways The Site Slinger helps you bring your designs to life, whether you are building a simple landing page, a complex web application, a WordPress theme, or even a great looking HTML email.

10 great reasons not to code your own HTML for your next project.

10. You can’t code.
Design to code services are for people just like you, no technical experience required. Don’t worry, developers don’t bite.

9. You are on a deadline (or multiple deadlines)
Rapidly approaching deadlines are not good for your stress level. If you don’t know how you will get the job done in time we have RUSH PSD to HTML options available.

8. You need jQuery or JavaScript animations
Most design to code services charge extra for JavaScript animations, we include it in the per page price.

7. Your client doesn’t want to pay for you to code by the hour
Using a design to code service for your website will be a fraction of what it would cost to code by the hour. We’ll even give you a PDF estimate to take to your client!

6. You don’t know any reliable web developers
Finding any good developer is hard, finding reliable outsourced development is even harder. You need someone you can count on who knows how to make you happy.

5. You have a LOT of pages to develop
If you build large, complex applications with extensive views, design to code services save you time so you aren’t wasting developer time coding HTML.

4. Your development team is backlogged
Your team is great, but they are busy building out your application. Don’t slow them down!

3. You are building a WordPress theme
WordPress sites are overtaking the web — everybody wants one and now you don’t have to be an expert to give it to them.

2. You build lots of web applications
We work with Bootstrap, 1140gridCSS, 960gs, Zurb and many other responsive web application frameworks. Get your prototype up in 5 days or less.

1. You are the smartest person on the planet and realize The Site Slinger should code your designs, not you.
We are happy to help!

Want to Learn More? See Examples!

HTML5: The Language of the New Web

No longer a novelty, HTML5 has already changed the way web developers code and the way users interact with websites. Contributing to the decline of Flash, HTML5 is an undeniable force utilized by countless modern websites.

The New Standard.

HTML5 is setting the bar for the ever changing web landscape. In addition to being integral to the single-site, multi-device experience, HTML5 serves as a standard for video, Flash-like interactivity, and is even creeping into the ad space. With HTML working hand in hand with CSS3 and JavaScript, HTML5 brings us to the next level of web development.

HTML5 is paving the path of the future for the Web:

It will be the go-to language for cross-platform development. According to Web Developer Juice, “Almost every platform – mobile or web – is now making the shift to HTML5 (this includes Blackberry OS, Palm WebOS, and Windows 8).” And Strategy Analytics predicted that HTML5 phones are a hyper-growth market, and global sales will increase 365% by 2016, from 2011. Developing for the desktop now includes developing for mobile. Which means faster and more cost-effective reach.

Ads will continue to shift from Flash. Apple adamantly denounced Flash, so, unsurprisingly, their iOS devices lack compatibility with those traditional Flash ads you otherwise see blinking at you across the web. With so much of mobile web traffic coming from iPhone and iPad users, advertisers can’t ignore that fact. Even on desktops, HTML5 aims for faster loading and better integration. Google Mobile Ads now offers a feature to easily convert Flash ads to HTML5 in Adwords and offers HTML5 banners. Pointroll goes as far as calling HTML5 “the future ‘Secret Sauce’ in online advertising.” HTML5 proves, once again, it is the solution for more effective and efficient reach.

It’s a robust and clean coding standard aimed at streamlining coding, publishing and browsing. HTML5 has been designed to do away with the need for add-on browser plugins. Many features are intended to improve site discovery and overall SEO, translating into more traffic. HTML5 includes the use of Canvas, which provides the potential for more graphic interactivity and an alternative to loading images the ‘old’ way – even on the fly! With better support for feedback forms, drag-and-drop tools, chat, and other popular interactive elements HTML5 aims to make developing and using the new Web much easier.
You can reference a useful infographic about HTML5 features and the benefits for future web development here.

To make the most of the new Web, the HTML5 experts at The Site Slinger code with the future in mind, utilizing the latest tools to provide robust user experiences, beautiful and clean websites. We’re happy to turn your vision into a pixel-perfect site via our best-in-the-world PSD to HTML coding, so contact us or submit your design and let’s get it done!

*Image courtesy of W3C, used under Creative Commons licensing.

So what IS responsive web design, anyway?

