When to Use Which Hook?

React provides powerful hooks that allow you to manage state, side effects, performance optimizations, and much more — all inside functional components. Here’s a concise guide on when to use each hook:

Hook
Use Case

useState
Manage local compon…


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by davinceleecode

React provides powerful hooks that allow you to manage state, side effects, performance optimizations, and much more — all inside functional components. Here's a concise guide on when to use each hook:

Hook Use Case
useState Manage local component state (e.g., input fields, toggles, counters)
useEffect Perform side effects (e.g., data fetching, subscriptions, timers)
useContext Access shared/global state without prop drilling (e.g., theme, auth)
useRef Reference DOM elements or store mutable values across renders
useReducer Manage complex state logic or state transitions (e.g., form wizard, cart)
useMemo Optimize performance by memoizing expensive calculations
useCallback Memoize functions to prevent unnecessary re-renders
useLayoutEffect Execute synchronously after DOM changes but before browser paint

Example Use Cases:

  • Use useState for toggling modals or tracking form values.
  • Use useEffect to fetch data from an API when a component mounts.
  • Use useContext to access user authentication info across components.
  • Use useReducer to manage complex multi-step form data with validation.
  • Use useMemo to avoid recalculating filtered lists or sorting operations.
  • Use useCallback when passing callback props to memoized child components.
  • Use useLayoutEffect to measure layout before browser paint (e.g., animations or positioning).

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This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by davinceleecode


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