Since you've been working with JS for two decades, I suppose you've done enough old school direct DOM manipulation to know what the problems are.

Most newer entrants to front-end development often jump right into virtual DOM frameworks, and they invariably assume that virtual DOM apps are the only way to go. Their proselytizing hasn't convinced me to join their faith.

My question to you is this: what benefit does using any VDOM have over direct DOM access, whether it's the one you describe here, or one of the others?