Hooks like useState and useEffect allow functional components to manage state and lifecycle methods without using class components.

The Virtual DOM is a lightweight copy of the real DOM. React updates only changed parts, improving performance.

Using controlled components, input values are managed by state. You can use onChange handlers to sync input data.

Techniques include memoization (React.memo), code splitting, lazy loading, and avoiding unnecessary re-renders.

Functional Components are straightforward JavaScript functions that accept props as parameters and return JSX elements. With React Hooks integration, these components can now handle state management and lifecycle operations, making them equally capable as their class-based counterparts.

Class Components utilize ES6 class syntax and provide built-in lifecycle methods such as componentDidMount, componentDidUpdate, and shouldComponentUpdate for controlling component behavior and performance optimization.

Modern React development favors functional components due to their streamlined syntax, enhanced performance characteristics, and cleaner code structure, particularly when leveraging hooks for state and effect management.

React Hooks are specialized functions introduced in React 16.8 that enable functional components to utilize state management and other React capabilities previously exclusive to class components. These hooks transformed functional components into powerful, feature-rich building blocks.

Essential hooks include:

• useState – manages component-level state

• useEffect – handles side effects and lifecycle events

• useContext – accesses application-wide context data

• useRef, useReducer, and additional hooks for complex scenarios

Hooks promote cleaner code architecture, better component reusability, and improved separation of concerns in React applications.

The useState hook enables functional components to create and maintain local state variables. It returns a two-element array: the current state value and an updater function for modifying that state.

This hook makes components interactive and responsive to user interactions. For instance, button clicks can trigger state changes that automatically re-render the interface with updated information. useState empowers functional components to handle user inputs, toggle displays, maintain counters, and manage dynamic content without requiring class component complexity.

The useEffect hook manages side effects within React functional components, including API data fetching, DOM manipulation, event subscriptions, and cleanup operations. It executes after component rendering and offers precise control through dependency arrays.

Different dependency configurations produce varied behaviors: an empty array triggers the effect once (similar to componentDidMount), while specific dependencies cause re-execution when those values change. useEffect provides comprehensive lifecycle management capabilities within the functional component paradigm.

Props (properties) represent data passed from parent components to their children, creating a unidirectional data flow system. These read-only values enable component reusability and dynamic behavior throughout React applications.

Parent components can transmit various data types—strings, numbers, objects, functions, or event handlers—to child components via props. Children access these props to render content, execute functions, or respond to parent-controlled events, ensuring predictable and maintainable component relationships.