You don't have to use SFCs (I don't in Vue 2 or Vue 3). However, you would be able to nest components in an SFC so long as you don't expect the <template> tag to work in the interior components (I can't imagine how that would even look and work).
The only thing that SFCs do is create a render function for you (as well as some CSS scoping magic). You can do that all yourself and that is all documented and supported behavior.
You have completely the wrong idea here and, honestly, this is all in the documentation.
> React makes no judgements here
Vue typically has fewer opinions than React (and FAR less than Angular) in my experience.
I'm explaining why I don't like SFCs because the above poster referenced them as a "pro" for Vue over React. Whether or not you _have_ to use them in Vue is immaterial.
The only thing that SFCs do is create a render function for you (as well as some CSS scoping magic). You can do that all yourself and that is all documented and supported behavior.
You have completely the wrong idea here and, honestly, this is all in the documentation.
> React makes no judgements here
Vue typically has fewer opinions than React (and FAR less than Angular) in my experience.