Vercel React Best Practices

Vercel React Best Practices

Comprehensive performance optimization guide for React and Next.js applications, maintained by Vercel. Contains 57 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide automated refactoring and code generation.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Writing new React components or Next.js pages
• Implementing data fetching (client or server-side)
• Reviewing code for performance issues
• Refactoring existing React/Next.js code
• Optimizing bundle size or load times

Rule Categories by Priority

Quick Reference

1. Eliminating Waterfalls (CRITICAL)

• async-defer-await - Move await into branches where actually used
• async-parallel - Use Promise.all() for independent operations
• async-dependencies - Use better-all for partial dependencies
• async-api-routes - Start promises early, await late in API routes
• async-suspense-boundaries - Use Suspense to stream content

2. Bundle Size Optimization (CRITICAL)

• bundle-barrel-imports - Import directly, avoid barrel files
• bundle-dynamic-imports - Use next/dynamic for heavy components
• bundle-defer-third-party - Load analytics/logging after hydration
• bundle-conditional - Load modules only when feature is activated
• bundle-preload - Preload on hover/focus for perceived speed

3. Server-Side Performance (HIGH)

• server-auth-actions - Authenticate server actions like API routes
• server-cache-react - Use React.cache() for per-request deduplication
• server-cache-lru - Use LRU cache for cross-request caching
• server-dedup-props - Avoid duplicate serialization in RSC props
• server-serialization - Minimize data passed to client components
• server-parallel-fetching - Restructure components to parallelize fetches
• server-after-nonblocking - Use after() for non-blocking operations

4. Client-Side Data Fetching (MEDIUM-HIGH)

• client-swr-dedup - Use SWR for automatic request deduplication
• client-event-listeners - Deduplicate global event listeners
• client-passive-event-listeners - Use passive listeners for scroll
• client-localstorage-schema - Version and minimize localStorage data

5. Re-render Optimization (MEDIUM)

• rerender-defer-reads - Don't subscribe to state only used in callbacks
• rerender-memo - Extract expensive work into memoized components
• rerender-memo-with-default-value - Hoist default non-primitive props
• rerender-dependencies - Use primitive dependencies in effects
• rerender-derived-state - Subscribe to derived booleans, not raw values
• rerender-derived-state-no-effect - Derive state during render, not effects
• rerender-functional-setstate - Use functional setState for stable callbacks
• rerender-lazy-state-init - Pass function to useState for expensive values
• rerender-simple-expression-in-memo - Avoid memo for simple primitives
• rerender-move-effect-to-event - Put interaction logic in event handlers
• rerender-transitions - Use startTransition for non-urgent updates
• rerender-use-ref-transient-values - Use refs for transient frequent values

6. Rendering Performance (MEDIUM)

• rendering-animate-svg-wrapper - Animate div wrapper, not SVG element
• rendering-content-visibility - Use content-visibility for long lists
• rendering-hoist-jsx - Extract static JSX outside components
• rendering-svg-precision - Reduce SVG coordinate precision
• rendering-hydration-no-flicker - Use inline script for client-only data
• rendering-hydration-suppress-warning - Suppress expected mismatches
• rendering-activity - Use Activity component for show/hide
• rendering-conditional-render - Use ternary, not && for conditionals
• rendering-usetransition-loading - Prefer useTransition for loading state

7. JavaScript Performance (LOW-MEDIUM)

• js-batch-dom-css - Group CSS changes via classes or cssText
• js-index-maps - Build Map for repeated lookups
• js-cache-property-access - Cache object properties in loops
• js-cache-function-results - Cache function results in module-level Map
• js-cache-storage - Cache localStorage/sessionStorage reads
• js-combine-iterations - Combine multiple filter/map into one loop
• js-length-check-first - Check array length before expensive comparison
• js-early-exit - Return early from functions
• js-hoist-regexp - Hoist RegExp creation outside loops
• js-min-max-loop - Use loop for min/max instead of sort
• js-set-map-lookups - Use Set/Map for O(1) lookups
• js-tosorted-immutable - Use toSorted() for immutability

8. Advanced Patterns (LOW)

• advanced-event-handler-refs - Store event handlers in refs
• advanced-init-once - Initialize app once per app load
• advanced-use-latest - useLatest for stable callback refs

How to Use

Read individual rule files for detailed explanations and code examples:

rules/async-parallel.md
rules/bundle-barrel-imports.md

Each rule file contains:

• Brief explanation of why it matters
• Incorrect code example with explanation
• Correct code example with explanation
• Additional context and references

Full Compiled Document

For the complete guide with all rules expanded: AGENTS.md

Store Event Handlers in Refs

Store callbacks in refs when used in effects that shouldn't re-subscribe on callback changes.

