React in 2026: what's new since React 19

React has gotten faster and easier to work with since React 19 came out in December 2024. I build a lot of sites and apps with React, so here are the updates I actually care about.

The compiler does the speed work for you

For years, making a React site fast meant adding little performance tweaks by hand. It was fiddly, and easy to get wrong.

The React Compiler hit version 1.0 in October 2025. It makes those tweaks for you when the site gets built. Meta turned it on in the Quest Store and saw pages load up to 12% faster. Some clicks and taps got more than twice as fast.

For you, that means a quicker site without paying someone to hand-tune it.

Pages can wait in the background

React 19.2 added something called Activity. It lets a site hide a page without throwing it away.

Say a visitor is halfway through a form and clicks away. When they hit back, their typing can still be there. React can also get the next page ready while nobody's looking, so it shows up faster.

Smooth animations between screens

React 19.3 came out in September 2026, and View Transitions are now stable. They let things fade or slide as you move around a site.

This used to need an extra animation library and a fair bit of code. Now it's built in. A photo slider can even slide the right way depending on whether you hit next or back.

React has a new home

Meta created React, and until this year it owned it too. In February 2026, ownership moved to the new React Foundation, run under the Linux Foundation.

Eight companies back it, including Amazon and Microsoft. Nothing changes in how sites get built. It does mean React's future isn't tied to one company's plans, which makes it a safer long-term bet for your site.

Keep your site updated

One less fun update. In December 2025, the React team found a serious security hole in some React setups. They fixed it fast, but only sites that installed the update are protected.

If nobody has touched your site's code in a while, it's worth a check.

Not sure what version your site runs on? I'm happy to take a quick look. Just reach out through the contact page.