React and React Native

Thinking in React

React can change how you think about the designs you look at and the apps you build. When you build a user interface with React, you will first break it apart into pieces called components. Then, you will describe the different visual states for each of your components. Finally, you will connect your components together so that the data flows through them. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the thought process of building a searchable product data table with React.

Describing the UI

React is a JavaScript library for rendering user interfaces (UI). UI is built from small units like buttons, text, and images. React lets you combine them into reusable, nestable components. From web sites to phone apps, everything on the screen can be broken down into components. In this chapter, you’ll learn to create, customize, and conditionally display React components.

Adding Interactivity

Some things on the screen update in response to user input. For example, clicking an image gallery switches the active image. In React, data that changes over time is called state. You can add state to any component, and update it as needed. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to write components that handle interactions, update their state, and display different output over time.