React Best Practices for 2026

A lot of React advice circulating online is several years stale. Here's a current snapshot of what's actually considered good practice.

Prefer server-rendered data fetching where your framework supports it

For frameworks with server components (like Next.js's App Router), fetching data on the server and passing it down avoids client-side loading waterfalls and ships less JavaScript to the browser. Reach for client-side fetching (useEffect + state) specifically for data that depends on user interaction, not as the default for everything.

Keep state as close to where it's used as possible

Reflexively lifting all state to a global store is a common overcorrection. Most component state should live in the component that needs it; lift it only when two or more components genuinely need to share and synchronize it.

Derive, don't duplicate

If a value can be computed from existing props/state during render, computing it is usually simpler and less error-prone than storing it as a separate piece of state that has to be kept in sync.

Common outdated patterns to retire

• Class components for new code (function components + hooks are the default now)
• Reaching for Redux by default for state that's actually local to a few components
• Manually memoizing everything with useMemo/useCallback 'just in case' without a measured performance problem