REACT

INTERVIEW GUIDE

“Most Asked Interview Questions”

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2 | React Interview Guide

1.What is React, and how does it differ from other

JavaScript frameworks?
React is an open-source JavaScript library developed by
Facebook for building user interfaces, specifically single-
page applications. It emphasizes component-based
architecture, allowing developers to build encapsulated
components that manage their state. Unlike traditional
MVC frameworks like Angular, React focuses solely on the
"View" aspect of MVC, making it lightweight and faster.
React also introduces the concept of a virtual DOM, which
optimizes the performance of UI rendering by reducing the
number of direct manipulations to the actual DOM.

2. What are components in React, and why are they

important?
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Components are the fundamental building blocks of a
React application. They are reusable, self-contained pieces
of UI that can manage their state and interact with other
components via props. Components can be either class-
based or functional. They allow for better organization,
maintainability, and scalability of large applications by
breaking down the UI into smaller, manageable parts. Each
component can be independently developed, tested, and
reused across different parts of an application or even
across different projects.

3.What is JSX, and why is it used in React?

JSX (JavaScript XML) is a syntax extension for JavaScript
that resembles HTML. It is used in React to describe what
the UI should look like. JSX makes the code more readable
and easier to write by allowing developers to use HTML-like

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3 | React Interview Guide

syntax directly within JavaScript. Under the hood, JSX is

transformed into regular JavaScript function calls (e.g.,
React.createElement) that construct React elements. This
enables the declarative style of programming in React,
where the UI is described as a function of the application's
state.

4.What are the features of React?

React is a popular JavaScript library for building user
interfaces, and it offers a variety of features that make it a
powerful tool for web development. Here are some of the
key features of React:
Component-Based: React is built around the
concept of reusable UI components, making it easy to

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manage and maintain code.

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Code
Virtual DOM: React's virtual DOM efficiently
updates the actual DOM, improving rendering
performance.
JSX: JSX allows developers to write HTML-like
code within JavaScript for defining component structures.
Unidirectional Data Flow: Data flows in one direction,
simplifying data management and updates.
Reusability: React components can be reused across the
application, promoting code reusability.
Declarative: React allows you to describe what your UI
should look like, and it takes care of updating the DOM
accordingly.
Community and Ecosystem: React has a large and active
developer community and a rich ecosystem of libraries and
tools.
Performance Optimization: React provides tools for
optimizing performance, such as code splitting.

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Support for Server-Side Rendering (SSR): React can

render on the server side, improving SEO and initial load
times. Developer Tools: React offers browser extensions
and tools for debugging and inspecting components.

5. What is the difference between React and other

JavaScript frameworks?
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It is
declarative,
by companiesefficient, and flexible.
like Facebook, Instagram,React is used
and Netflix to build
complex web applications. Other popular JavaScript
frameworks include Angular and Vue.js. These frameworks
also have their own strengths and weaknesses, but here are
some of the key differences

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Feature C de
between React and other JavaScript frameworks:

o React Angular Vue.js

Type Library Framework Framework

Component-based
Yes Yes Yes
architecture

Virtual DOM Yes No Yes

JSX Optional Required Optional

Performance Faster Slower Faster

Complex Small to
SPAs, mobile
Best Suited for enterprise medium-sized
apps,websites
applications applications

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6.What is the Virtual DOM?

Virtual DOM is a lightweight representation of the real DOM.
It is a JavaScript object that describes the current state of
the UI.
When the state of the UI changes, React updates the Virtual
DOM. Then, React compares the Virtual DOM to the real
DOM and efficiently updates the real DOM only with the
changes that are needed.

7.How does the Virtual DOM work?

Virtual DOM is a JavaScript object that describes the
current state of the UI. It is a tree structure, with each node
in the tree representing an element in the UI. The Virtual
DOM also includes information about the attributes and

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children of each element.

