Can I use React with a VB.NET backend?
Asked by
CuriousCoder88
I'm a beginner programmer currently focused on a data tool built on the .NET framework that employs both VB.NET and C#. I've recently had the chance to delve deeper into this tool, and I've discovered that I really enjoy coding with it. However, the app has a solid market presence but lacks a contemporary UI. I'm looking to display the data from my VB.NET application on a React-based website, aiming for a more modern and visually appealing interface, like dashboards. Is there any potential compatibility issue when connecting React (JavaScript) with a .NET application? Specifically, my React site will need to fetch data from the .NET app on demand, but I don't foresee this causing problems.
Answers
You can definitely set up a backend in any language, as long as it can create and read JSON messages sent over a network. From what I gather, both C# and VB.NET can utilize the same libraries and frameworks. So, if you know it can be done in C#, then it’s doable in VB.NET too.
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Absolutely, it can work! Think of React as your "front desk" and your VB.NET app as the "back office." As long as they communicate in a format they both understand—like JSON—you shouldn't run into any problems.
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Just curious, are you using both C# and VB.NET in your backend? Like, are some of your files written in VB.NET while others are in C#?
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The front end never really cares (and shouldn't care) what the back end is. It's all about how they communicate, usually via APIs.
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To put it simply, web applications typically have a front end and a back end. While some back ends are tailored to specific front ends, the key is to create a backend that handles all your business logic. This is usually hidden from users for safety. You choose the front-end technology separately—I've used a mix of languages like Kotlin, Python, and Java for back ends, but React is often my go-to for the front end.
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DataNinja92: That's awesome to hear! I did some digging and found out my tool actually uses a REST API, which I’m still exploring. It seems like that could simplify things even further.