React JS: Essential Features Every Developer Should Know
React is the pillar of modern web development. It is highly efficient, flexible, and robust. With component-based architecture and virtual DOM, things really change during the development process.
If you are seeking to build a web application in the future, hire React developers to get the benefit of the core features of React to make your application stand out from the competition. But before that, let’s look at the skills and feature expertise you must look for in a React developer before employing him for the job.
It will help you avoid future inconveniences and give you a smooth development experience.
- Component-Based Architecture
The best feature of React is its component-based architecture which comes with extreme strengths. It allows developers to have a smooth development process with high modularity and reusability.
In React, components are the building blocks, and each component is independent, which means it can manage its own state and UI.
Types of Components
- Functional Components
- Class Components
The functional components are lightweight, easier to read, and ideal for stateless logic. On the other side, class components are traditional and have built-in state and lifecycle methods that make them less popular than React Hooks.
- JSX – A Syntax Extension
A syntax extension that allows developers to write HTML code within JavaScript is known as JSX. It is a unique feature of React that enhances the code readability and integrates seamlessly with the React codebase.
JSX gives a cohesive development experience as it combines the flexibility of JS with HTML. Moreover, the code written using JSX is expressive and easy to understand.
- Virtual DOM
The Virtual DOM of React is a unique feature that distinguishes React from traditional development frameworks. In React, developers can play with the Virtual DOM instead of manipulating the real DOM which makes the development smooth and efficient.
React keeps a lightweight copy of the actual DOM and only updates the real DOM when absolutely necessary. This reduces the number of costly DOM manipulations, making applications faster and more responsive.
- State and Props
Understanding state and props is essential for managing data in a React application. While the state handles dynamic data within a component, props are used to pass data between components.
The state is especially useful for interactive components, as it can trigger re-renders and update the UI based on user interactions.
Props, on the other hand, allow you to pass data from parent component to child components, making data flow more manageable in complex applications.
React Hooks
React Hooks have transformed functional components, allowing developers to handle state, lifecycle events, and more without needing class components.
Popular Hooks
- useState: Manages state in functional components.
- useEffect: Handles side effects, such as API calls or subscriptions.
- useContext: Simplifies prop-passing, especially for global data.
- React Router
For SPAs, routing is essential, and React Router is the standard solution for adding routing capabilities to a React app.
React Router enables navigation between different views or pages, with features like nested routes, dynamic URL parameters, and more.
Redux for State Management
For applications with extensive state management needs, Redux is an excellent addition. It centralizes the state, making it easier to manage complex interactions and data flows.
Setting Up Redux in a React Project
Using Redux is not a difficult task. You only have to set up a store, establish reducers for handling state changes, and use actions for updating the state in response to user interactions.
- Code Splitting and Lazy Loading
Code splitting is extremely essential for the growth of the application. At the same time, lazy loading also takes importance as page load speed is very crucial for user attention and experience.
Lazy loading improves the initial load times by only allowing the components to load that are in the viewport of the user. This improves the user experience and user engagement.
Conclusion
React is reshaping the front-end development industry due to its component-based architecture, Virtual DOM, higher scalability, and flexibility. If you want to build a web application and witness all the React benefits in your application, employ dedicated React developers to get the job rightly done.
