react-router vs react-router-dom: Routing in React Applications Comparison

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

react-router	11,103,823	53,553	2.27 MB	192	2 days ago	MIT
react-router-dom	10,400,912	53,553	5.44 kB	192	2 days ago	MIT

Package

Downloads

Stars

Size

Issues

Publish

License

react-router

11,103,823

53,553

2.27 MB

192

2 days ago

MIT

react-router-dom

10,400,912

53,553

5.44 kB

192

2 days ago

MIT

Platform Specificity

react-router:
react-router is platform-agnostic and can be used in any React application, including web, mobile, and desktop. It provides the core routing functionality without being tied to any specific platform.
react-router-dom:
react-router-dom is specifically designed for web applications. It includes components and APIs that leverage web technologies, such as the HTML5 history API, making it more suitable for browser-based applications.

Web-Specific Features

react-router:
react-router does not include any web-specific features or components. It provides a flexible routing solution that can be adapted to any platform.
react-router-dom:
react-router-dom includes web-specific features such as the Link and NavLink components for navigation, the BrowserRouter and HashRouter components for managing browser history, and support for server-side rendering (SSR) with the StaticRouter component.

Routing Components

react-router:
react-router provides the core routing components, such as Router, Route, and Switch, which can be used to define routes and handle navigation.
react-router-dom:
react-router-dom builds on top of the core routing components and adds additional components and utilities for web applications, such as Link, NavLink, Redirect, and Prompt, which enhance the routing experience in browser environments.

Documentation and Community

react-router:
react-router has comprehensive documentation and a large community of developers across various platforms, including web and mobile.
react-router-dom:
react-router-dom benefits from the same extensive documentation and community support, with additional resources and examples tailored for web developers.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

react-router:

Basic routing with react-router

import { Router, Route } from 'react-router';
import { createMemoryHistory } from 'history';

const history = createMemoryHistory();

const App = () => (
  <Router history={history}>
    <Route path="/" component={Home} />
    <Route path="/about" component={About} />
  </Router>
);

react-router-dom:

Basic routing with react-router-dom

import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Link } from 'react-router-dom';

const App = () => (
  <Router>
    <nav>
      <Link to="/">Home</Link>
      <Link to="/about">About</Link>
    </nav>
    <Route path="/" exact component={Home} />
    <Route path="/about" component={About} />
  </Router>
);

Platform Specificity

Web-Specific Features

Routing Components

Documentation and Community

Ease of Use: Code Examples

Installation