Key Difference between VF pages And Lightning

Hi Hariom,

The following are the major differences between a VisualForce component and a Lightning component in Salesforce:

1. Visualforce was designed to follow a Page-Centric model whereas Lightning was designed to follow an App-Centric model.

2. In Visualforce page all back-end processing is done with Apex Code on the Server-Side where as in Lightning all backend processing is done using Javascript on the Client-Side Server.

3. Visualforce is built for only Desktop purpose where as Lightning is built for both Desktop and mobile purpose.

4. In Visualforce ,apex code is used to handle server side operation where as in Lightning ,javascript is used to handle client side server and Apex for Server side process.

5. In Visualforce HTML markup language is used and Apex code to handle DML operation where as in Lightning, Lightning Components and Applications come in "Bundles" that store all of the necessary files to run the DML Operation.

Lightning framework aligns with Salesforce user interface strategy to empower users with highly immersive and interactive experience but involves a steep learning curve in comparison to Visualforce. Since application building is an inherent part of Lightning, it is considered a bit more complex than Visualforce.

Both the frameworks encompass some pros and cons associated with them. If you are developing for a Salesforce1 mobile app, you should prefer Lightning framework and if you want to create a page-centric experience with limited client-side logic, you must opt Visualforce framework.

Thanks