Introduction: React Hooks and Context

React Hooks and Context have transformed how we approach state management and data sharing in React applications. With the introduction of hooks in version 16.8 in 2019, developers gained the ability to use state and lifecycle methods within functional components, leading to more concise and readable code.

On the other hand, Context provides a streamlined way to share data between components without prop drilling. We will explore the powerful synergy between React hooks and Context, showcasing their combined potential in simplifying complex state management and facilitating seamless data flow throughout the component tree.

In the next chapters, we will consider in detail the following:

State hook

useState enables a component to retain and recall information (e.g., user input). For instance, a form component can utilize the state to preserve the input value, while an image gallery component can rely on the state to keep track of the selected image index.

Ref hook

useRef provide a means for a component to retain non-rendering information, such as a DOM node or a timeout ID. Unlike the state, modifying a ref does not trigger a component re-render. Refs serve as an "escape hatch" from the typical React paradigm and come in handy when interacting with non-React systems, such as the native browser APIs.

Effect hook

useEffect enables a component to establish connections and synchronize with external systems, including interacting with networks, manipulating the browser DOM, handling animations, integrating widgets developed with different UI libraries, and incorporating non-React code seamlessly.

Memo hook

useMemo enhances rendering performance by minimizing unnecessary computations. For instance, we can instruct React to reuse a cached calculation or avoid re-rendering if the data remains unchanged since the previous render.

Context hook

useContext empowers a component to access information from distant parents without passing the props. It enables the top-level component in the app to seamlessly pass the current UI theme to all descendant components, regardless of their depth in the component tree.