React version 18.0.0 represents a significant update over its predecessor, version 17.0.2, introducing several noteworthy changes for developers. Both versions share the core purpose of being a JavaScript library for building user interfaces, licensed under MIT and maintained within the Facebook React repository. However, key differences emerge in their dependencies, distribution details, and release timelines. The updated version, 18.0.0, released in March 2022, distinguishes itself by dropping the object-assign dependency, streamlining its dependencies to solely rely on loose-envify. In contrast, version 17.0.2, released in March 2021, included both loose-envify and object-assign.
Furthermore, version 18.0.0 is slightly larger, boasting an unpacked size of 315644 and 20 files within its distribution package, compared to version 17.0.2's 291127 unpacked size and 18 files. For developers, this adjustment indicates underlying changes in the core library implementation and potentially new features. This shift may suggest improved performance or new features being introduced with the later release, although a proper analysis and testing on the developer side is needed before making any assumptions. Developers considering upgrading should carefully examine the changelog for React 18 to understand the full scope of changes, including any breaking changes, and test their applications thoroughly. Especially paying attention to the new concurrent rendering features that came with React 18.
The are not vulnerabilities for the version 18.0.0 of the package react
