When I first started learning React, it felt like I was constantly getting stuck in tutorial limbo. I’d follow a YouTube guide, build a to-do app, and then… nothing. I didn’t know how to move beyond it. Props made sense until I had to pass them through four levels. State was fine until it wasn’t. And don’t get me started on useEffect.
The truth is, React has a deceptively friendly surface and a wildly complex underbelly. So, finding the best platform to learn React isn’t just about flashy UIs or drag-and-drop code. It’s about mastering the mental model that powers real-world React apps.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the three learning platforms that finally helped me get React, from building components and managing state to deploying production-grade SPAs. Whether you're brand new or stuck in intermediate purgatory, this guide is for you.
Why React is so popular (and why that makes it harder)
React powers the front end of companies like Meta, Netflix, Airbnb, Uber, and Shopify. Its ecosystem is massive, its job market is strong, and its learning curve is… spiky.
Some reasons why learners love (and struggle with) React:
- It’s flexible, but unopinionated. There’s no “one right way” to build apps.
- It’s just JavaScript, until it isn’t. You’ll eventually need to learn routing, state libraries, testing, accessibility, and performance.
- It’s constantly evolving. Hooks, Server Components, Suspense, and frameworks like Next.js make React more powerful and more complex.
So the best platform to learn React needs to do more than show you how to render a component. It needs to build your intuition for how React works behind the scenes and prepare you to ship real features.
My journey through React platforms (and what finally clicked)
I didn’t find the perfect platform overnight. I bounced between YouTube, blogs, free courses, and docs. But three platforms finally helped me level up:
- Educative
- Scrimba
- Frontend Masters
Let me break down how each one helped (and where they fell short).
Educative: The cleanest React mental model I’ve found
Why I tried it: I’d used Educative before for system design prep and liked the text-based format. So I tried their React path when I was tired of passive video watching.
What stood out:
- No videos. Just fast-paced, interactive lessons. Every lesson made me write code and solve mini-problems. No fluff.
- Clear progression from fundamentals to advanced. JSX → props/state → effects → custom hooks → context → performance.
- Real-world examples. I wasn’t building another counter app. I built a GitHub profile viewer, product filter page, and components that mimicked real use cases.
- Strong Next.js and deployment focus. This helped me go from React concepts to full apps.
Best for: Devs who want a fast, hands-on, structured path with no filler and great depth.
Drawbacks: It’s paid, and the community is quieter than some other platforms. But the focus and quality made it worth it for me.
Scrimba: Like pair programming with a React mentor
Why I tried it: I wanted something more visual, and Scrimba had a unique format, with interactive screencasts where you can pause and edit the code directly.
What stood out:
- “React 101” is extremely beginner-friendly. The pacing and tone make you feel like a mentor is guiding you.
- Instructor explains thought process. It’s not just “type this, get output.” You learn why decisions are made.
- Projects you actually want to build. From simple calculators to shopping carts and APIs.
Best for: Beginners who learn better through visuals, voice, and repetition.
Drawbacks: Once I got to advanced topics (like custom hooks or testing), I felt the need to supplement it with other resources.
Also, the screencast format sometimes makes it hard to scan or return to concepts quickly.
Frontend Masters: Deep-dive React content for serious learners
Why I tried it: A coworker recommended it when I complained about not understanding performance optimizations or test-driven component design.
What stood out:
- Top-tier instructors. Brian Holt, Kent C. Dodds, and others who work on React at scale.
- Focus on performance, accessibility, and real patterns. Memoization, refs, profiler tools, and even design systems.
- Updated content. You’ll find material covering Server Components, Suspense, and concurrent rendering.
Best for: Intermediate+ learners looking to master professional-grade React.
Drawbacks: It’s not interactive. You’ll need to clone repos, follow along, and self-manage your practice. Also, it’s subscription-based.
How to choose the best platform to learn React
Every learner’s needs are different, but here’s what helped me make my pick:
If you're brand new to JavaScript or frameworks…
You want a platform that eases you into component-based thinking without assuming too much. In this phase, clarity matters more than depth. The best platform to learn React at this stage is one that makes JSX feel intuitive, shows you what state actually means, and walks you through props with visual reinforcement.
For me, that was Scrimba. Its interactive screencasts felt like a React mentor sitting beside me. I could pause, play, and edit the instructor’s code, which helped reinforce concepts like useState, useEffect, and lifting state up without feeling overwhelmed. If you learn best through storytelling and visuals, start here.
If you're stuck in tutorial hell…
This was me for months. I could follow along and build tiny projects, but I couldn’t build anything from scratch. The issue wasn’t syntax. It was missing the mental model.
What helped break that plateau was Educative. Its structured, text-based courses forced me to think. I wasn’t just copying code; I was making decisions, writing from scratch, and debugging my logic. The career path walked me through the React fundamentals, then scaffolded me into advanced hooks, context, routing, and performance optimization.
So, if you want to move from “I kind of get it” to “I can build this myself,” Educative might be the best platform for you to learn React.
If you're already building but want to level up…
Once you’ve deployed a few apps and are ready for concepts like reconciliation, Suspense, and Server Components, you need instructors who live and breathe React at scale. You want to see how real teams design component hierarchies, structure folders, handle performance bottlenecks, and test edge cases.
That’s where Frontend Masters shines. It offers mentorship through high-quality instruction from developers at the top of their game. These aren’t beginner “build a blog” tutorials. They are deep dives into design systems, accessibility, and component patterns that scale across codebases.
If you’re aiming to work on production React apps, especially at a startup or tech company, Frontend Masters might be the best platform to learn React at an advanced level.
What if you want to mix and match?
You absolutely should. In fact, I’d argue the best platform to learn React is a combination of:
- Scrimba for confidence and momentum
- Educative for structure and self-paced problem-solving
- Frontend Masters for expert-level polish and edge cases
React is layered. You’ll understand it more deeply every time you revisit the basics. So choose the platform that serves your learning goal right now, then evolve your stack as you grow.
Final thoughts: My advice to new React learners
React is worth learning, but only if you approach it right. You need a platform that teaches the "why" behind the code. That makes you build real components, debug actual issues, and understand performance trade-offs.
For me, the best platform to learn React was a combination:
- Scrimba gave me early momentum.
- Educative gave me the mental model and hands-on practice.
- Frontend Masters gave me professional polish.
Start with where you are. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. But above all, don’t just watch. Code. Break things. Refactor. Repeat.
Because React isn’t just a framework. It’s a mindset.
Top comments (1)
Thank you for sharing this article.
I'm currently learning React, so this is really helpful.
I'll definitely try some of these.
I'm especially interested in Scrimba.