With the world going mobile there’s no way around it: your site has to adapt to any and every device that’s out there. Think about it… How many devices have you used today? I can count checking my email on three already!

Don’t get lost in buzzwords, understand why/how responsive web design works.

In the past, the solution to differing device screens was to build an alternate version of your site, or even multiple apps optimized for the various mobile OS’s. However, these options often prove to be too costly in development and cumbersome to perform maintenance and updates. So what is today’s solution? Responsive web design!

Well, you ask… what IS responsive design? It’s one of those buzz words being thrown around a lot right now.

Responsive design allows for a single site to be designed and developed, yet performs effectively and beautifully across devices of varying screen sizes and orientations.

There are a few key features that allow this to work:

A flexible framework for content – the ‘grid’

The foundation of the responsive design, the grid provides easy content management across varying screen sizes through the repositioning of content areas or boxes.

Check out some great info on how to use the grid in design and download some basic templates here.

Responsive web design — Content moves based on screen size, but should still relay the same message in an aesthetically pleasing way. (Image courtesy of DezignMatterz)

Adaptable visual content

From images to backgrounds and graphical motifs, a solidly designed responsive site must be able to communicate your vision consistently, regardless of device and screen size. These elements of the page must be able to move around and make sense from a user perspective and still effectively tell the user what you’re saying/selling.

Check out some great examples of sites that do this here.

The ability to respond to devices

Generally done via ‘media queries,’ a responsive site must determine the best display configuration and adapt in an instant to changes in screen orientation and size. This should be done in such a way that the user doesn’t notice the site changing.

Check out some great examples of this here.

The Site Slinger understands the need to develop websites in a cost-effective, multi-platform manner. We love coding PSD to responsive design! You shouldn’t spend all of your resources managing updates or site variations across a seemingly infinite sea of different mobile devices. That’s why we build effective, high-value, responsive sites, giving you the ability to deliver content consistently and reliably to all visitors, whether they’re on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

If you’d like to discuss the options for translating your web design into a fully responsive site, please contact us, or submit a quote. We’re happy to turn your vision into a pixel-perfect site via our best-in-the-world PSD to HTML coding.

*For further reference on responsive elements see, “Understanding the Elements of Responsive Web Design”

Responsive Design: Why You’re Doing It Wrong

Responsive design isn’t a fad that arose because of a cool CSS technique, it’s an answer to a problem. Always remember that and constantly ask yourself whether or not you’re really adequately addressing that problem. If you’re using copy and paste to insert your media query breakpoints, your solution might be flawed.

Let’s discuss why media queries exist and how we can leverage them to truly solve the quandary of the ubiquitous web. Let’s talk about why you should let your content determine the breakpoints of a layout, not hypothetical screen sizes.

This article is part of our series on “looking beyond desktop design”, brought to you in partnership with Heart Internet VPS.

The Idea Behind Media Queries

Responsive Design PSD to Responsive Screenshot

To begin this debate correctly, it’s necessary to discuss why media queries have suddenly become so popular. The answer is of course that “Responsive Design,” a term coined by Ethan Marcotte, is a fantastic way to address an ever-growing problem for web designers.

While everyone was ranting on and on about how the “mobile web” was going to overtake the traditional one, the revolution that took place was much more drastic: the web became ubiquitous.

This “problem” is great for the world as a whole, but a real headache for us. In the past decade, the worldwide web has transformed into something new. It’s no longer bound by the walls that we had previously established. I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. While everyone was ranting on and on about how the “mobile web” was going to overtake the traditional one, the revolution that took place was much more drastic: the web became ubiquitous.

At this point in time, we don’t access the web from a single point. We didn’t give up our laptops in favor of smartphones as “experts” predicted. Instead, the web is everywhere we are. It’s not only in our phones and computers, it’s in our tablets, iPods, gaming systems, televisions and even cars.

This trend will only continue as time goes on. Responsive design brings us past a season of creating separate mobile sites and into an era where we develop one site that evolves and adapts to the device that it’s being viewed on. Using media queries, we can present specific CSS to any number of different viewport sizes and make sure that everyone has the best possible experience.

