react js interview Questions

React JS is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries for building user interfaces, particularly single-page applications. As demand for React developers continues to grow, acing a React JS interview can open doors to exciting career opportunities. To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of the top 25 React JS interview questions, complete with answers and explanations. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to impress your interviewers. 

Basic React JS Interview Questions

  1. What is React JS?
    React JS is an open-source JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building user interfaces, particularly for single-page applications. It allows developers to create reusable UI components, making it easier to build complex and interactive web applications.

  2. What are components in React?
    Components are the building blocks of a React application. They encapsulate a part of the user interface and can be reused throughout the application. There are two types of components: class components and functional components.
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React Js Interview questions

3.Explain the concept of JSX. 
JSX stands for JavaScript XML. It is a syntax extension for JavaScript that allows developers to write HTML-like code within JavaScript. JSX makes it easier to describe the UI structure and is transformed into React elements under the hood.

4.What is the difference between state and props?
State is a data structure that stores dynamic data in a component and determines its behavior. Props, short for properties, are read-only attributes passed from a parent component to a child component. Unlike state, props cannot be modified within the component. 

5.How do you create a React component?
A React component can be created using a JavaScript function or class. A functional component is a simple function that returns a React element, while a class component extends the React.Component class and must include a render() method that returns a React element.

6.What are hooks in React, and why are they useful?
Hooks are functions that let you use state and other React features in functional components. They allow you to manage state, side effects, and more without writing class components. The most commonly used hooks are useState and useEffect.

7.Explain the useState and useEffect hooks.
The useState hook allows you to add state to functional components, returning a stateful value and a function to update it. The useEffect hook lets you perform side effects, such as fetching data or updating the DOM, in functional components. It runs after every render unless you specify dependencies.

8.What is the virtual DOM, and how does React use it?
The virtual DOM is an in-memory representation of the actual DOM. React uses it to optimize UI updates by comparing the current virtual DOM with the previous one (a process called “reconciliation”) and applying the minimum number of changes to the real DOM.

9.How does React handle forms?
React handles forms using controlled components, where form data is handled by the component’s state. Each input element is tied to a state variable, and changes to the input value update the state, keeping the UI in sync with the form data.

10.What is a key prop, and why is it important?
A key is a special string attribute used in React to identify which items in a list have changed, been added, or removed. It helps React optimize rendering by providing a stable identity for each element, preventing unnecessary re-renders. 

11.What is context in React, and how is it used?
Context provides a way to pass data through the component tree without manually passing props down at every level. It is useful for sharing global data like themes, user authentication, and settings. Context is created using React.createContext() and accessed via the useContext hook.

12.Explain the concept of Higher-Order Components (HOCs).
Higher-Order Components are functions that take a component and return a new component. HOCs are used to add common functionality, such as logging, authentication, or styling, to multiple components without repeating code.

13.How can you optimize performance in a React application?

  1. Performance can be optimized by:

  • Using React’s PureComponent or React.memo() to prevent unnecessary re-renders.
  • Implementing code-splitting and lazy loading using React.lazy() and Suspense.
  • Avoiding inline functions in the render method, as they create new function instances on every render.
  • Using the useCallback and useMemo hooks to memoize functions and values
14.What are render props, and how do they work?
Render props are a technique for sharing code between components using a prop whose value is a function. This function returns a React element, allowing the parent component to control how the child component renders. Render props provide a flexible way to handle component composition.
 

15.What are some common patterns for managing state in larger React applications?

  1. Common state management patterns include:

  • Lifting State Up: Moving state to a common ancestor component.
  • Context API: Sharing state across multiple components without prop drilling.
  • State Management Libraries: Using libraries like Redux, MobX, or Recoil for more complex state management needs.
16.What is server-side rendering (SSR) in React, and why might you use it?
Server-side rendering (SSR) is the process of rendering React components on the server rather than in the browser. SSR improves the performance of initial page loads and enhances SEO by providing fully-rendered HTML to search engines.
 

17.How does React handle error boundaries?
Error boundaries are components that catch JavaScript errors anywhere in their child component tree, log those errors, and display a fallback UI. They are implemented using the componentDidCatch lifecycle method in class components or the ErrorBoundary component in functional components with hooks.

18.What is React Suspense and how does it work?
React Suspense is a feature that lets you suspend the rendering of components while waiting for asynchronous data. It provides a way to handle lazy loading of components and data fetching gracefully using the Suspense component and React.lazy().

19.What is the difference between useCallback and useMemo?
The useCallback hook memoizes a callback function, preventing it from being recreated on every render unless its dependencies change. The useMemo hook memoizes the result of a computation, re-calculating it only when its dependencies change. Both hooks help optimize performance by avoiding unnecessary re-renders.

20.What are some best practices for structuring a React application?
Best practices include:

  • Component Organization: Structure components by feature or domain rather than by type.
  • File Naming Conventions: Use consistent naming conventions for components, styles, and tests.
  • State Management: Use context or state management libraries for managing global state effectively.
  • Code Splitting: Implement code splitting to improve load times and performance.
21.How do you handle authentication and authorization in a React application?
Authentication and authorization can be handled using React Router for routing, context for managing authentication state, and conditional rendering to restrict access to certain routes or components based on user roles or permissions.

22.What is React’s Concurrent Mode, and what are its benefits?
React’s Concurrent Mode is an experimental feature that allows React to interrupt and pause rendering tasks to keep the app responsive. It improves the user experience by enabling smoother transitions and reducing the impact of slow operations on the overall application performance

23.Explain the concept of “lifting state up” in React.

Lifting state up involves moving state from a child component to a common ancestor component to share state between sibling components. This approach helps manage state more effectively and ensures that state changes are propagated correctly. 

24.How do you test React components?
React components can be tested using tools like Jest for unit testing and React Testing Library for rendering components and simulating user interactions. These tools help ensure components behave as expected and handle edge cases properly.

25.What is the purpose of the useImperativeHandle hook in React?
The useImperativeHandle hook customizes the instance value that is exposed when using ref with functional components. It allows you to control which values or methods are accessible to parent components via refs, providing a way to expose specific functionality