Incorrect (re-subscribes on every render):

function useWindowEvent(event: string, handler: (e) => void) {
  useEffect(() => {
    window.addEventListener(event, handler)
    return () => window.removeEventListener(event, handler)
  }, [event, handler])
}

Correct (stable subscription):

function useWindowEvent(event: string, handler: (e) => void) {
  const handlerRef = useRef(handler)
  useEffect(() => {
    handlerRef.current = handler
  }, [handler])

  useEffect(() => {
    const listener = (e) => handlerRef.current(e)
    window.addEventListener(event, listener)
    return () => window.removeEventListener(event, listener)
  }, [event])
}

Alternative: use `useEffectEvent` if you're on latest React:

import { useEffectEvent } from 'react'

function useWindowEvent(event: string, handler: (e) => void) {
  const onEvent = useEffectEvent(handler)

  useEffect(() => {
    window.addEventListener(event, onEvent)
    return () => window.removeEventListener(event, onEvent)
  }, [event])
}

useEffectEvent provides a cleaner API for the same pattern: it creates a stable function reference that always calls the latest version of the handler.

Initialize App Once, Not Per Mount

Do not put app-wide initialization that must run once per app load inside useEffect([]) of a component. Components can remount and effects will re-run. Use a module-level guard or top-level init in the entry module instead.

Incorrect (runs twice in dev, re-runs on remount):

function Comp() {
  useEffect(() => {
    loadFromStorage()
    checkAuthToken()
  }, [])

  // ...
}

Correct (once per app load):

let didInit = false

function Comp() {
  useEffect(() => {
    if (didInit) return
    didInit = true
    loadFromStorage()
    checkAuthToken()
  }, [])

  // ...
}

Reference: Initializing the application

useEffectEvent for Stable Callback Refs

Access latest values in callbacks without adding them to dependency arrays. Prevents effect re-runs while avoiding stale closures.

Incorrect (effect re-runs on every callback change):

function SearchInput({ onSearch }: { onSearch: (q: string) => void }) {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')

  useEffect(() => {
    const timeout = setTimeout(() => onSearch(query), 300)
    return () => clearTimeout(timeout)
  }, [query, onSearch])
}

Correct (using React's useEffectEvent):

import { useEffectEvent } from 'react';

function SearchInput({ onSearch }: { onSearch: (q: string) => void }) {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
  const onSearchEvent = useEffectEvent(onSearch)

  useEffect(() => {
    const timeout = setTimeout(() => onSearchEvent(query), 300)
    return () => clearTimeout(timeout)
  }, [query])
}

Prevent Waterfall Chains in API Routes

In API routes and Server Actions, start independent operations immediately, even if you don't await them yet.

Incorrect (config waits for auth, data waits for both):

export async function GET(request: Request) {
  const session = await auth()
  const config = await fetchConfig()
  const data = await fetchData(session.user.id)
  return Response.json({ data, config })
}

Correct (auth and config start immediately):

export async function GET(request: Request) {
  const sessionPromise = auth()
  const configPromise = fetchConfig()
  const session = await sessionPromise
  const [config, data] = await Promise.all([
    configPromise,
    fetchData(session.user.id)
  ])
  return Response.json({ data, config })
}

For operations with more complex dependency chains, use better-all to automatically maximize parallelism (see Dependency-Based Parallelization).

Defer Await Until Needed

Move await operations into the branches where they're actually used to avoid blocking code paths that don't need them.

