React 18: What's New and What to Expect

2023/06/22

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React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces, has recently released its latest version, React 18. This version brings some exciting new features and improvements that developers should be aware of.

One of the major changes in React 18 is the introduction of a new feature called "automatic batching". This feature allows React to batch multiple state updates together, reducing the number of times the DOM is updated and improving performance. This is especially useful for complex applications with many components and state changes.

Another important improvement in React 18 is the introduction of a new API called "startTransition". This API allows developers to mark a section of code as a "transition", indicating that it may cause a delay or a loading state. This helps to improve the user experience by providing more feedback and reducing frustration.

React 18 also includes improvements to the server-side rendering (SSR) process, making it faster and more efficient. This is important for applications that need to render content on the server before sending it to the client.

In addition to these improvements, React 18 also includes several new features and updates to existing APIs. For example, the "useEffect" hook now has a new "onError" option that allows developers to handle errors that occur during the effect. There are also improvements to the "useMemo" and "useCallback" hooks, making them more efficient and easier to use.

Overall, React 18 is a significant update that brings many improvements and new features to the library. Developers should take the time to familiarize themselves with these changes and start using them in their projects. With automatic batching, startTransition, and other improvements, React 18 is sure to make building user interfaces even better and more efficient.