The Problem With Responsive Design

The section above isn’t a semi-historical rant meant to fill space, it’s an important look at the goals that responsive design is meant to achieve. The question then becomes, does it meet these goals? Does responsive design adequately address the problem of ubiquity?

The answer is complicated, at best I can say, “it depends on how you do it.” That’s a confusing statement isn’t it? Responsive design is straightforward: use media queries to serve up custom CSS to different viewport sizes. This is how everyone approaches it right? So how can there be a right and wrong way?

The complexity arises when we begin to discuss a crucial part of this technique: which media queries should I use? Or put a different way, which “breakpoints” should I target for custom CSS? The current popular answer predictably starts with the best “mobile” devices around: the iPhone and iPad (cue angry Android user comments). From these archetypes we establish so-called “generic” smartphone and tablet sizes. Then we move up and address laptops and small desktops and finally large screens. A standard set of media queries, like this one from CSS-Tricks, typically has nine or ten pre-established breakpoints.

What if we focused on the needs of a specific design instead of a hypothetical device use case? What if we built layouts that simply worked everywhere?

To be fair, this system does work to a certain degree. We’ve all seen lots of great responsive sites built using a set similar to Coyier’s above. However, I can’t help but think that this is somehow repeating the same mistake that we made by designing “mobile sites” a few years ago. The entire focus here is on the device viewing the site. Before we even build the site, we have these breakpoints in mind.

But devices change. We’ve already established that the web is being connected to pretty much everything with a power switch, so why are we once again placing so much emphasis on currently common screen sizes? Is there a better alternative? What if we focused on the needs of a specific design instead of a hypothetical device use case? What if we built layouts that simply worked everywhere?

Content Focused Responsive Design

The aforementioned problems with pre-established media queries occurred to me only as I dug in and really started producing responsive work on my own. In theory, the standard suggestions are great but once you apply them to a complex design you’ll discover that those breakpoints don’t always cover it. The problem, as the Boston Globe designers found quickly found out once the site went live, is that issues arise “in the in-between” (for the record, that project is fantastic and any layout issues have largely been addressed). Things get messy when the design is at a size that you didn’t account for and you have to go in and patch the holes after the fact.

I say this as an avid Apple fanboy: stop designing websites for the iPhone.

My question is, why don’t we start there? Instead of going into a project with a set of devices, and consequently media queries, in mind, why don’t we let the design decide? Every web page layout has a point where the browser size lessens its integrity. Our job as designers, in light of the problem of ubiquity, should be to find that size and account for it, then lather, rinse and repeat until all of the weak points are accounted for.

I say this as an avid Apple fanboy: stop designing websites for the iPhone. Instead, design a website that maintains its integrity as its viewport size is reduced to any feasible state. Do keep specific devices in mind as a guide for your design (example: smaller devices tend to be touch-based, so make links large), but don’t put your blinders on and fail to look at the bigger picture: that your design should look good on any screen.

A New Workflow

So what does a content focused responsive design workflow look like? It’s simpler than you think. Obviously, you need a starting point of some kind. If you want to start mobile and go up, great. If you want to start large and come down, also great. I personally find it very difficult to really dig into a design and do it right if I’m starting at the mobile level, but there are many solid arguments for doing it this way.

Something magic happens when you follow this workflow.

Hypothetically, let’s say you started with a large, 1020px wide site. Check it out on the largest screen you can get your hands on and make sure it looks great. Now drag the window and make it smaller until the design gets ugly. There’s your first breakpoint. Set a media query for that point and fix everything that you need to address. Once you’re finished, grab that window and find the next point of ugliness. Repeat these steps until you’re satisfied with the range that you’ve accounted for.

But what about the iPad? What about the Kindle Fire or Samsung’s latest attempt at being relevant? Something magic happens when you follow this workflow. You just made it so that the layout looks good at just about any size. If you did it right, then when you pull it up on your phone or tablet, it’s going to look great.

Layout Only
Keep in mind this discussion refers to layout ratios only. You absolutely don’t get out of testing functionality on different browsers and devices. Responsive design does nothing to account for the fact that different browser engines interpret HTML, CSS and JavaScript differently.

