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Guides when NOT to use useEffect and suggests better alternatives. Use when reviewing React code, troubleshooting performance, or considering useEffect for derived state or form resets.
npx skill4agent add flpbalada/my-opencode-config react-useeffect-avoiduseEffectuseEffect// ❌ BAD: Double render cycle
function FilteredList({ items }) {
const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
const [filtered, setFiltered] = useState([]);
useEffect(() => {
setFiltered(items.filter(item => item.name.includes(query)));
}, [items, query]); // Renders twice on every input
return <ul>{filtered.map(item => <li key={item.id}>{item.name}</li>)}</ul>;
}// ✅ GOOD: Single render, no effect needed
function FilteredList({ items }) {
const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
// Calculated every render - no state, no effect
const filtered = items.filter(item => item.name.includes(query));
return <ul>{filtered.map(item => <li key={item.id}>{item.name}</li>)}</ul>;
}// ❌ BAD: Shows old state briefly, then new
function UserForm({ userId }) {
const [userName, setUserName] = useState('');
const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
useEffect(() => {
setUserName(''); // First render shows old userName
setEmail(''); // Then this effect runs to reset
}, [userId]); // Double render every userId change
return (
<form>
<input value={userName} onChange={e => setUserName(e.target.value)} />
<input value={email} onChange={e => setEmail(e.target.value)} />
</form>
);
}// ✅ GOOD: React tears down and rebuilds component
function App() {
const [userId, setUserId] = useState(1);
return (
<div>
<button onClick={() => setUserId(prev => prev + 1)}>Next User</button>
{/* Different key = different component instance */}
<UserForm key={userId} userId={userId} />
</div>
);
}// ✅ GOOD: Only reset specific values, keep others
function UserForm({ userId }) {
const [userName, setUserName] = useSyncExternalStore(
() => ({ onSet: setUserName }), // Reset when userId changes
{ value: '' }
);
const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
// Email persists, userName resets
return <form>...</form>;
}key// ❌ BAD: Effects trigger effects
function OrderForm() {
const [formData, setFormData] = useState({});
const [validated, setValidated] = useState(false);
const [error, setError] = useState(null);
// Effect 1: Validate when formData changes
useEffect(() => {
setValidated(validateData(formData));
}, [formData]);
// Effect 2: Set error when validation changes
useEffect(() => {
setError(validated ? null : 'Invalid');
}, [validated]);
// Effect 3: Submit when no error
useEffect(() => {
if (!error && validated) submitOrder(formData);
}, [error, validated, formData]);
}// ✅ GOOD: One handler, one render, clear flow
function OrderForm() {
const [formData, setFormData] = useState({});
const handleSubmit = () => {
// All logic happens atomically
if (validateData(formData)) {
submitOrder(formData); // No intermediate states
} else {
setError('Invalid form'); // Set directly, no cascade
}
};
return <button onClick={handleSubmit}>Submit</button>;
}// ❌ BAD: Intent is lost, hard to follow
function LoginForm() {
const [username, setUsername] = useState('');
const [submitted, setSubmitted] = useState(false);
const handleSubmit = () => {
setSubmitted(true); // Just a flag, no actual logic
};
useEffect(() => {
if (submitted) {
login(username); // What triggered this? Which submit was it?
}
}, [submitted, username]);
}// ✅ GOOD: Clear intent, direct action
function LoginForm() {
const [username, setUsername] = useState('');
const handleSubmit = async (e) => {
e.preventDefault(); // User action context preserved
// Actual logic here, not delayed
try {
await login(username);
} catch (error) {
console.error('Login failed:', error);
}
};
return <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>...</form>;
}// ❌ BAD: Unnecessary effect
function ProductList({ products }) {
const [visibleProducts, setVisibleProducts] = useState([]);
useEffect(() => {
setVisibleProducts(products.filter(p => p.inStock));
}, [products]); // Runs twice whenever products change
}// ✅ GOOD: Immediate, single render
function ProductList({ products }) {
const visibleProducts = products.filter(p => p.inStock);
}useStateuseEffect// ❌ BAD: UI can show inconsistent state during concurrent updates
function WindowSize() {
const [width, setWidth] = useState(window.innerWidth);
useEffect(() => {
const handleResize = () => setWidth(window.innerWidth);
window.addEventListener('resize', handleResize);
return () => window.removeEventListener('resize', handleResize);
}, []);
}useSyncExternalStore// ✅ GOOD: Prevents tearing, single source of truth
function WindowSize() {
const width = useSyncExternalStore(
// Subscribe - return cleanup function
(callback) => {
window.addEventListener('resize', callback);
return () => window.removeEventListener('resize', callback);
},
// Get snapshot
() => window.innerWidth,
// Server fallback
() => 1200
);
}// ❌ BAD: Id never updates, always fetches user 1
function UserProfile({ userId }) {
const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
useEffect(() => {
fetch(`/user/1`).then(res => res.json()).then(setUser);
}, [ ]); // Missing userId dependency!
}// ✅ GOOD: Correct dependencies
function UserProfile({ userId }) {
const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
useEffect(() => {
fetch(`/user/${userId}`).then(res => res.json()).then(setUser);
}, [userId]); // Properly tracks changes
}// ✅ EVEN BETTER: No effect, just loader
function UserProfile({ userId }) {
const user = use(userId); // React 19's use API
// Or use React Query, SWR, etc.
}Need to sync with external system?
├─ Yes (browser APIs, websockets, timers)
│ └─ Use useEffect
│
└─ No (pure React application logic)
├─ Derived state calculation?
│ ├─ Yes → Calculate during render
│ └─ No → Continue...
│
├─ User action triggered?
│ ├─ Yes → Use event handler
│ └─ No → Continue...
│
├─ State reset needed?
│ ├─ Yes → Use key prop
│ └─ No → Continue...
│
└─ Really need effect after re-think?
└─ Yes → Use useState/useReducer/setState pattern// BAD
function Modal() {
useEffect(() => {
document.body.style.overflow = 'hidden';
return () => { document.body.style.overflow = ''; };
}, []);
}// BAD
function App({ data }) {
useEffect(() => {
console.log('Data changed:', data);
}, [data]);
}React DevTools// BAD
function Widget() {
const [initialized, setInitialized] = useState(false);
useEffect(() => {
someLibrary.init();
setInitialized(true);
}, []);
}// GOOD
let initialized = false;
function Widget() {
if (!initialized) {
someLibrary.init();
initialized = true;
}
}| Scenario | Problem | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Derived state | Double render | Calculate during render |
| State resets | Stale data | Use |
| User actions | Lost intent | Event handlers |
| List filtering | Extra renders | Filter in render |
| Browser APIs | Tearing bugs (concurrent) | |
| Form submission | Fragile flag pattern | Direct async handler |
| Data fetching | Manual cache management | React Query, SWR, Suspense |
use// React 19+ - Direct resource reading
function UserProfile({ userId }) {
const user = use(fetchUser(userId)); // Reads promise directly
return <div>{user.name}</div>;
}