React: What is it and how does it work

Hello!

Do you know what React is?

If you don't know, come check one of the libraries, but used.

React is one of the main libraries used today in web development, which is the part of any application that interacts with the user.

React is a technology that is already part of projects by large companies such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and Netflix.

What is React?

React is known as a JavaScript library used for creating user interfaces (UI), or user interfaces in Portuguese.

To make things a little clearer for you, here is a brief explanation of what JavaScript is and what JavaScript libraries are.

• JavaScript: Web programming language, used to control dynamic elements, such as banners, buttons, images and slides, it updates information in real time, such as charts, rankings, dates, etc.
• JavaScript Library: Set of pre-made JavaScript code lines created by the community, which can be used in various projects, from simpler website interfaces to more complex interfaces, such as Facebook itself.

The library was created by a team of Facebook developers in 2011, with the purpose of optimizing the updating of the social network's news feed. In the following year, the company Facebook, now known as Meta, started to use the efficiency of React on Instagram and other social networks of the company.

In 2013, React had its code library open to the community, kicking off its growing popularity in the tech market.

How does React work?

React lets you split an entire page into parts, called components. Thus, it is possible to work each of these components individually and independently.

It is also possible to reuse code between these components, using the same command to model elements such as buttons, images, menus, etc.

This facilitates and optimizes the development of an interface, as it allows to maintain a unit between the components in a practical way.

React is also known for its flexibility, allowing the creation of small lines of code in the development of an interface without the need to use other tools.

What programming languages do you need to know to use React?

As mentioned before, React is a JavaScript library. That is, this is the main programming language it uses. therefore, it is very important that you know JavaScript to take advantage of the agility provided by React.

However, React also uses another type of markup: the JSX, which is a kind of “mix” of JavaScript and HTML. JSX is an extension to JavaScript that offers more functionality and allows you to write lines of code more simply.

Knowing JSX is not mandatory, but it makes the day-to-day life of those who use React a lot easier, because in addition to being a very used markup for those who work with this library, it also helps in the construction of less complex lines of code.

Why use React?

It's no wonder that React is used by companies and many professionals in the technology area. There are a few reasons that can show this.

• Easy to learn and use: The main languages used in React, JavaScript and HTML are usually the first to be mastered when learning programming. JSX, which uses principles from both languages and, because it is very similar to HTML, is also easy to learn.
• Reusable components: React components used in the development of a user interface can be reused to build other applications. That way, a developer doesn't have to create all the commands and lines of code from scratch, which can make their work much more agile.
• Improved performance in interface development: React uses a Virtual DOM (Document Object Model - document model per object), a virtual copy of the document that represents the visual part of a web page, which allows the development interfaces in a more optimized way. The development and updates of an interface are carried out first in this Virtual DOM, which has a more agile update, and then they are translated to the real DOM, involving as few processes as possible.
• SEO Compatibility: The language used in React is SEO friendly (Search Engine Optimization), and can be read and accessed by search engines, which can be an advantage for ranking the your website or webpage.

For anyone who works or is thinking about working in the area of interface development and front-end development, learning to work with React can be a great differentiator both for optimizing your day-to-day work and for your professional curriculum.

Now that you know what React is and what it's for, it's time for you to specialize in the language and seize the opportunities that will come your way.

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