Django seems like the best backend framework for what I want ( a post feed type application ) and react seems the best for what I want as far as hot reloads on the frontend. I also know both well. However, I am not seeing too much love for the combination...
There is noting wrong with that combo, React is one frontend framework/library it doesn't care what you use in the backend to create the graphql/api with its happy to pull and send data from anything hell you can even use headless WordPress if you really want too! If you know how to use Django and enjoy working with it, there is zero cons, it really doesn't matter in the frontend. Trends and so on don't matter neither like its up to you all developers are different if you got experience with Django it will get the job done, its not better or worst than anything else, Django can handle the backend of your app without any issues I think!
Here's a GitHub repo where you could mix and match different kinds of back end and front end library/frameworks
https://github.com/gothinkster/realworld
Just goes to show that it doesn't matter what the back-end for react is or it doesn't matter what the front end of django is
Django Render: A simpler way to build Django applications with React frontends - Show & Tell - Django Forum
reactjs - React in Django or React as a standalone? - Stack Overflow
React VS VueJS for a Django developer?
It doesn't have anything to do with Django, you'd just fetch json from your API in both cases. Try both, I personally prefer react, I started with Vue because people were claiming it's easier and I didn't know much about JavaScript at that time but React feels way more easy and logical in my opinion, even more with NextJs.
I wouldn't touch Vue unless forced to these days, if needing something to quickly add interactivity to Django templates as it's possible with Vue loaded from a CDN I'd use Alpine.
More on reddit.comDjango: React vs templating
Basically, with a front end SPA, you don't have to load the whole page vs with basic templates you do.
That's a broad overview and you quickly can start using jQuery Django unicorn and htmx to change that and spa like functionality.
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