Developer drops React as default, cites bundle size after 10-framework benchmark

A developer building personal projects under the 'KeyEcho' and 'upweb.dev' brands has switched away from React as their default framework, citing runtime bundle size as the deciding factor in an AI-assisted workflow. The developer argues that since AI models now write code fluently across frameworks, learning curve and developer experience no longer justify framework choices — leaving runtime cost and code-review overhead as the key criteria. A benchmark by Loren Stewart comparing the same kanban app across ten frameworks found SolidStart delivered 41.5 kB of compressed JS versus Next.js at 176.1 kB, a roughly 4x difference. Swapping React for SolidJS within the same TanStack Start meta-framework alone halved the bundle from 118.2 kB to 60.4 kB, illustrating that the cost is architectural rather than tooling-related. The developer still uses React in two specific contexts, noting that framework JS is a small share of total page weight and that all ten benchmark implementations produced nearly identical first contentful paint times.