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The web moves fast. One day, you’re celebrating the latest React update; the next, you’re reading tweets about how Solid.js is rewriting the front-end playbook. It’s always tempting to brush off “the new shiny,” but if you’ve been paying attention, you know Solid isn’t just another hype train—it’s lean, reactive, and has serious momentum. So let’s have the talk: what does migrating from React to Solid.js actually look like? And is it even worth it?

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through the how, why, and should-you of jumping ship from React to Solid. Whether you’re a developer curious about performance or a team lead wondering if Solid is stable enough for production, this article is for you.

Let’s dive into the world of next-gen front-end and see how to make this migration not only possible but practical.

Why React Developers Are Looking at Solid.js

React has been the king of front-end libraries for nearly a decade. And let’s be real: it’s still great. The ecosystem is massive, tooling is everywhere, and you’ve probably used it in a dozen production apps.

But React comes with trade-offs. Its Virtual DOM adds overhead. The mental model of hooks can be tricky. Performance tuning is often a rabbit hole. And then came Solid.js with its bold claim: “No virtual DOM. Fine-grained reactivity. Insanely fast.”

So what makes Solid.js so different?

• True reactivity using signals, not hooks
• Compile-time optimizations that cut runtime bloat
• Better performance out of the box, especially on large UIs
• Smaller bundle sizes compared to typical React builds

Let’s break it down and get our hands a bit dirty.

Understanding the Core Differences

Before you even begin thinking about migrating from React to Solid.js, you need to understand the mental model shift. At first glance, the JSX and components feel familiar. But Solid thinks differently.

Here’s a table to get a quick overview:

Concept	React	Solid.js
UI Rendering	Virtual DOM	Real DOM + fine-grained updates
Reactivity	useState/useEffect hooks	Signals + tracking dependencies
Component Lifecycle	useEffect/useLayoutEffect	createEffect/onCleanup
State Management	Hooks or libraries like Redux	Signals and Stores (built-in)
Performance Optimization	useMemo/useCallback	Built-in, mostly automatic
SSR Support	Good, but extra setup needed	First-class, with zero-config hydration

So yeah, they feel the same—until you code something real.

Making the Move: Step-by-Step Migration Plan

All right, time to roll up your sleeves. If you’re serious about next-gen front-end work, here’s how you start migrating from React to Solid.js.

1. Audit Your Current Codebase

Before anything else, figure out how deeply embedded React is in your app. Are you using custom hooks? Third-party libraries like React Router, Redux, or Material UI? You’ll want to:

• List all dependencies with react in the name
• Note places where you use useEffect, useContext, etc.
• Flag dynamic rendering logic that’s dependent on React’s reconciliation

This isn’t busywork—it tells you what you’ll need to rethink in Solid.

2. Set Up a Solid.js Project

The easiest way is to use Solid’s starter templates. Just run:

npx degit solidjs/templates/js my-solid-app
cd my-solid-app
npm install
npm run dev

Prefer TypeScript? Use solidjs/templates/ts instead.

It’s already set up with Vite, so dev speeds are blazing fast. No config nightmares here.

3. Rewrite Components Incrementally

Let’s take a simple React component:

function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
      Count: {count}
    </button>
  )
}

In Solid.js, you’d write:

function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0)
  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(count() + 1)}>
      Count: {count()}
    </button>
  )
}

Notice the difference? The signal count is a function! You call it like count() to read the value. This is a big part of Solid’s reactivity model—it knows exactly what to update and when.

4. Replace Effects with createEffect

React’s useEffect is used for everything from API calls to logging to event listeners. In Solid, you’d use createEffect.

createEffect(() => {
  console.log("Count changed:", count())
})

No dependencies array, no confusion. If count() changes, the effect reruns. That’s it.

5. Routing and State

If you’re using React Router, switch to solid-app-router.

Example:

import { Routes, Route, A } from '@solidjs/router'

function App() {
  return (
    <Routes>
      <Route path="/" component={Home} />
      <Route path="/about" component={About} />
    </Routes>
  )
}

For global state, Solid provides stores, which are reactive and deeply trackable:

import { createStore } from 'solid-js/store'

const [state, setState] = createStore({ user: null })

Super intuitive, no Redux required.