Conclusion

To sum up, media queries and responsive design provide us with an incredibly powerful tool to account for the fact that websites are being viewed by all manner of screens and viewport sizes. However, once we start pegging our designs to a handful of devices, we’re right back where we started. Your goal instead should be to build a layout that’s so versatile that it can handle almost any viewport size thrown at it.

This is all nice in theory, but where’s the example? The jumping off point of this discussion came from a recent attempt of mine to build a responsive image gallery. Check out that article for a look at how a content focused responsive design workflow might look in the wild.

Effortless Full Screen Background Images With jQuery

Today we’re going to build a simple and fun webpage for the sole purpose of showing off Fullscreenr, a great little jQuery plugin that makes it easy to add a background image to your site that automatically adjusts to the window size.

We’ll also throw in some @font-face and rgba action to keep things modern and educational on the rest of the build. Let’s get started!

Demo

Just so you can get a feel for what we’re building, check out the demo below. To see the jQuery in action, resize the browser window and watch how the image adapts dynamically.

View the demo

Now that you’ve seen how it works, let’s build it!

Step 1: Grab Fullscreenr

The first thing you’re going to want to do is go to the Fullsreenr website and download a copy. Grab the JS files and throw them into a folder with a basic website framework: html, css and images folder.

Step 2: Start the HTML

To begin the HTML, thrown in the code for an empty page and add the references for the stylesheet and the two JavaScript files.

<!-- Stylesheet -->
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/style.css">
<!-- JavaScript codes -->
<script src="js/jquery-1.3.2.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="js/jquery.fullscreenr.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

Step 2: Select a Background Image

Before we insert the code for placing our background image, we’ll need to know the size. Which of course means we need to find an image.

I grabbed the image below by Faisal.Saeed on Flickr Creative Commons. It’s an awesome snowy mountain scene that should make the perfect setting for our site.

Next, I sized the image so that it would be 907px by 680px. These are the dimensions that we’ll use in our next step.

Step 3: Insert the Fullscreenr Snippet

In the demo files of the Fullscreenr download, you should find the following JavaScript snippet to enable the plugin. I’ve customized it a bit with the image dimensions specified above.

<script type="text/javascript">  
    var FullscreenrOptions = {  width: 907, height: 680, bgID: '#bgimg' };
    jQuery.fn.fullscreenr(FullscreenrOptions);
</script>

All you have to do for your own version is change the hight and width to match that of your own image.

Step 4: Body HTML

Next up, there is a chunk of HTML in the demo page that you’ll need to grab. The structure may seem a little funky but really all the developer has done is applied the background image to the body and created a basic container (realBody) for you to then add all the rest of your content to. If you don’t like the div ID names used by the developer, feel free to change them to something more conventional.

<!-- This is the background image -->
<img id="bgimg" src="img/mountains-907x680.jpg">
<!-- Here the "real" body starts, where you can put your website -->
<div id="realBody">
    
<!-- Here the "real" body ends, do not place content outside this div unless you know what you are doing -->
</div>

As you can see, all we’ve done here is throw in the background image.

Step 5: Add the CSS

Finally, throw in the CSS below to make everything work properly. This is necessary to make sure your content will scroll correctly and stay positioned properly in the stack.

body {
    overflow:hidden; 
    padding:0;margin:0;
    height:100%;width:100%;
}
#bgimg {
    position:absolute;
    z-index: -1;
}
#realBody{
    position:absolute;
    z-index: 5; 
    overflow:auto; 
    height:100%;width:100%;
    background: url('../img/raster.png');
}

And with that, you’re done! You should now have a background image that dynamically scales with the browser window. The transition is super smooth and works brilliantly.

The plugin comes with an dotted pattern image overlay, shown below in a zoomed-in view. If you don’t like this effect, simply leave it out!

If you’d like, you can stop here and proceed with your own design. If you’re interested on where to go from here, I’ll finish up with some fun design.

Step 6: Add a Background Div and Header

Now that we’ve got our background image, we want to center a div over the top of it and give it a background fill. We’ll also give it a basic header that I thought seemed appropriate given the snowy background image.

<img id="bgimg" src="img/mountains-907x680.jpg">
<div id="realBody">
    <div id="container">
        <h1>Welcome to Hoth</h1>
    </div>
</div>

Next we’ll style these two elements with CSS (insert this in addition to the CSS above).

