JSX + Babel vs C# + .NET — A Dev-Friendly Analogy

React developers often hear that JSX isn’t real JavaScript — and it’s true. JSX is a developer-friendly syntax that gets transformed behind the scenes into pure JavaScript before the browser even sees it. But how does that work? If you're a C# developer diving into React, this analogy might help: JSX + Babel is to React what C# + .NET is to Windows. .NET (C#) Workflow Breakdown Step Description 1. Write C# code Developer writes human-readable C# code 2. Compile to IL C# is compiled into Intermediate Language (IL) 3. JIT Compilation Just-In-Time compiler turns IL into native machine code 4. OS Execution Machine code is executed by the OS React (JSX + Babel) Workflow Breakdown Step Description 1. Write JSX in .jsx file Developer writes JSX code in React components 2. Babel Transpiles Babel transforms JSX into React.createElement() calls (pure JavaScript) 3. Webpack/Vite Bundles Tools bundle and optimize the code for the browser 4. Browser Executes Transformed JS is run by the browser (e.g., Chrome’s V8 engine) Example Transformation JSX: function Welcome() { return Hello, davinceleecode!; } After Babel: function Welcome() { return React.createElement("h1", null, "Hello, davinceleecode!"); } Simple Analogy: JSX is like writing your chill personal notes

Apr 12, 2025 - 15:26

JSX + Babel vs C# + .NET — A Dev-Friendly Analogy

React developers often hear that JSX isn’t real JavaScript — and it’s true. JSX is a developer-friendly syntax that gets transformed behind the scenes into pure JavaScript before the browser even sees it. But how does that work?

If you're a C# developer diving into React, this analogy might help: JSX + Babel is to React what C# + .NET is to Windows.

.NET (C#) Workflow Breakdown

Step	Description
1. Write C# code	Developer writes human-readable C# code
2. Compile to IL	C# is compiled into Intermediate Language (IL)
3. JIT Compilation	Just-In-Time compiler turns IL into native machine code
4. OS Execution	Machine code is executed by the OS

React (JSX + Babel) Workflow Breakdown

Step	Description
1. Write JSX in .jsx file	Developer writes JSX code in React components
2. Babel Transpiles	Babel transforms JSX into React.createElement() calls (pure JavaScript)
3. Webpack/Vite Bundles	Tools bundle and optimize the code for the browser
4. Browser Executes	Transformed JS is run by the browser (e.g., Chrome’s V8 engine)

Example Transformation
JSX:

function Welcome() {
  return <h1>Hello, davinceleecode!</h1>;
}

After Babel:

function Welcome() {
  return React.createElement("h1", null, "Hello, davinceleecode!");
}

Simple Analogy:

JSX is like writing your chill personal notes