6. Convert Your Third-Party Dependencies

This is where things get tricky. Not all React libraries will have Solid equivalents. Here’s what to do:

• Look for Solid-native libraries (like solid-select, solid-bootstrap, etc.)
• Replace React-specific code (e.g., context, portals, suspense) with Solid’s versions
• If you really need something and can’t find a Solid equivalent, consider wrapping it in a Web Component or iframe—or even contributing a new Solid lib!

7. Refactor Testing and Tooling

React apps often use Jest and React Testing Library. In Solid, you can use:

• Vitest (Jest-compatible test runner)
• @solidjs/testing-library for rendering and assertions

Same patterns, just different packages.

Performance Gains You Can Expect

This is the juicy part. Why go through all this migration effort? Because Solid delivers performance that React simply can’t match without deep tuning.

Benchmarks (as of early 2025):

• First Contentful Paint (FCP): up to 35% faster in Solid
• Hydration time: up to 50% faster in SSR setups
• Bundle size: often 30–40% smaller for equivalent functionality

Real-world tests show apps with Solid rendering quicker, interacting faster, and using fewer system resources. It feels… snappier. And in today’s web, that matters more than ever.

The Developer Experience

You might think the Solid experience is less polished since it’s younger. Surprisingly, it’s not. The community is tight-knit, the documentation is clear, and tooling is growing rapidly.

• DevTools: Solid’s devtools extension gives fine-grained inspection of reactivity
• Hot Module Reloading: Built-in with Vite
• TypeScript Support: First-class, everything is typed properly
• SSR: Supported out of the box with solid-start (their Next.js equivalent)

Plus, you don’t fight the framework like you sometimes do with React’s useEffect or memoization quirks.

Is This the Right Time to Migrate?

This is the real question, right?

If you’ve got a React app that’s working just fine, and your team is fully trained on it, then jumping over for the sake of novelty isn’t smart.

But if you:

• Have performance bottlenecks you can’t optimize away
• Are building something brand new and want future-proof tech
• Find React’s re-renders and hooks frustrating
• Love the idea of true reactivity and simpler mental models

…then Solid is worth your time.

Next-gen front-end isn’t just a buzzword anymore. Migrating from React to Solid.js might be the step your team needs to stay ahead of the curve, simplify your codebase, and boost your performance without sacrificing developer happiness.

Real-World Use Cases of Solid.js

More startups and indie developers are launching with Solid by default. Some notable use cases include:

• Dashboards with highly dynamic UIs
• Widgets and embedded UI kits
• Static sites and blogs with ultra-fast load times
• Admin panels and B2B interfaces with thousands of rows and real-time updates

It’s not just for hobby projects anymore.

Final Thoughts

Solid.js might be the most exciting thing to happen to front-end development since React itself. Its compiler-first philosophy, reactive model, and speed-focused design aren’t just refreshing—they’re practical.

Is it perfect? No. You might hit some ecosystem limitations, especially if you rely heavily on React-only tools. But as the community grows, so does the ecosystem.

The decision to go all-in on Solid will depend on your team, your project goals, and how adventurous you’re feeling. But in the world of next-gen front-end, migrating from React to Solid.js is becoming a very real, very exciting option.

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FAQs

1. Is Solid.js production-ready?
Yes, Solid.js is stable and is used in production by many teams and startups.

2. Can I use Solid.js with TypeScript?
Absolutely. Solid has excellent TypeScript support built-in.

3. Is it easy to learn Solid if I already know React?
Yes. The syntax feels familiar, but the reactivity model is simpler once you get used to signals.

4. What about third-party libraries? Will they work?
You’ll need Solid-specific versions or alternatives. Many popular libraries have equivalents now.

5. Does Solid.js support server-side rendering (SSR)?
Yes, and it’s super fast. Solid’s SSR with solid-start is one of its strong points.

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