#container {
    width: 800px;
    height: 1000px;
    margin: auto;
    margin-top: 60px;
    padding-top: 10px;
    background:rgba(0,0,0,.8);
    
}
#container h1 {
    color:#fff;
    font-family: 'KitchenpoliceRegular', sans-serif;
    font-size:60px;
    font-weight: normal;
    text-decoration:none;
    text-align:center;
}
@font-face {
    font-family: 'KitchenpoliceRegular';
    src: url('KITCHENPOLICE-webfont.eot');
    src: local('‚ò∫'), url('KITCHENPOLICE-webfont.woff') format('woff'), url('KITCHENPOLICE-webfont.ttf') format('truetype'), url('KITCHENPOLICE-webfont.svg#webfontCRDciSXC') format('svg');
    font-weight: normal;
    font-style: normal;
}

This is a big chunk of code but it’s all super basic. First, we gave the container a height and width, then set the margins to auto. This gives us a vertical strip that automatically stays centered on the page. The background color for the container has been applied using rgba. This will give us a nice transparent container that lets some of that nice background image show through.

Next, we used applied some basic styles to the header and customized the font using @font-face. I used a font called Kitchen Police and an @font-face kit from FontSquirrel.

At this point, your page should look like the image below.

Step 7: Add a Header Image

The next step is extremely easy. All you have to do is toss in an image that’s the same width as the container (800px).

<img id="bgimg" src="img/mountains-907x680.jpg">
<div id="realBody">
    <div id="container">
        <h1>Welcome to Hoth</h1>
        <img src="img/walkers.jpg">
    </div>
</div>

And with that your image should fall right into place without any extra styling.

Step 8: Add Some Text

In this step we’re going to add some basic filler text to the page and in the next we’ll add a grid of images. Since the text will hypothetically tie into the images, we’ll throw it all into a “grid” div.

<img id="bgimg" src="img/mountains-907x680.jpg">
<div id="realBody">
    <div id="exampleDiv">
        <h1>Welcome to Hoth</h1>
        <img src="img/walkers.jpg">
        
        <div id="grid">
            <h2>Good Times on Hoth:</h2>
            <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...</p>
        </div>
        
    </div>
</div>

To style the text, we’ll first add a little margin to the top of the div. Then we apply basic color, size, and positioning to both the h2 tag and the paragraph tag. Notice I used some more @font-face goodness, this time with Lobster.

#grid {
    margin-top: 20px;
}
#grid h2{
    color: #fff;
    text-align: left;
    margin-left: 65px;
    font-size: 30px;
    font-family: 'Lobster', sans-serif;
    margin-bottom: 3px;
    font-weight: normal;
}
#grid p{
    color: #fff;
    text-align: left;
    margin-left: 65px;
    margin-bottom: 3px;
    font-size: 12px;
    font-family: helvetica, sans-serif;
    margin-top: 0px;
    width: 650px;
    line-height: 18px;
}
@font-face {
    font-family: 'Lobster';
    src: url('Lobster_1.3-webfont.eot');
    src: local('‚ò∫'), url('Lobster_1.3-webfont.woff') format('woff'), url('Lobster_1.3-webfont.ttf') format('truetype'), url('Lobster_1.3-webfont.svg#webfontcOtP3oQb') format('svg');
    font-weight: normal;
    font-style: normal;
}

This should give you a nicely style block of text similar to that in the image below. Now we can move onto the final step!

Step 9: Add the Gallery

To finish the page up, we’ll toss in a simple image gallery that is basically just a grid of nine JPGs. To give the photographers credit, I’ve linked each to the original source images on Flickr.

<img id="bgimg" src="img/mountains-907x680.jpg">
<div id="realBody">
    <div id="container">
        <h1>Welcome to Hoth</h1>
        <img src="img/walkers.jpg">
        
        <div id="grid">
            <h2>Good Times on Hoth:</h2>
            <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit...</p>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35afM"><img src="img/hoth1.jpg"></a>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35ah9"><img src="img/hoth2.jpg"></a>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35aim"><img src="img/hoth3.jpg"></a>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35ajg"><img src="img/hoth4.jpg"></a>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35ajY"><img src="img/hoth5.jpg"></a>
            <a href="http://ow.ly/35alw"><img src="img/hoth6.jpg"></a>
        </div>
        
    </div>
</div>

As the final piece of the puzzle, we’ll toss in some margins and borders to make the image grid look nice and styled.