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Code
To update the real DOM, React uses a process called
reconciliation. Reconciliation compares the Virtual DOM to
the real DOM and determines the minimal set of changes
needed to bring them into alignment. React then applies
these changes to the real DOM.
Reconciliation is a very efficient process. React uses a
diffing algorithm to compare the Virtual DOM to the real
DOM. This algorithm is able to identify the smallest possible
set of changes needed to updatethe real DOM.

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8. What are the different types of components in React?

There are two main types of components in React:
Functional components: Functional components are pure
functions that take props as input and return an element
as output. They are the simplest and most common type
of component in React.
Class components: Class components are more complex
than functional components, but they offer more features,
such as state management and lifecycle hooks.

9.What is the difference between state and props?

State is the data that is local to a React component and

can be changed by the component itself.

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Props are data that are passed to a React component

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from its parent component and cannot be changed by the

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child component.
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Feature State Props

Data that are passed

Data that is local to a to a React component
React component and from its parent
Definition
can be changed by the component and
component itself cannot be changed by
the child component

Mutable Yes No

Owned by Component Parent component

Updated by Component Parent component

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10. How do you pass props from one component to

another?
To pass props from one component to another in React,
we need to use the props attribute.
The props attribute is an object that contains the data
that you want to pass to the child component.

11.What is the one-way data flow in React?

One-way data flow in React is a design pattern that

ensures that data flows in one direction, from parent to
child components.
This helps to make React applications more predictable
and easier to debug.

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12What are the different lifecycle methods in React?
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.

Code
There are three main phases in the React component
lifecycle:
Mounting: This is the phase when a component is first
created and inserted into the DOM.
Updating: This is the phase when a component's state or
props change.
Unmounting: This is the phase when a component is
removed from the DOM.

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13.What are the benefits of using React hooks?

React Hooks, introduced in React 16.8, allow you to use

state and other React features within functional
components. They provide several advantages over the
older class components and are now the preferred
method for managing state and side effects in React
applications.

1. Simplified Code: Hooks enable you to write more concise

and readable code by eliminating the need for class
components.

2. Enhanced Reusability: Hooks can be easily reused

across different components, making your code more

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modular and maintainable.

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3. Easier Testing and Debugging: Testing and debugging
are simpler with Hooks since they are just functions that
can be called in isolation.

4. Reduced Bundle Size: Hooks help reduce the bundle size

of your application, as they are smaller and more efficient
than class components.

14. What is the difference between a controlled and

uncontrolled component?
The main difference between a controlled and uncontrolled
component is how the component handles its state.

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A controlled component in React is one where the form

data is handled by the component's state. The component
fully controls the input value via props, and changes to the
input are managed through event handlers, allowing for
more precise control and validation.
An uncontrolled component stores form data internally
within the DOM, not in the component's state. The input
value is accessed using refs, making the component
simpler but providing less control over the form's behavior.

15.What is the best way to handle events in React?

The best way to handle events in React is by using arrow

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functions or binding event handlers in the constructor, or

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by using class properties (property initializer syntax) for

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class components.
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For functional components, you can use the useState and
useCallback hooks to handle events efficiently and
prevent unnecessary re-renders.

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16. What is the best way to manage state in React?

The most effective way to manage state in React is by

leveraging React Hooks, such as useState and
useReducer, within functional components. For class
components, state can be managed using this.state and
this.setState.
For global state management, consider using the Context
the
API or third-party libraries like Redux when
application's complexity requires it.

17. What are some common performance optimization

techniques in React?

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Here are some common performance optimization

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techniques in React:

1. Memoization with React.memo: Use React.memo to

prevent unnecessary re-renders of functional
components by memoizing their output. This is particularly
useful for components that rely on the same props and do
not need to update unless those props change.
2. Using useMemo and useCallback: useMemo memoizes
re-
expensive
computed
calculations,
when dependencies
ensuring they
change.
are useCallback
only
memoizes functions, preventing them from being
recreated on every render, which is beneficial when
passing functions as props to memoized components.

