Using x-show in Alpine.js allows you to control the visibility of an element based on state, such as a boolean property. When the expression given to x-show evaluates to true, the element is shown; when it is false, the element is hidden. This works by toggling the element's CSS display property, usually switching between display: none and its default value.

Comparing x-show to directly using CSS for conditional display, x-show is more reactive and declarative. You do not need to manually add or remove classes, or write extra JavaScript to manage visibility. Instead, you link the element's visibility directly to your component's state, making your code easier to read and maintain.

Best practices for conditional rendering with x-show include:

• Use x-show when you want to toggle the visibility of an element without removing it from the DOM;
• Prefer x-show over manually setting the display style or toggling classes for simple visibility logic;
• If you need to completely remove an element from the DOM (not just hide it), use Alpine's x-if (introduced in later chapters);
• Remember that hidden elements with x-show are still present in the DOM and can be measured or focused, which may be important for accessibility or layout.

By controlling conditional display declaratively, you make your UI logic more transparent and maintainable.