There are a lot we can do though, without leaving the React ecosystem. (Which you probably shouldn't because of React's popularity)
1. Ugliness of createElement API and JSX:
There is always Hyperscript: github.com/ohanhi/hyperscript-helpers.
2. CRA:
CRA is a monstrosity all right, which becomes more obvious when one has the misfortune of ejecting it. But it's not required at all. One can easily get away with a ~100 line Webpack config or with Parcel for simple scenarios. This is what is already happening, a lot of experienced users are avoiding CRA.
3. Hooks, fibers, suspense:
We don't have to use them. We have HOCs for years which are simply the React version of the venerable decorator pattern so actually no one needs a silly abstraction such as hooks. And I don't think fibers & suspense are features that the average React user needs to use at all. Just forget about them. Until you really really need them, but you'll know when this happens.
4. Global state and black magic:
Because of Redux' popularity, at some point a lot of developers started to believe that we should shift as much state as possible to a global data store. This resulted in a lot of unnecessary complication, pain and suffering in a lot of codebases. But of course this mindset is not to be blamed on Redux nor React itself. It is just the result of a poor understanding of state management, patterns established around this poor understanding, and copy paste culture. Global state is definitely not bad per se and not really threatening when it's experienced hands working on it.
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Great points. I agree with them completely.
There are a lot we can do though, without leaving the React ecosystem. (Which you probably shouldn't because of React's popularity)
1. Ugliness of createElement API and JSX:
There is always Hyperscript: github.com/ohanhi/hyperscript-helpers.
2. CRA:
CRA is a monstrosity all right, which becomes more obvious when one has the misfortune of ejecting it. But it's not required at all. One can easily get away with a ~100 line Webpack config or with Parcel for simple scenarios. This is what is already happening, a lot of experienced users are avoiding CRA.
3. Hooks, fibers, suspense:
We don't have to use them. We have HOCs for years which are simply the React version of the venerable decorator pattern so actually no one needs a silly abstraction such as hooks. And I don't think fibers & suspense are features that the average React user needs to use at all. Just forget about them. Until you really really need them, but you'll know when this happens.
4. Global state and black magic:
Because of Redux' popularity, at some point a lot of developers started to believe that we should shift as much state as possible to a global data store. This resulted in a lot of unnecessary complication, pain and suffering in a lot of codebases. But of course this mindset is not to be blamed on Redux nor React itself. It is just the result of a poor understanding of state management, patterns established around this poor understanding, and copy paste culture. Global state is definitely not bad per se and not really threatening when it's experienced hands working on it.