How to think like a React developer?

Hopefully this is the right sub-forum to post this question. I’m starting to learn React and I just finished the tic tac toe tutorial on react.dev, I got the gist of the syntaxes but I had some hard time understanding how React works…

It’s difficult to explain questions when you don’t understand the topic completely, but I will try my best.

For example, the parent component has a state, and it needs to be updated/rendered by child components (?). I tried to understand what is happening at each step, so when the page is loaded at first, what code is executed to display what I’m seeing on the screen. Then what happens if I click the square, what changed and what is calling the components to update the state, etc.

It was a little overwhelming to follow the “path” how React runs, because it’s like jumping back and forth between components and eventually it leads to the main component.

Is this the right way of thinking, like “step-by-step” approach? What advice do you have for others to become better at React?

Welcome to the forum @Kepler !

Yes, this fine to put the question for React.

Here is an article I found in the freeCodeCamp News category that may help you understand How React Works a bit better.

If you wish more information on React, or any other programming, freeCodeCamp News category has over 10,000 helpful tutorials, and other guidance.

There is also the freeCodeCamp You Tube Channel with great tutorials.

I hope this helps you!

Happy coding! :sun_with_face:

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It’s perfectly fine to be confused, it’s called “React Brain” for a reason (and not always a positive one).

I think the new React docs are quite good but that doesn’t mean it can’t be confusing (and stay confusing, at least at times).


Some well-known blogs, in no particular order.

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thank you for the article, definitely strengthened my understanding on React (a bit) more haha

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the interactive guide from ui.dev was an amazing read, thank you for that!

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