Excellent question! First off, I assume you're asking the question from your point of view, or people similar to you: without knowledge of frontend / React. I

Excellent question! First off, I assume you're asking the question from your point of view, or people similar to you: without knowledge of frontend / React. If you do have experience with React (or are even proficient in it), in 2023, thanks to the great work of Vercel (Next.js) and Remix – React is a great fit for most projects (even for the examples I gave for the "bad fit"). That said, when is React a good fit? - "Web-apps", think interactive and highly dynamic apps, example: SimplePDF.eu (disclosure: my micro-saas) - Complex projects with multiple (many) developers: React is highly scalable (provided of course that the developers are proficient in it), thanks to one of the key paradigm that it introduced at the time (which was ground-breaking): components – you not only can re-use easily the same code in multiple places without duplicating it ("duh, any good programmer knows that you should do that" – here React forces you to adopt this approach) but you can also very easily abstract away complex logic (easier for developers from all levels of experience to collaborate) When is React a bad fit? - Content rich websites, think Hackernews, Reddit... - Simple, non-interactive websites: your local museum website, your personal CV Lastly: YMMV – every project is different, every project evolves differently: React could be a great fit initially and end up being the bane of your existence (which seems to be the case for OP) – and vice-versa.