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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Structure a React app by separating distinct UI responsibilities, rendering a static version from data and props, and adding interaction only after you know what must change. Keep each piece of state in the closest component that can coordinate all of its users; use props for direct relationships, context when forwarding a value through the tree becomes cumbersome, and custom Hooks to reuse stateful logic.
Build the component hierarchy before adding interaction
Start with the interface you need to build, then divide it into components according to distinct responsibilities and the shape of the data they display. A component should represent a useful part of the UI, not merely a fragment created to make the file shorter. React’s Thinking in React tutorial recommends moving from a mockup to a component hierarchy, then building a static version before connecting interactions.
- Identify the visual and functional regions. Look for parts that have their own purpose, repeated structure, or distinct data. A product list, for example, may contain a search bar, category controls, and product rows.
- Choose component boundaries. Make a parent responsible for coordinating its parts and children responsible for rendering or handling a focused concern. If a component grows to handle unrelated responsibilities, divide it along those concerns.
- Render the static interface from data and props. Pass data into components and make them display it. This exposes the data shape and parent-child relationships without mixing in interaction logic too early.
- Add state and event handling. Once the static structure is clear, identify what changes and connect user actions to those changes.
This sequence is useful because component boundaries and data flow become easier to reason about when they are not entangled with every interaction from the beginning.
Decide what belongs in state
State is for information that changes over time and cannot be obtained from props or calculated from other existing data. Before adding a state variable, ask whether the UI can derive the value during rendering. Keeping both a source value and a separately stored copy of something calculated from it creates two values that can drift out of sync. React’s Managing State guide recommends minimizing state and avoiding redundant or duplicated information.
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- Keep it in state when it changes in response to interaction or another event and the UI needs to remember it between renders.
- Pass it as a prop when a parent already owns the value and a child needs it to render or respond.
- Calculate it when it can be derived from props or other state, such as a filtered view of a list.
For each state value, list the components whose output depends on it. That set of consumers determines where ownership should live.
Choose where state ownership belongs
When multiple components must stay coordinated, place their shared state in their closest common parent and pass the value and event handlers to the children that need them. This is lifting state up: the parent becomes the single source of truth for that particular piece of state, while children receive the current value and can request changes through callbacks.
React’s accordion example illustrates the choice. If two panels must coordinate so only one is active at a time, their parent can own the active panel index and pass each panel its active status and a handler. If each panel keeps its own independent open/closed state, both could remain open. The right owner follows from the behavior the interface requires, not from a rule that all state belongs high in the tree. See Sharing State Between Components.
Local state: keep independent behavior close
Use local state when a component can manage its own behavior without coordinating with siblings or distant parts of the interface. This often makes a component straightforward to use because the parent does not need to configure every detail.
Parent-controlled state: coordinate consumers
Lift state when a parent must coordinate multiple children, enforce a shared rule, or decide how a child’s state changes. The parent supplies values and handlers, which gives it control but means it has more configuration to provide.
Controlled and uncontrolled are not strict categories
These terms describe useful design tendencies, not mutually exclusive component types. As React’s documentation puts it: “In practice, ‘controlled’ and ‘uncontrolled’ aren’t strict technical terms—each component usually has some mix of both local state and props.” A component may receive some behavior through props while managing other details locally. Choose the balance that supports its consumers, then refactor if the coordination needs change.
Use props or context according to the tree
Props are the direct parent-to-child channel. They make data dependencies visible at the point where a component is used, and are generally the clearest choice when a parent passes information to its child or a nearby descendant.
Context is an alternative for making a value available deeper in a component tree when many intermediate components would otherwise forward it without using it, or when many consumers need the same value. It changes how a consumer reads that value; it does not change the principle that each unique piece of state should have one source of truth. Different values can have owners at different levels. React explains the trade-offs in Managing State.
| Approach | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Local state | One component owns a value and can manage it independently. | Simple to use locally, but other components cannot coordinate through it without moving ownership. |
| Props and lifted state | A parent and its children, or several siblings, need to stay coordinated. | Coordination is explicit, but the parent must provide values and handlers. |
| Context | Many consumers or a deep tree need a value, and forwarding it through intermediate components is inconvenient. | Consumers can read a shared value without every intermediate component passing it along; context is not a reason to globalize unrelated state. |
The context explanation is on React’s Passing Data Deeply with Context page. Select the narrowest approach that fits the number of consumers and the coordination required.
Reuse logic with custom Hooks, not duplicate state
A custom Hook lets components share logic, including stateful behavior and Effects. For example, a Hook can encapsulate state plus an Effect that subscribes to browser connectivity events. Components can reuse that behavior without becoming the same component or automatically sharing one state instance. A Hook shares logic; context makes a value available through a component tree. React’s Reusing Logic with Custom Hooks guide discusses this distinction.
Use an Effect to synchronize with an external system, such as a browser event subscription, rather than as a general mechanism for moving ordinary application data between components. React’s Built-in React Hooks reference describes state Hooks such as useState and useReducer, useContext for reading context, and Effects for connecting to external systems.
Keep component identity and rendering behavior predictable
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. Moving a component, changing its type, or changing its key can therefore affect state lifetime; keys are not just labels for list items. When state resets unexpectedly, inspect the component’s identity and position in the rendered tree. See Preserving and Resetting State.
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Predictable architecture also depends on rendering discipline. Components should be pure with respect to their inputs: rendering the same props and state should produce the same result. Do not mutate props or state, and keep side effects out of render. Call Hooks only at the top level of React components or other Hooks, following the Rules of React.
A practical ownership check
When deciding where a value or behavior belongs, work through these questions in order:
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- Is it genuinely changing data? If it can be calculated from existing props or state, derive it instead of storing another copy.
- Which components depend on it? If just one component does, local ownership is usually sufficient.
- Must multiple components stay coordinated? Put the state in their closest common parent and pass the value and handlers down.
- Is forwarding the value through intermediate components becoming awkward? Consider context for that value and its consumers, rather than moving every state value into a global layer.
- Is the same behavior being implemented in multiple components? Extract reusable logic into a custom Hook; use context only if those components also need to read a shared value.
- Does state reset or rendering behave unexpectedly? Check component type, tree position, keys, mutations, and whether effects are being used to coordinate ordinary data flow.
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