cst 438: week 2

This week I learned that React is a component-based framework where you build UI using reusable functions that return HTML-like JSX. It uses a virtual DOM, so only real changes get updated, which makes it faster. I worked with hooks like useState for managing state and useEffect for fetching data and controlling renders. I also learned how props pass data between components and how React Router lets you switch between pages in a single-page app. In the lab, I built components like login, register, and order history, handled API calls, and displayed data in tables with keys.

I think React’s biggest strength is how organized and reusable everything is, plus performance with the virtual DOM. The main weakness is that it can feel confusing at first, especially with hooks, state updates, and how rendering works.