A full version history of the react package with size, number of distributed files and dependency evolution.
The react npm package has undergone significant evolution since its initial releases in 2011. The earliest versions, from 0.0.1 to 0.7.1, were authored by Jeff Barczewski and focused on asynchronous code management using a lightweight rules engine. These versions were characterized by dependencies like sprintf, ensure-array, and eventemitter2, alongside development dependencies for testing.
A shift occurred around version 0.8.0, with the repository transitioning to Facebook's GitHub. Subsequent versions, starting with 0.8.0 and continuing through the 0.1x series, saw the library branded as a JavaScript library for building user interfaces (UI) with dependencies related to envify, fbjs, loose-envify, object-assign, prop-types and scheduler, reflecting its focus on front-end UI development.
The transition from versions 15 and 16 introduced further refinements, including new dependencies and a clearer focus on building components. Versions 17 and 18 continued this evolution, updating dependencies and focusing on core UI functionalities. This journey culminates in the more recent 19.x versions, demonstrating React's continued commitment to providing essential JavaScript libraries.