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Writing on system design, React, web performance, and the craft of building software.

1

The Problem React Was Built to Solve

Part 1•5 min read•The DOM was state storage before React. jQuery helped but did not fix the root problem. React moved state into JavaScript and the entire mental model shifted.

React Has Separation of Concerns, Just Not the One You Learned First

Part 2•5 min read•Traditional web dev taught one file per technology. React breaks that rule on purpose. The separation is still there, it just runs along a different line.

2

JSX Is Just a Function Call

Part 1•4 min read•Every JSX element compiles to React.createElement. That explains the old import-React requirement and why react-dom is a separate package from react.

Why useEffect Runs Twice in Development

Part 2•5 min read•React Strict Mode mounts every component twice in development to check for missing cleanup. That double useEffect run is intentional, not a bug.

Why React Components Must Be Pure

Part 3•4 min read•Props are immutable because mutating them is a side effect. React builds on pure functions because purity is what makes the component model predictable and safe to optimize.

3

Components, Props, and the Component Tree

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

4

State: The Engine of React UIs

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

Why Calling setState Twice Only Updates Once

Part 2•4 min read•Calling setState twice in the same handler often only applies one update. The fix is the functional update pattern, and understanding it requires understanding React state batching.

5

Forms in React: Controlled and Uncontrolled Inputs

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

Controlled Elements: How React Takes Ownership of Form Inputs

Part 2•3 min read•By default, form inputs store their value in the DOM. Controlled elements move that value into React state, making the form fully predictable and resettable.

6

Data Fetching with useEffect

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

7

Building Your First Custom Hook

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

8

How React Renders: The Virtual DOM and Fiber

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

9

useReducer and Performance Optimization

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

10

React Router: Client-Side Navigation

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

11

Redux: Global State Without the Chaos

Part 1•1 min read•Coming soon.

React Fundamentals | Writing & Engineering | Durgesh Rai