10 Common React Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistakes are a part of our daily lives and everyone makes mistakes, whether it's your personal life or professional. When we count on professional mistakes, they harm our careers and keep us behind our competitors if we don’t try to avoid them.

Similar is the case in React development. React is a popular and powerful front-end development library that assists you in user interface development. With its component-based architecture, Virtual DOM, and SEO-friendly nature, it is the top choice of developers for front-end development.

However, like any other technology, some mistakes commonly happen if you are not careful. In this blog, we will learn about 10 common React mistakes and the trick of avoiding them.

1. Don’t Ignore the Virtual DOM

The Virtual DOM in React is the most powerful functionality that efficiently, smartly, and effectively alters the components of actual DOM that have changed. If any developer ignores the Virtual DOM and tries to manipulate the actual DOM, it will lead to serious performance issues.

So, it is always better to adhere to the procedure and handle the updates via Virtual DOM.

2. Avoid Using useEffect Unnecessarily

As a matter of fact, the useEffect in React is utilized by developers in executing side effects which aid in data retrieval from the server, modification in the DOM or subscribing to an event.

It is commonly seen that developers unnecessarily use the useEffect which leads to performance issues, and creates bugs that are hard to handle.

3. Importing More Than Need Affects Performance

If you acquire more parts than your demand and needs, you are ultimately adding to the bundle size that will impact its performance. Keep in mind that the larger the bundle size, the slower the load time. Moreover, it also gives poor user experience which is not good.

So, don’t put the performance at stake by importing unnecessary modules. Hire React developers who are well-versed in the technology and have expertise in dealing with complex projects without committing such common mistakes.

4. Don’t Mix JSX with HTML

Beginners frequently confuse JSX with HTML due to their similar appearance, but this is a significant mistake that can lead to serious bugs and messy code. It's crucial to understand that JSX is not HTML and to treat it accordingly. Properly learning and respecting JSX will help avoid errors and maintain clean, effective code.

5. Excessive State Usage Leads to Complexity

State management is very crucial in React. Utilizing any state more than its required limit will increase the complexity of the component which will be hard to maintain. A small change in the state can trigger a re-render which can prove to be expensive if handled with imprudence.

Anyway, it is preferable if the usage of the state is borne to the barest minimum.

6. Business Logic and Component Logic

One mistake developers often make is mixing business logic with component logic, which reduces code reusability. To avoid tightly coupling your components, separate business logic from component logic by creating distinct functions for each. This approach enhances modularity, making your code more maintainable and easier to reuse across different components and projects.

7. Writing Dirty Code Disturbs Readability and Structure

A common mistake developers make is writing messy and disorganized code, which complicates understanding and collaboration with team members.This often leads to challenges such as poor navigation, debugging and hence inefficiency in the code used.

Adopting clean, well-structured coding practices enhances readability, simplifies teamwork, and improves overall code performance and maintainability.

8. Improper Error Handling Gives Bad User Experience

Errors are inevitable during development, but poor error handling can exacerbate problems. When developers mishandle or overlook errors, they face increased frustration and challenges in managing issues effectively. Proper error handling is crucial to prevent complications, streamline troubleshooting, and maintain a smooth development process, ultimately enhancing productivity and reducing stress for developers.

9. No Use of React Developer Tools

React developer tools are extremely essential as they help in debugging and optimizing the performance and helping run the React application smoothly. Some developers avoid using these tools which is not a good practice.

It’s better to install and use React Developer Tools to keep your app according to the standards.

10. Not Following SEO Practices

SEO has a powerful influence on the search engine rankings. Developers with no knowledge of SEO or having the habit of not following SEO best practices lead the web application to poor search engine rankings and it also reduces the site visibility to the target audience.

It is always suggested to follow SEO best practices to keep your site high in search engine results pages (SERP) rankings and visible to the target audience.

Summary

Thus these are the ten common mistakes that React developers make during the developmental stage.

Avoiding these mistakes can boost their productivity and enhance the performance of web applications.

Remember, making mistakes isn’t harmful, but not learning from those mistakes is very harmful to your career, project, and development journey.