Fresh List of React.

js Interview Questions
(2025)

Core React Concepts

1. What is the significance of the Virtual DOM in React, and how does it improve perfor-
mance compared to direct DOM manipulation?
• Tests understanding of React's rendering mechanism and reconciliation.
2. Explain the difference between controlled and uncontrolled components in React.
When would you use each?
• Still relevant for form handling, with a focus on real-world use cases.
3. What are React hooks, and how do they differ from class-based lifecycle methods?
Provide examples of custom hooks you’ve written.
• Probes hooks knowledge and practical experience with custom hooks.
4. How does React’s reconciliation process work, and what role does the key prop play in
optimizing it?
• Tests understanding of rendering efficiency and list rendering.
5. What are React Fragments, and why are they preferred over wrapping elements in a
<div>?
• Assesses knowledge of JSX and cleaner DOM output.

Hooks and State Management

6. Explain the useEffect hook in detail. How can you mimic componentDidMount, compo-
nentDidUpdate, and componentWillUnmount behaviors?
• Tests practical hook usage and cleanup patterns.
7. What is the difference between useState and useReducer? When would you choose one
over the other?
• Probes state management decisions in complex components.
8. How do useMemo and useCallback improve performance, and what are the pitfalls of
overusing them?
• Tests optimization knowledge and trade-offs.
9. What is the useContext hook, and how does it simplify state sharing compared to prop
drilling?
• Assesses understanding of Context API for global state.
10. How would you implement a custom hook to fetch data from an API, including error
handling and loading states?
• Tests real-world application of hooks and API integration.

Performance Optimization

11. What are some common performance bottlenecks in React applications, and how can
you address them?
• Focuses on memoization, lazy loading, and code splitting.
12. How does React’s Concurrent Rendering (introduced in React 18) improve user experi-
ence, and what are some use cases for startTransition?
• Tests knowledge of modern React features.
13. What is the purpose of React.memo, and when should you avoid using it?
• Assesses optimization techniques for functional components.
14. How can you implement lazy loading for components or routes in a React application?
• Tests knowledge of React.lazy and Suspense for performance.
15. Explain how you would optimize a React application with a large list of items that
frequently re-renders.
• Probes virtualization (e.g., react-window) and key-based rendering.

State Management and Data Fetching

16. Compare and contrast Redux, Zustand, and React Query for state management. When
would you use each?
• Tests awareness of modern state management tools.
17. What is the role of server-side state management, and how do libraries like React Query
or SWR simplify data fetching?
• Focuses on server-state synchronization and caching.
18. How would you structure a large-scale React application to manage global and local
state effectively?
• Assesses architectural decisions and scalability.
19. What are the benefits of using the Context API with hooks over Redux for small to
medium-sized applications?
• Tests practical state management choices.
20. How do you handle optimistic updates in a React application when performing muta-
tions?
 • Probes real-world data mutation strategies.

Modern React Ecosystem

21. What are the advantages of using Next.js over Create React App for building React
applications?
• Tests knowledge of modern frameworks and SSR/SSG.
22. Explain React Server Components (RSC) and how they differ from traditional client-side
components.
• Focuses on cutting-edge React 18+ and Next.js 13+ features.
23. How does Vite improve the developer experience compared to Webpack-based setups
like Create React App?
• Assesses familiarity with modern build tools.
24. What is the role of TypeScript in React development, and how do you type props, state,
and hooks effectively?
• Tests TypeScript integration, a must-have for many teams.
25. How would you implement internationalization (i18n) in a React application?
• Probes real-world feature implementation (e.g., i18next).

Testing and Debugging

26. How do you test React components using React Testing Library? What makes it different
from Enzyme?
• Tests modern testing practices and user-centric testing.
27. What strategies do you use to debug performance issues in a React application?
• Focuses on React DevTools, Profiler, and Chrome DevTools.
28. How would you write tests for a custom hook that fetches data from an API?
• Tests practical testing of hooks with libraries like @testing-library/react-hooks.

Real-World Scenarios

29. Describe a challenging React project you worked on. What was the problem, and how
did you solve it?
• Probes real-world experience and problem-solving.
30. How would you migrate a legacy React application from class components to functional
components with hooks?
• Tests experience with refactoring and modernizing codebases.

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