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Difference Between the views and components Folders in a Vue Project?

Last Updated : 19 Sep, 2024
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In the Vue.js project, folder structure plays a significant role in organizing code efficiently, especially when it comes to building modular and scalable applications. Two key folders in the structure are views and components folders. Both serve different purposes in the overall architecture of the application.

The views folder typically holds top-level, route-driven pages, representing distinct sections or pages of applications like home pages or about pages. On the other hand, the components folder contains the reusable, smaller units of the user interface such as buttons or cards which are used across multiple views and other components. Understanding the differences between the views folder and components folder helps to maintain the clean, modular codebase and improve the reusability and maintainability in the Vue.js applications.

What is "Views" folders in a Vue project?

The views folder in the Vue.js project the the top-level views or pages of the application. These views typically correspond to the different routes or the sections of the application like the homepage, an about page, or the user profile page. Each view is often complete, a standalone page, and Vue Router is used to navigate between them.

Key Characteristics of the Views Folder:

  • Route Mapping: Each file inside the views folder is usually mapped to a specific route. For example, the "Home.vue" file could be mapped to the /home route.
  • Contains Full Pages: Views generally represent an entire page or a significant section of it. They often include several components to build up the full user interface.
  • Less Reusable: Views are typically less reusable compared to the components since they represent the specific page in application.
  • State Management: Views are often the manage page-level state and interact with the Vuex or other state management libraries to access and manipulate the global state.

What is "components" folder in a Vue project?

The components folder in the Vue.js project contains the reusable, modular pieces of user interface (UI) that will be used across the different parts of the application like in multiple views or even other components. These components are designed to handle specific tasks or display the individual pieces of UI, making the application easier to manage and more maintainable.

Key Characteristics of the components Folder:

  • Reusability: Components are designed to be reused across the different views or other components. For example, the Button.vue component is used in the various parts of the application.
  • Modularity: Components encapsulate the specific functionality or UI logic, making them independent, self-contained units that can be easily tested and maintained.
  • Smaller Scope: Unlike the views, components are usually focused on the smaller and well-defined parts of UI like a form field, a card, or a list item.
  • Composition: Components can be nested inside the other components or views and help to build complex UIs from simple and modular pieces.
  • Interaction via Props and Events: Components typically receive the data via props and communicate back with parent components with the help of events.

Difference between views and components folders in a Vue project

Criteria

Views Folder

Components Folder

Purpose

It contains the top-level pages or views that are directly to be routed.

It holds the reusable, smaller UI components that will be included in the multiple views.

Routing

Directly associated with the routes and each view typically corresponds to the specific route such as /home, /about.

Not directly associated with the routes but it can be used inside the views or other components.

Scope

It typically represents the entire page or the significant section of the page.

It represents the smaller pieces of the UI like buttons, cards, or form elements.

Reusability

Less reusability since the views are generally page-specific.

Highly reusable across the different views and different components.

Location in Project

Typically found under the /src/views folder.

Typically located under /src/components folder.

Naming Convention

usually named based on page or section they represent such as Home.vue, About.vue

Named on component functionality such as Button.vue, Card.vue

Size and Complexity

It can be larger and more complex as they are manage the larger section of UI or full pages.

Smaller in size and complexity, mostly focused on the specific tasks or UI elements.

Interaction with State

Manage the page-level state and interact the more deeply with store

Usually interact with the props and emits the events but it may be not directly manage the store.

Composition

It can be include multiple components to the build out page.

Rarely include the views but it can be contain other components for the modularity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the views and components folders are serve the different but complementary purposes in the Vue.js project. The views folder is hold the top-level pages which are typically tied to specific routes, representing the entire sections or the pages of application. In the contrast, the components folder is contain the smaller, reusable UI elements that will be utilized the across various views and other components. While the views are manage larger, page-specific content, components promote the modularity and reusability, enhancing the scalability and maintainability of application. Understanding the difference between these two folders are essential for the maintaining a clean and organized codebase in the Vue.js development.


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