Summary

In this chapter, you were introduced to React comprehensively so that you have an idea of what it is and the necessary aspects of it, setting the tone for the rest of the book. React is a library with a small API used to build UIs. Then, you were introduced to some of the key concepts of React. We discussed the fact that React is simple because it doesn’t have a lot of moving parts.

Afterward, we explored the declarative nature of React components and JSX. Following that, you learned that React enables effective performance by writing declarative code that can be re-rendered repeatedly.

You also gained insight into the idea of render targets and how React can easily become the UI tool of choice for various platforms. We then provided you with a brief overview of React’s history and introduced the latest developments. Finally, we delved into how to set up a new React project and initiate the learning process.

That’s sufficient introductory and conceptual content for now. As we progress through the book’s journey, we’ll revisit these concepts. Next, let’s take a step back and nail down the basics, starting with rendering with JSX in the next chapter.