React's Default Dominance Stifles Frontend Innovation

React's dominance in the frontend landscape isn't due to technical superiority but rather a default preference, hindering innovation. Teams often default to React without considering project-specific needs, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Frameworks like Svelte, Solid, and Qwik, offering superior compile-time optimizations, fine-grained reactivity, and resumability, struggle for adoption. The author argues that this default mindset prevents fair evaluation and urges a shift toward choosing frameworks based on merit, fostering diversity and ultimately, greater innovation in the frontend ecosystem.