Agent skill · software engineering · aiskillstore
react-best-practices
Use when reading or writing React components (.tsx, .jsx files with React imports).
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific React component patterns and best practices that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 2k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 405 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
React Best Practices Pair with TypeScript When working with React, always load both this skill and typescript-best-practices together. TypeScript patterns (type-first development, discriminated unions, Zod validation) apply to React code. Core Principle: Effects Are Escape Hatches Effects let you "step outside" React to synchronize with external systems. Most component logic should NOT use Effects. Before writing an Effect, ask: "Is there a way to do this without an Effect?" Decision Tree 1. Need to respond to user interaction? Use event handler 2. Need computed value from props/state? Calculate during render 3. Need cached expensive calculation? Use useMemo 4. Need to reset state on prop change? Use key prop 5. Need to synchronize with external system? Use Effect with cleanup 6. Need non-reactive code in Effect? Use useEffectEvent 7. Need mutable value that doesn't trigger render? Use ref When to Use Effects Synchronizing with external systems: browser APIs (WebSocket, IntersectionObserver), third-party non-React libraries, window/document event listeners, non-React DOM elements (video, maps). When NOT to Use Effects Derived state — calculate during render Expensive calculations — use useMemo Resetting state on prop change — use key prop Responding to user events — use event handlers Notifying parent of state changes — update both in the same event handler Chains of effects — calculate derived state and update in one event handler Refs Use for values that don't affect rendering (timer IDs, DOM node references) Never read or write ref.current during render; only in event handlers and effects Use ref callbacks (not useRef in loops) for dynamic lists Use useImperativeHandle to limit what parent can access Custom Hooks Share logic, not state — each call gets an independent state instance Name useXxx only if it actually calls other hooks; otherwise use a regular function Avoid lifecycle hooks (useMount, useEffectOnce) — use useEffect directly so the linter catches missi …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aiskillstore/react-best-practices