Are you interested in becoming a React developer? With the right skill set, it’s possible to enter this industry and start working on interesting projects quickly. In this guide, we take a look at what it takes to become a successful React developer—from the key skills and technical know-how needed, to tips from a veteran React developer.
In order to build great React applications, you should familiarize yourself with the core technologies that make up react. This includes the React library itself, as well as its closely associated tools and libraries like Redux and Next.js. To get started, check out our Essential React framework guide which covers all of the basics you need to know, from setting up your development environment to building reusable components.
React is powered by JavaScript, so it's important that any aspiring React developer is well-versed in the language. Effective React applications are built using later versions of JavaScript like ES6+, which includes many new features such as classes, arrow functions, and template strings. Being able to utilize these additions can help developers create highly efficient code that is often easier to read and maintain.
Styling in React is an important skill every developer should possess. CSS and SCSS allow developers to quickly create custom styles for components, while Styled Components are often used for theming and rapid prototyping. Knowing how to set up data styling through these tools is essential for creating user-friendly React applications that look and feel great.
In order to build great React applications, you should familiarize yourself with the core technologies that make up react. This includes the React library itself, as well as its closely associated tools and libraries like Redux and Next.js. To get started, check out our Essential React framework guide which covers all of the basics you need to know, from setting up your development environment to building reusable components.
A key skill in React development is understanding the lifecycle of a component and how to manage it effectively. The lifecycle includes the mounting (the start of the process when a component is created), updating (which occurs when a change to a component is made) and unmounting (when a component is removed from a page). Managing these transitions correctly can ensure that data is properly persisted, resources are released as needed and components don't get stuck in an infinite loop.
Debugging is an essential skill for any software developer. Learning how to debug JavaScript code and identify errors within a React application will make you stand out as a React developer. Fortunately, there are plenty of debugging tools available to make the task simpler. For example, Chrome DevTools offers a comprehensive suite of testing and debugging features that you can use to test your React applications. Additionally, there are debugging libraries like Redux Logger and MobX devtools available to help you identify where the errors are occurring within your React code.
Managing state between components can be a tricky task. This is why understanding the best practices for managing state within React applications is essential for any developer. Libraries such as Redux, MobX and Apollo GraphQL can help you manage complex application state with ease. Familiarity with these libraries will give you an edge when developing React applications. Additionally, having an in-depth knowledge of the library’s API calls will make debugging applications a breeze!
Design tools such as Figma and Adobe XD are essential for any developer. Being able to implement a design into an app is not something easy and it requires you to be proficient in understanding how components should fit together, how they interact with each other, and how user flows data flows should ultimately be distributed. Figma/Adobe XD give developers the flexibility to rapidly prototype complex applications with ease, allowing them to improve their apps before pushing them into production.
Having the ability to understand and use modern React design tools is just the start. As a React developer, you also need to have an understanding of debugging and performance profiling tools like React Profiler. These types of solutions will provide actionable performance data which can be used to improve the speed and efficiency of your apps. Being able to quickly identify code bottlenecks and easily pinpointing slowdowns in loading time give you the competitive edge that’s required in this industry.