For a long time, I was using React without really understanding what makes a modern web app feel like a real product instead of just a demo.
I was building components.
I was managing state.
I was even using useReducer.
But everything still lived inside one page.
This week, I finally started learning Routing and Single Page Applications (SPA) — and something clicked in my head.
This is not just a new library.
This is a new way to think about apps.
What Routing Actually Means (In Simple Words)
Routing means:
Matching different URLs to different UI screens (views).
With routing:
- We connect URLs to components
- Users can navigate between different screens using the browser address bar
- The UI always stays in sync with the current URL
- Each route represents a different state of the app
So instead of:
“Which component should I show based on state?”
We start thinking:
“Which screen should exist based on the URL?”
This is a huge architectural shift.
What Is a Single Page Application (SPA)?
A Single Page Application is:
An application that runs entirely on the client.
Some important things I learned:
-
Different URLs still exist, but:
- The page never reloads
JavaScript (React) updates the DOM dynamically
Each route shows a different view
It feels fast and smooth — like a native app
New data can be loaded from a web API without reloading the page
So even though it looks like:
“Multiple pages”
In reality, it is:
One page + smart UI updates + routing logic
The Biggest Mindset Shift
This line changed how I think about frontend apps:
State controls what happens inside a page
Routing controls which page exists at all
Before this, my entire world was:
useStateuseReducer- Conditional rendering
Now I understand:
A real app is not just components and state.
A real app is screens, navigation, and URLs.
Why This Feels Like a New Level
After:
- Learning
useEffect - Going deep into
useReducer - Building apps with structured state
Routing feels like:
The beginning of real application architecture
This is where apps stop feeling like:
“Practice projects”
And start feeling like:
“Actual products”
What I’m Building Next
Now that I understand:
- What routing is
- What SPA really means
- How URLs control the UI
I’m entering the React Architecture Phase:
- Multiple pages
- Layouts
- Protected routes
- Real navigation flow
- Real-world structure
Final Thought
This week wasn’t about writing a lot of code.
It was about upgrading how I think.
And I’ve learned:
If you don’t understand routing and SPA, you’re not really building web apps yet — you’re just rendering components.
Now… it finally feels like I’m building applications.
Top comments (1)
That moment when routing clicks is huge — it’s when React stops feeling like “components on a page” and starts feeling like an actual app.
I like how you framed it as state vs routing. That distinction alone clears up so much confusion for beginners.
Excited to see what you build next once layouts and navigation come into play — that’s where everything starts to feel real. 🚀