Question 1

What is the best practice for React state updates?

Accepted Answer

The best practice for updating the state in React is to use the state updater function when the new state depends on the previous state. This ensures that updates are based on the latest state and prevents issues due to asynchronous updates.

* **Use functional updates with** `setState` **or** `useState`**:** This approach ensures that even if multiple updates are queued, each update gets the latest state.
   ```js
   setCount(prevCount => prevCount + 1);
   ```

* **Avoid directly mutating the state:** Instead of modifying the state object directly (which won't trigger a rerender), always return a new object or array when updating the state.

```js
   //  Incorrect
   state.items.push(newItem); // This mutates the existing state  
   setItems(state.items); // Won't trigger re-render
   
   // Correct
   setItems(prevItems => [...prevItems, newItem]); // Creates a new array  
   ```

* **Batch updates when necessary:** React may batch multiple state updates in one render to optimize performance. If multiple state updates rely on the same event, it is best to combine them when possible.

* **Use** `useReducer` **for complex state logic:** If your component's state logic is complex, consider using useReducer instead of useState to manage the state more predictably.

Question 2

Can I learn React in 7 days?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can learn the basics of React in 7 days, but mastering React takes more time.

- **Days 1-2:** Learn [JSX](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-jsx), [Components](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-a-react-component), [Props](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-are-props-in-react), and State
- **Days 3-4:** Learn [Event Handling](https://www.educative.io/answers/how-to-create-events-in-react), Conditional Rendering, [Lists & Keys](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-are-lists-and-keys-in-react)
- **Days 5-6:** Learn [Hooks](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-are-react-hooks) (`useState`, `useEffect`), [Forms](https://www.educative.io/answers/how-to-create-forms-with-react), and [API Calls](https://www.educative.io/answers/how-to-manage-api-calls-in-react)
- **Day 7:** Build a simple React project (like a To-Do app or [Weather app](https://www.educative.io/projects/get-live-weather-information-using-react))

While 7 days is enough to get started, becoming proficient with React requires practice, real-world projects, and understanding advanced concepts like [Context API](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-context-api), [React Router](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-a-react-router), and performance optimizations.

Question 3

Which is the best practice for React Hooks usage?

Accepted Answer

To use React Hooks effectively, follow these best practices:

- **Use Hooks at the top level:** Never call hooks inside loops, conditions, or nested functions. Hooks must always run in the same order.
   ```js
   // Incorrect
   if (someCondition) {
     const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
   }
   
   // Correct
   const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
   if (someCondition) {
     // Do something
   }
   ```

- **Follow the dependency array rules for** `useEffect`**:** Ensure dependencies in `useEffect` are correctly listed to avoid unnecessary re-renders or stale closures.
   ```js
   useEffect(() => {
     console.log(user);
   }, [user]); // Runs only when 'user' changes
   ```

- **Use** `useMemo` **and**  `useCallback` **for performance optimization:** Memoize expensive calculations and functions to prevent unnecessary re-renders.
   ```js
   const memoizedValue = useMemo(() => computeExpensiveValue(data), [data]);
   const memoizedCallback = useCallback(() => doSomething(param), [param]);
   ```

- **Use** `useReducer` **for complex state logic:** If state transitions involve multiple steps, useReducer provides better organization than `useState`.

- **Extract custom hooks for reusable logic:** Instead of duplicating logic, extract reusable behavior into a custom hook.
   ```js
   function useFetchData(url) {
     const [data, setData] = useState(null);
     useEffect(() => {
       fetch(url).then(response => response.json()).then(setData);
     }, [url]);
     return data;
   }
   ```

Following these best practices allows you to write cleaner, more efficient, and maintainable React code.

Item	Convention	Example
Components	PascalCase	`ProductCard`
Methods	camelCase	`handleClick`
Custom Hooks	Prefix with `use`	`useProductList`
CSS classes	kebab-case	`product-card`
List keys	Unique and stable	`key={product.id}`

Five best practices for React developers

React development best practices#

Directory organization#

Grouping by features#

Grouping by file type#

Components and separation of concerns#

Handling state and props#

State management#

Props#

Abstraction#

Naming conventions#

Wrapping up#

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best practice for React state updates?

Can I learn React in 7 days?

Which is the best practice for React Hooks usage?