#grid img {
    margin: 20px 10px 20px 10px;
    border: 3px solid #000;
}
#grid a:hover img{
    border: 3px solid #fff;
}

That should space everything and and finish up your page! Feel free to keep going and add in a navigation section, footer, sidebar and whatever else you can think of!

Conclusion

jQuery and the Fullscreenr plugin present the easiest and best-looking solution I’ve found for scaleable background images. If you’d rather try the same effect with CSS, check out Chris Coyier’s methods on CSS-Tricks. Chris presents three possible alternatives, the last of which uses pure CSS and works much better than other CSS attempts I’ve seen.

As always, thanks for reading. If you liked the article give us a tweet, digg or any other social shout out you can come up with!

20 Simple jQuery Tricks

jQuery has quickly made it’s way into nearly every web developer’s bag of tricks. The simplicity with which jQuery allows us to handle complicated events and perform smooth animations makes it the perfect tool for both beginners and experienced developers to add professional flair to their sites.

Here are 20 simple jQuery tricks to get you on your way to JavaScript bliss. The keyword here is “simple” so even if you’ve never used jQuery before, this is the perfect place to start!

Beginner Tutorials

Just to get you started off right, here are the beginner tutorials straight from jQuery.com.

#1 – jQuery Rounded Corners

A short post from “15 Days of jQuery” on using the wrap, prepend, and append functions to create a rounded corner effect.

#2 – Image Cross Fade Transition

3 Simple methods of cross fading one image into another using jQuery and CSS.

#3 – Fading Menu – Replacing Content

Chris Coyier provides some of the best free content out there for learning web design. Here’s one of many jQuery tutorials on his site.

#4 – Sexy Drop Down Menu w/ jQuery & CSS

Learn to create a slick, animated UI for your site with this step by step tutorial.

#5 – Tabbed Content Area using CSS & jQuery

An oldie but goodie, this was one of the first tutorials ever posted on NetTuts. This is where I first learned about jQuery!

#6 – jQuery Twitter Ticker

Learn how to use both the Twitter API and jQuery to create a great looking Twitter ticker.

#7 – Vertically Scrolling Menu

This article shows you how to create a really smooth, vertically scrolling menu. A great tutorial despite the fact that the author seemed to think it was a horizontally scrolling menu!

#8 – Easy Display Switch with CSS and jQuery

Mimic Abduzeedo’s new site and to create a switch for changing your content from list view to grid view.

#9 – Simple Toggle with CSS & jQuery

A great beginner’s tutorial describing how to use the toggle feature.

#10 – WordPress & jQuery Contact Form without a Plugin

A well written, in-depth look at creating a WordPress form without the need of an additional plugin.

#11 – jQuery Sequential List

Use jQuery to take the monotony out of coding sequential items.

#12 – Create a Fancy Share Box

Having social media share links on your site has quickly become a standard for most blogs. Use this tutorial to make yours standout.

#13 – Create a Slick and Accessible Slideshow Using jQuery

Use this stunning content slider to put a ton of content in a small space.

#14 – Using jQuery for Background Image Animations

Create eye-catching background animations with only a few lines of code.

#15 – Animated Menus Using jQuery

Similar in concept to #14 but with a subtler, more sophisticated effect.

#16 – “Outside the Box” Navigation with jQuery

An amazing technique for creating website navigation that mimics the OS X dock.

#17 – How to implement a news ticker with jQuery and ten lines of code

A quick and easy news ticker from Antonio Lupetti.

#18 – Create a Stunning Popup with jQuery

This tutorial shows you how to create a popup window and fade out the background.

#19 – jQUery Feed Menus

Learn to create simple and effective RSS feed menus like those in Safari.

#20 – Create a Funky Parallax Background Effect

This tutorials walks you through creating an incredibly unique sliding 3D background effect.

That’s All Folks

That concludes our roundup of simple jQuery tricks. Now go and use these techniques to create some amazing effects on your site. Leave a comment using the field below to share your favorite jQuery tricks and tutorials.