Common mistakes to avoid when using React Hooks
Here are some mistakes developers often make when working with Hooks:
-
Breaking the Rules of Hooks
Calling Hooks inside loops, conditions, or nested functions can cause unpredictable behavior. -
Missing dependencies in
useEffect
Forgetting to add all dependencies can cause bugs. Use linters like ESLint with the React Hooks plugin to catch these issues. -
Overusing
useMemo
anduseCallback
Memoization adds complexity and might harm performance if overused for cheap computations. -
Directly mutating state
Always return a new copy of objects or arrays when updating state; otherwise, React won't detect changes. -
Misusing
useRef
to manage state
useRef
changes won't trigger re-renders. UseuseState
when UI needs to update. -
Not cleaning up effects
Always return a cleanup function insideuseEffect
when dealing with subscriptions, timers, or event listeners.