React: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners
If you are new to it so, React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It is a declarative, efficient, and flexible library that allows you to create complex UIs from small and isolated pieces of code called “components.” React is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries in the world, and it is used by companies such as Facebook, Netflix, and Airbnb. So, let’s dive deep into it and start learning what is it actually and how it works.
What is React?
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces for different application and It is a declarative, efficient, and flexible library that allows you to create complex UIs from small and isolated pieces of code called “components.” React is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries in the world, and it is used by companies such as Facebook, Netflix, and Airbnb.
How does React work?
So, React works by rendering components to the DOM. The DOM is the Document Object Model, which is a tree-like representation of the HTML document and When you make changes to your React components, React re-renders the DOM to reflect the changes. This makes React very efficient, because it only updates the parts of the DOM that have actually changed.
What are the benefits of using React?
There are many benefits to using React, including:
- Declarative: React is a declarative library, which means that you tell React what you want to see on the screen, and React takes care of the rest. This makes React code easier to read and write than code written with other JavaScript libraries.
- Efficient: React is very efficient, because it only updates the parts of the DOM that have actually changed. This makes React applications very fast and responsive.
- Flexible: React is a very flexible library, and it can be used to build a wide variety of applications, from simple single-page applications to complex web applications.
- Large community: React has a large and active community, which means that there are many resources available to help you learn React and get started with it.
How to get started with React
If you are new to React, there are a few things you need to do to get started:
- Install Node.js: Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that you will need to run React. You can download Node.js from the Node.js website.
- Install Create React App: Create React App is a tool that sets up a new React project for you. You can install Create React App using the following command:
Bash
npm install -g create-react-app
Use code with caution. Let’s see more
- Create a new React project: Once you have Create React App installed, you can create a new React project using the following command:
Bash
create-react-app my-app
Use code with caution.
- Start the development server: Ok, once you have created a new React project, you can start the development server using the following command:
Bash
cd my-app
npm start
Use code with caution.
This will start the development server and open your React application in your web browser.

How to code and run React
Now, once you have started the development server, you can start coding your React application. React code is written in JavaScript, and it uses JSX, which is a syntax extension to JavaScript that allows you to write HTML-like code within your JavaScript components.
Here is a simple example of a React component:
JavaScript
function Hello() {
return <h1>Hello, world!</h1>;
}
ReactDOM.render(<Hello />, document.getElementById('root'));
Use code with caution.
This code defines a component called Hello that renders an h1 element with the text “Hello, world!” to the DOM. Now let’s move to next that;
What environment is needed to run React?
Now to run React, you will need a web browser that supports JavaScript. You will also need Node.js installed on your computer. Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser.
Moreover, here are some Additional tips for learning React
Now in conclusion, here are a few additional tips for learning React:
- Take an online course: There are many great online courses available that can teach you React. Some popular options include the React official tutorial, the free Code Camp React course, and the Udacity React Nanodegree.
- Read the React documentation: The React documentation is a great resource for learning React. It covers everything from the basics of React to more advanced topics.
- Join the React community: The React community is very active and helpful. There are many online forums and chat rooms where you can ask questions and get help from other React developers.
And Finally I would also recommend checking out the following resources in summery:
- The React website: https://react.dev/
- The React documentation: https://legacy.reactjs.org/docs/getting-started.html
- The freeCodeCamp React course: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/free-react-course-2022/
- The Udacity React Nanodegree: https://www.udacity.com/course/react-nanodegree–nd019
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions in comments.
Jameel Jahanian is a veteran Web Developer and SaaS Architect with over 22 years of experience in the digital landscape. He is the founder of Eventofeed and the developer behind Sultan’s Journal, a specialized CRM solution. With deep expertise in PHP, SQL, and Technical SEO, Jameel personally verifies every guide on this site to ensure it meets professional standards for performance and security. Having navigated the evolution of the web since the early 2000s, he now focuses on building high-performance applications and sharing technical roadmaps for the next generation of developers. Explore his portfolio and latest projects at jameeljahanian.com
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