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I replaced entire React app with 20 lines of code (and it actually worked better)

Tired of React's complexity? Learn how this tiny library let me build the same features with 90% less code and no build tools...

Hey friend,

Have you ever stared at a massive React codebase and thought:

“This can't be the only way…”

Last month, I hit that wall hard.
Our “simple dashboard” ballooned into:

  • A 200MB node_modules directory

  • Enough boilerplate to make my eyes glaze over

  • Constant dependency warnings and config battles

Sound familiar?

Then I discovered HTMX

A tiny library that lets you use modern browser features directly from HTML attributes.

✅ No JavaScript required (well, almost none).

I was skeptical, so I put it to the test:

I rebuilt a simple Todo app twice
once in React, once in HTMX.

Here’s what happened:

🧠

React

HTMX

📄 Code Size

200+ lines across multiple files

Just 20 lines of HTML

📦 Bundle Size

2.3MB

76KB (97% smaller!)

⚡ Load Time

3.2 seconds

780ms

👥 Team Onboarding

Days

Hours

What you'll find in my full guide:

✅ Side-by-side code comparisons
✅ The paradigm shift that powers HTMX
✅ A step-by-step migration plan
✅ When you should still choose React

If you're feeling the weight of JavaScript fatigue or just want to simplify your stack...

Happy coding,
– BeyondIT

P.S.
Have you tried HTMX or similar HTML-first approaches?
Hit reply and share your experience — I’d love to hear what worked (or didn’t) for you!