Introduction
React.js, a popular JavaScript library developed by Facebook, has become a go-to solution for building user interfaces. This guide will walk you through the basics of getting started with React.js, focusing on the latest version, React 18, as of the time of writing.
Setting Up Your Environment
Before you can start coding, you need to set up your development environment. Here are the steps:
Install Node.js and npm: React.js requires Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) to manage dependencies. You can download Node.js from the official website (https://nodejs.org/). npm is included with Node.js.
Install Create React App: Create React App is a command-line tool that helps you create a new React.js application. Install it globally by running npm install -g create-react-app in your terminal.
Creating Your First React.js Application
With your environment set up, you're ready to create your first React.js application. Follow these steps:
In your terminal, navigate to the directory where you want to create your application.
Run npx create-react-app my-app, replacing "my-app" with the name of your application.
Navigate into your new application's directory with cd my-app.
Start the development server with npm start. Your application will be available at http://localhost:3000.
Understanding the Basics
A React.js application is made up of components. A component is a reusable piece of code that represents part of your user interface.
Each component is defined in a JavaScript file. For example, your application's main component is defined in App.js.
Components can have state, which is data that can change over time and affect what the component renders.
Learning Resources
For those who wish to delve deeper into React.js, I recommend the following resources:
The official React.js documentation (https://reactjs.org/)
The React.js section of the MDN Web Docs (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Using_promises)
The React.js tutorial on freeCodeCamp (https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-react-js-in-5-minutes-526472d292f4/)
Remember, learning a new technology like React.js is a journey. Take your time, don't rush, and most importantly, enjoy the process.
Top comments (1)
Hey! Thank you for your post, I remember when I started coding React projects back in 2016. I came from classic LAMP with Symfony, it wasn't that easy for me. Meanwhile all of my projects include React frontends. I really like it!
One thing to mention here in your tutorial: I wouldn't recommend using create-react-app any more. Give Vite a try, you would be amazed how faster it is compared to CRA