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A sound React architecture starts by splitting the interface into components with clear responsibilities, rendering a static version from data and props, and adding interaction only after you know what state is truly needed. Keep each state value in one place: local to a component when it is independent, in the closest common parent when components must coordinate, or in context when passing it through the tree becomes cumbersome.
How to structure a React interface
React’s Thinking in React tutorial offers a practical sequence for turning a design into a component architecture. It keeps structure and data flow visible before interaction adds complexity.
- Break the interface into a component hierarchy. Look for distinct responsibilities and repeated visual or behavioral patterns. A component should have a coherent job; if one grows to handle unrelated concerns, consider splitting it.
- Build a static version. Render the interface from data and props without adding interaction state. This clarifies which components need which data and how information should flow between them.
- Identify the minimal state. List the information that changes as a person uses the interface, and exclude anything that can be calculated from props or other state.
- Choose an owner for each state value. Keep independent state near the component that uses it. If multiple components must stay coordinated, put it in their closest common parent.
- Connect interactions. Pass values and event handlers to the components that need them so they can display state and request updates.
This order helps prevent a common design problem: storing the same fact in multiple places and then trying to keep the copies synchronized.
What belongs in state—and what should be calculated?
State is for changing information that cannot be obtained from props or calculated from existing state. Before adding a state variable, ask whether it represents an independent fact or merely a convenient copy of something already available.
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- Keep a value in state when it changes over time and the interface needs to remember its current value, such as which accordion panel is open.
- Calculate a value during rendering when it follows from current props or state, such as a filtered list derived from a search term and source data.
- Do not duplicate ownership of one fact across components. Multiple components can receive and display the same value, but there should be one source of truth for that unique piece of state.
React’s Managing State guide develops this principle: structure state to make invalid combinations harder to represent, and avoid storing redundant or contradictory values.
When should you lift state up?
Lift state when two or more components need to stay synchronized. Move the state to their closest common parent, then pass the current value and the event handlers needed to update it to the child components.
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For example, if two accordion panels must behave as one group in which opening a panel closes the other, the parent can own the active panel index. Each panel receives whether it is active and a handler for requesting a change. If each panel can open independently, each panel may instead own its own open state.
The rule is about coordination, not component size: keep state local until another component needs to participate in the same decision. React’s Sharing State Between Components guide uses the accordion pattern to show how a common parent can coordinate children.
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Local state, controlled props, and context
Local state, parent-controlled props, and context solve different architectural needs. Controlled and uncontrolled are useful descriptions rather than rigid categories; a component can combine local state with values supplied by its parent. React puts it this way: “In practice, ‘controlled’ and ‘uncontrolled’ aren’t strict technical terms—each component usually has some mix of both local state and props.”
| Approach | Use it when | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Local state | The component’s state is independent of other components, or consumers should be able to use it with little setup. | Simpler to use, but other components cannot coordinate through that state unless it is exposed or moved. |
| Parent-controlled props | A parent needs to coordinate the component with siblings or impose behavior for a particular interface. | More flexible coordination, but the parent must supply the relevant values and handlers. |
| Context | Many descendants need the same value, or forwarding it through intermediate components becomes inconvenient. | Avoids repetitive prop passing, but introduces a broader dependency; it is not a reason to move every state value into a global location. |
Props are React’s direct parent-to-child channel. Context is useful when that channel becomes cumbersome across a deep tree, but it does not replace the need to decide who owns each state value. React’s guidance on sharing state and managing state treats ownership as a per-value decision: different state can live at different levels.
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Use custom Hooks to share logic, not state ownership
A custom Hook lets components reuse stateful logic, such as maintaining a subscription to browser connectivity events. It does not, by itself, make the state shared between components. Each component that calls a custom Hook runs that Hook’s logic; use props or context when components need to receive the same value.
This distinction prevents a common mix-up: custom Hooks share logic, while context makes a value available through a component tree. React’s built-in Hooks reference groups useState and useReducer as state Hooks and useContext as a context reader.
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Use Effects for external systems, not ordinary data flow
Effects are for synchronizing a component with systems outside React, such as a browser API or an external subscription. They are not a general mechanism for keeping ordinary application data in sync. If a value can be calculated from props or state, calculate it during rendering rather than storing a second copy and updating it in an Effect.
When an Effect does synchronize with an external system, give it the appropriate cleanup so subscriptions or other external resources do not outlive the component’s need for them. The Hooks reference describes the built-in Hooks, and React’s custom-Hook guidance shows how to encapsulate reusable synchronization logic.
Component identity affects whether state survives
React associates state with a component’s position in the render tree. Component type and keys also affect whether React preserves that state or resets it. This means a component’s state behavior depends not only on where state is declared, but also on whether React considers the component at that position to be the same component over time.
When a form or panel unexpectedly resets—or retains old input after switching to a different item—check the rendered tree and keys. React’s guide to preserving and resetting state explains how component identity and position determine state retention.
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Keep rendering and data flow predictable
React components should be pure with respect to their inputs: the same props and state should produce the same rendered output. Do not mutate props or state, and do not perform side effects during rendering. Call Hooks only at the top level of React components or other Hooks, not conditionally or inside loops. These constraints make it easier to reason about how a state change affects the interface. See React’s Rules of React.
Quick Recap
A practical state-placement checklist
- Can the value be calculated from current props or state? If so, do not store it separately.
- Does only one component need to own and update it? Keep it local.
- Must sibling components stay coordinated? Move it to their closest common parent and pass values and handlers down.
- Do many descendants need the same value, or is repeated forwarding through intermediate components awkward? Consider context.
- Are you trying to reuse logic, rather than distribute one shared value? Extract a custom Hook.
- Does the behavior synchronize with a browser API or another external system? Use an Effect for that boundary, not as a substitute for ordinary data flow.
- Did state unexpectedly reset or persist? Check component type, position, and keys.
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