The React Learning Overwhelm

You decide to learn React. You search for tutorials and immediately encounter: JSX, components, props, state, hooks, useEffect, useRef, useContext, Redux, Next.js, server components, suspense, concurrent rendering, and a dozen other terms.

The React ecosystem has grown massive, and the documentation assumes you know JavaScript well. For beginners, it feels like trying to drink from a fire hose.

This guide cuts through the noise. It tells you exactly what to learn, in what order, and what to ignore until later.

Prerequisite: Know JavaScript First

This is non-negotiable. React is a JavaScript library. If you do not understand JavaScript fundamentals, React will be incomprehensible.

Before touching React, make sure you can:

Declare variables with let and const
Write functions (both regular and arrow functions)
Use array methods: .map(), .filter(), .reduce()
Destructure objects and arrays
Understand template literals
Use the spread operator (...)
Know what a callback function is

If any of these are shaky, spend a week strengthening your JavaScript foundations first. The time investment pays for itself many times over when you start React.

The Learning Order

Phase 1: Components and JSX (Days 1-3)

Everything in React is a component. A component is a function that returns JSX (a syntax that looks like HTML but lives inside JavaScript).

code.js

1function Greeting() {
2  return <h1>Hello, World!</h1>;
3}

That is a complete React component. It is a function that returns some markup.

What to learn:

Function components (ignore class components -- they are legacy)
JSX syntax: how it differs from HTML
How to render dynamic values with curly braces {}
How to use className instead of class
How to render lists with .map()

What to skip for now:

Class components
createClass syntax
Any state management

Phase 2: Props (Days 4-6)

Props are how components receive data from their parent. They work like function parameters.

code.js

1function UserCard({ name, age }) {
2  return (
3    <div>
4      <h2>{name}</h2>
5      <p>Age: {age}</p>
6    </div>
7  );
8}
9 
10// Usage
11<UserCard name="Alice" age={30} />

What to learn:

Passing props from parent to child
Destructuring props
Default props values
Passing functions as props
The children prop

What to skip:

PropTypes (use TypeScript instead if you need type checking)
Context API (too early)

Phase 3: State with useState (Days 7-10)

State is data that changes over time and causes the component to re-render when it updates.

code.js

1import { useState } from 'react';
2 
3function Counter() {
4  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
5 
6  return (
7    <div>
8      <p>Count: {count}</p>
9      <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
10        Increment
11      </button>
12    </div>
13  );
14}

What to learn:

useState hook: declaring state, reading state, updating state
State is immutable: always use the setter function, never mutate directly
State updates cause re-renders
Multiple state variables in one component
Updating state based on previous state: setCount(prev => prev + 1)

What to skip:

useReducer (learn this later for complex state)
External state management (Redux, Zustand, etc.)
Class component state (this.state, this.setState)

Phase 4: Event Handling (Days 7-10, parallel with state)

Events in React work similarly to HTML events but with some differences.

code.js

1function LoginForm() {
2  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
3 
4  const handleSubmit = (e) => {
5    e.preventDefault();
6    console.log('Submitted:', email);
7  };
8 
9  return (
10    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
11      <input
12        type="email"
13        value={email}
14        onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
15      />
16      <button type="submit">Log In</button>
17    </form>
18  );
19}

What to learn:

onClick, onChange, onSubmit
Event handler functions
Preventing default behavior
Controlled inputs (value tied to state)

Phase 5: useEffect (Days 11-14)

useEffect handles side effects: things that happen outside the normal render cycle, like fetching data, setting up subscriptions, or updating the document title.

code.js

1import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
2 
3function UserProfile({ userId }) {
4  const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
5 
6  useEffect(() => {
7    fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`)
8      .then(res => res.json())
9      .then(data => setUser(data));
10  }, [userId]); // Re-run when userId changes
11 
12  if (!user) return <p>Loading...</p>;
13  return <h1>{user.name}</h1>;
14}

What to learn:

The dependency array (second argument)
Empty dependency array [] means "run once on mount"
Cleanup functions (return a function from useEffect)
When useEffect runs (after render, not during)