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3. Code Splitting: Implement code splitting using dynamic

import() or tools like React's React.lazy and Suspense to
load components only when needed, reducing the initial
load time of the application.
4. Lazy Loading: Defer loading of off-screen components
or resources until they are needed using techniques like
React.lazy for components and the `loading` attribute for
images.
5. Avoiding Reconciliation: Minimize the number of
changes in the virtual DOM by ensuring that keys are
Avoid
using
and
stable
or unnecessary
unique when rendering lists.
shouldComponentUpdate, re-renders by

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PureComponent,
React.memo.

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6. Optimizing Rendering with

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shouldComponentUpdate and PureComponent: In class
components, override shouldComponentUpdate to control
when a component should re-render. PureComponent
provides a shallow comparison of props and state to
optimize rendering. 7. Debouncing and Throttling: For
performance-heavy operations like resizing, scrolling, or
handling user input, use debouncing or throttling to limit
the frequency of function execution, reducing the workload
on the browser. 8. Virtualization: Use libraries like react-
window or react- virtualized to render only the visible
portion of large lists or tables, improving performance by
avoiding unnecessary DOM updates.

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9. Efficient State Management: Keep state as localized as

possible. Avoid lifting state unnecessarily and use the
Context API or external state management libraries only
when global state is truly needed. 10. Optimizing Images
and Assets: Compress images and use modern formats
like WebP. Leverage responsive images and lazy loading to
reduce the impact on performance.

18. What are some of the most popular React libraries

and tools?
Some of the most popular React libraries and tools
include:

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1. Redux: For managing global state in complex

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applications.

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2. React Router: For handling routing and navigation
within single-page applications.
3. Material-UI: For implementing Material Design with
customizable UI components.
4. Styled Components: For writing component-level
styles using CSS-in-JS.
5. React Query: For managing server-state, data
fetching, and caching.

19.What is a higher-order component (HOC) in React?

A higher-order component (HOC) is an advanced pattern
in React used to enhance or modify the behavior of a
component. An HOC is a function that takes a component
as an argument and returns a new component with
additional props, logic, or functionality.

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The primary purpose of HOCs is to enable code reuse and

component composition. They allow you to inject common
functionality or state into multiple components without
repeating code. HOCs are useful for tasks like:
1. Code Reuse: Sharing common logic or behavior
across multiple components.
2. Conditional Rendering: Adding conditional rendering
logic based on props or state.
3. State Management: Injecting state or context into
components.
4. Enhancements: Adding features such as logging, error
handling, or data fetching.

20.What is internationalization (i18n) in React?

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Internationalization (i18n) in React refers to the process of

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designing and developing applications to support multiple

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languages and regional differences. It involves preparing
your React application to handle various languages,
formats, and locales, allowing users to interact with the
application in their preferred language. This is typically
achieved using libraries like react-intl or i18next, which
provide tools for translating text, formatting dates and
numbers, and managing locale-specific content.

21.What is the significance of the key prop in React?

The key prop helps React identify which items in a list have
changed, been added, or removed. By providing a unique
key for each element, React can efficiently update and re-
render only the necessary items, improving performance
and ensuring that elements are correctly managed during
updates.

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22. What is the difference between React and React

Native ?
React and React Native are closely related but serve
different purposes:
React:
Purpose: React is a JavaScript library used for building
user interfaces, primarily for web applications.
Rendering: It renders components to HTML in the
browser, allowing for the creation of interactive and
dynamic web pages. Components: React components
are typically written using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript,
which are then rendered as HTML elements in the DOM.

React Native:
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Purpose: React Native is a framework for building
mobile applications using React principles.
Rendering: It does not render HTML. Instead, it uses
native components, which means it translates React
components into native UI elements for iOS and Android
platforms. Components: React Native components are
built using JavaScript and JSX but render as native
components like View, Text, and Button on mobile
devices, rather than HTML elements.

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