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Top 10 React Tips for Chicago

Master React development with these essential tips and best practices used by top developers in Chicago.

Use Functional Components with Hooks

Modern React development favors functional components with hooks over class components. They're easier to read, test, and maintain. Use useState for local state and useEffect for side effects.

const Counter = () => {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(c => c + 1)}>
      Count: {count}
    </button>
  );
};

Implement Proper State Management

Choose the right state management solution for your app's complexity. Use React Context for simple global state, or consider Zustand or Redux Toolkit for larger applications.

// Simple context example
const ThemeContext = createContext('light');

const App = () => (
  <ThemeContext.Provider value="dark">
    <MyComponent />
  </ThemeContext.Provider>
);

Memoize Expensive Computations

Use useMemo for expensive calculations and useCallback for function references to prevent unnecessary re-renders. This is especially important for performance-critical components.

const ExpensiveList = ({ items, filter }) => {
  const filteredItems = useMemo(
    () => items.filter(item => item.includes(filter)),
    [items, filter]
  );

  return filteredItems.map(item => <Item key={item} />);
};

Embrace TypeScript for Type Safety

TypeScript catches bugs at compile time and improves code documentation. Define interfaces for props and state to make your components more predictable and maintainable.

interface ButtonProps {
  label: string;
  onClick: () => void;
  variant?: 'primary' | 'secondary';
}

const Button: React.FC<ButtonProps> = ({
  label,
  onClick,
  variant = 'primary'
}) => (
  <button className={variant} onClick={onClick}>
    {label}
  </button>
);

Implement Error Boundaries

Error boundaries catch JavaScript errors in child components and display a fallback UI. This prevents the entire app from crashing and improves user experience.

class ErrorBoundary extends Component {
  state = { hasError: false };

  static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
    return { hasError: true };
  }

  render() {
    if (this.state.hasError) {
      return <h1>Something went wrong.</h1>;
    }
    return this.props.children;
  }
}

Use React Server Components

Server Components reduce bundle size and improve initial load time by rendering on the server. Use them for data fetching and static content in Next.js 13+ applications.

// app/posts/page.tsx (Server Component)
async function Posts() {
  const posts = await fetch('/api/posts').then(r => r.json());

  return (
    <ul>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <li key={post.id}>{post.title}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

Optimize Re-renders with React.memo

Wrap components with React.memo to skip re-renders when props haven't changed. Combine with useCallback for callback props to maximize performance benefits.

const ListItem = React.memo(({ item, onSelect }) => {
  console.log('Rendering:', item.name);
  return (
    <div onClick={() => onSelect(item.id)}>
      {item.name}
    </div>
  );
});

Implement Lazy Loading

Use React.lazy and Suspense to code-split your application. Load components only when needed to reduce initial bundle size and improve performance.

const HeavyComponent = lazy(() => import('./HeavyComponent'));

function App() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
      <HeavyComponent />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

Write Custom Hooks for Reusable Logic

Extract common logic into custom hooks to promote code reuse. This keeps components clean and makes testing easier.

function useLocalStorage(key, initialValue) {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(() => {
    const stored = localStorage.getItem(key);
    return stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : initialValue;
  });

  useEffect(() => {
    localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(value));
  }, [key, value]);

  return [value, setValue];
}

Test Your Components Thoroughly

Use React Testing Library for component tests that mirror user behavior. Focus on testing functionality rather than implementation details.

test('increments counter on click', () => {
  render(<Counter />);

  const button = screen.getByRole('button');
  fireEvent.click(button);

  expect(screen.getByText('Count: 1')).toBeInTheDocument();
});

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