What to skip:

useLayoutEffect (rare use case)
Complex data fetching patterns (use a library later)

Phase 6: Conditional Rendering and Lists (Days 11-14, parallel)

Showing and hiding elements based on conditions.

code.js

1function Dashboard({ isLoggedIn, items }) {
2  return (
3    <div>
4      {isLoggedIn ? <Navbar /> : <LoginPrompt />}
5 
6      {items.length > 0 ? (
7        <ul>
8          {items.map(item => (
9            <li key={item.id}>{item.name}</li>
10          ))}
11        </ul>
12      ) : (
13        <p>No items found.</p>
14      )}
15    </div>
16  );
17}

What to learn:

Ternary operator for conditional rendering
&& short-circuit for show/hide
Rendering lists with .map() and the key prop
Why keys must be unique and stable

What to Build After Phase 6

At this point, you have enough knowledge to build real things. Here are three projects in order of complexity:

Project 1: Counter App

A counter with increment, decrement, and reset buttons. Sounds trivial, but it solidifies useState and event handling.

Project 2: To-Do List

Add items, mark them complete, delete them, filter by status. This covers state management, lists, conditional rendering, and event handling in one project.

Project 3: API-Powered App

Fetch data from a free API (like a weather API or a joke API) and display it. This practices useEffect, loading states, and error handling.

What to Learn After the Basics

Once you are comfortable with components, props, state, effects, and basic patterns, here is the progression:

Month 2:

Custom hooks (extracting reusable logic)
useRef (accessing DOM elements, storing mutable values)
React Router (multi-page navigation)
CSS approaches (CSS Modules, Tailwind, or styled-components)

Month 3:

useContext (sharing state without prop drilling)
Error boundaries
Performance basics (React.memo, useMemo, useCallback)
TypeScript with React

Month 4+:

Next.js or Remix (full-stack React frameworks)
Server components
Form libraries (React Hook Form)
State management if needed (Zustand or Redux Toolkit)
Testing (React Testing Library)

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Learning React Before JavaScript

If you do not understand .map(), destructuring, and arrow functions in plain JavaScript, React code will look like magic syntax. Learn JavaScript first.

Mistake 2: Starting with Next.js

Next.js is excellent, but it adds server-side rendering, routing, API routes, and build configuration on top of React. Learn React in isolation first, then add Next.js once the fundamentals are solid.

Mistake 3: State Management Too Early

You do not need Redux, Zustand, or any external state library for your first projects. useState and useContext handle most cases. Only add a state management library when you have a concrete problem that justifies it.

Mistake 4: Not Practicing Individual Concepts

Reading about hooks is not the same as using them. After learning each concept, write at least 5 exercises or mini-components that use that concept before moving on.

Start Learning React Today

React has one of the highest returns on investment of any frontend skill. It is used by Netflix, Facebook, Airbnb, and thousands of other companies. Demand for React developers remains strong in 2026.

The key is to learn it in the right order: JavaScript fundamentals first, then components, props, state, effects, and event handling. Skip the advanced topics until you need them.

Build things. Break things. Fix things. That is how you learn React.

Make sure your JavaScript fundamentals are solid before diving into React. Practice with our interactive JavaScript exercises and keep our JavaScript cheatsheet handy for quick reference.

React for Beginners: What to Learn First and in What Order

The React Learning Overwhelm

Prerequisite: Know JavaScript First

The Learning Order

Phase 1: Components and JSX (Days 1-3)

Phase 2: Props (Days 4-6)

Phase 3: State with useState (Days 7-10)

Phase 4: Event Handling (Days 7-10, parallel with state)

Phase 5: useEffect (Days 11-14)

Phase 6: Conditional Rendering and Lists (Days 11-14, parallel)

What to Build After Phase 6

Project 1: Counter App

Project 2: To-Do List

Project 3: API-Powered App

What to Learn After the Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Learning React Before JavaScript

Mistake 2: Starting with Next.js

Mistake 3: State Management Too Early

Mistake 4: Not Practicing Individual Concepts

Start Learning React Today

Related Reading

Ready to practice what you learned?