Incorrect (blocks both branches):

async function handleRequest(userId: string, skipProcessing: boolean) {
  const userData = await fetchUserData(userId)
  
  if (skipProcessing) {
    // Returns immediately but still waited for userData
    return { skipped: true }
  }
  
  // Only this branch uses userData
  return processUserData(userData)
}

Correct (only blocks when needed):

async function handleRequest(userId: string, skipProcessing: boolean) {
  if (skipProcessing) {
    // Returns immediately without waiting
    return { skipped: true }
  }
  
  // Fetch only when needed
  const userData = await fetchUserData(userId)
  return processUserData(userData)
}

Another example (early return optimization):

// Incorrect: always fetches permissions
async function updateResource(resourceId: string, userId: string) {
  const permissions = await fetchPermissions(userId)
  const resource = await getResource(resourceId)
  
  if (!resource) {
    return { error: 'Not found' }
  }
  
  if (!permissions.canEdit) {
    return { error: 'Forbidden' }
  }
  
  return await updateResourceData(resource, permissions)
}

// Correct: fetches only when needed
async function updateResource(resourceId: string, userId: string) {
  const resource = await getResource(resourceId)
  
  if (!resource) {
    return { error: 'Not found' }
  }
  
  const permissions = await fetchPermissions(userId)
  
  if (!permissions.canEdit) {
    return { error: 'Forbidden' }
  }
  
  return await updateResourceData(resource, permissions)
}

This optimization is especially valuable when the skipped branch is frequently taken, or when the deferred operation is expensive.

Dependency-Based Parallelization

For operations with partial dependencies, use better-all to maximize parallelism. It automatically starts each task at the earliest possible moment.

Incorrect (profile waits for config unnecessarily):

const [user, config] = await Promise.all([
  fetchUser(),
  fetchConfig()
])
const profile = await fetchProfile(user.id)

Correct (config and profile run in parallel):

import { all } from 'better-all'

const { user, config, profile } = await all({
  async user() { return fetchUser() },
  async config() { return fetchConfig() },
  async profile() {
    return fetchProfile((await this.$.user).id)
  }
})

Alternative without extra dependencies:

We can also create all the promises first, and do Promise.all() at the end.

const userPromise = fetchUser()
const profilePromise = userPromise.then(user => fetchProfile(user.id))

const [user, config, profile] = await Promise.all([
  userPromise,
  fetchConfig(),
  profilePromise
])

Reference: https://github.com/shuding/better-all

Promise.all() for Independent Operations

When async operations have no interdependencies, execute them concurrently using Promise.all().

Incorrect (sequential execution, 3 round trips):

const user = await fetchUser()
const posts = await fetchPosts()
const comments = await fetchComments()

Correct (parallel execution, 1 round trip):

const [user, posts, comments] = await Promise.all([
  fetchUser(),
  fetchPosts(),
  fetchComments()
])

Strategic Suspense Boundaries

Instead of awaiting data in async components before returning JSX, use Suspense boundaries to show the wrapper UI faster while data loads.

Incorrect (wrapper blocked by data fetching):

async function Page() {
  const data = await fetchData() // Blocks entire page
  
  return (
    <div>
      <div>Sidebar</div>
      <div>Header</div>
      <div>
        <DataDisplay data={data} />
      </div>
      <div>Footer</div>
    </div>
  )
}

The entire layout waits for data even though only the middle section needs it.

Correct (wrapper shows immediately, data streams in):

function Page() {
  return (
    <div>
      <div>Sidebar</div>
      <div>Header</div>
      <div>
        <Suspense fallback={<Skeleton />}>
          <DataDisplay />
        </Suspense>
      </div>
      <div>Footer</div>
    </div>
  )
}

async function DataDisplay() {
  const data = await fetchData() // Only blocks this component
  return <div>{data.content}</div>
}

Sidebar, Header, and Footer render immediately. Only DataDisplay waits for data.

Alternative (share promise across components):

function Page() {
  // Start fetch immediately, but don't await
  const dataPromise = fetchData()
  
  return (
    <div>
      <div>Sidebar</div>
      <div>Header</div>
      <Suspense fallback={<Skeleton />}>
        <DataDisplay dataPromise={dataPromise} />
        <DataSummary dataPromise={dataPromise} />
      </Suspense>
      <div>Footer</div>
    </div>
  )
}

function DataDisplay({ dataPromise }: { dataPromise: Promise<Data> }) {
  const data = use(dataPromise) // Unwraps the promise
  return <div>{data.content}</div>
}

function DataSummary({ dataPromise }: { dataPromise: Promise<Data> }) {
  const data = use(dataPromise) // Reuses the same promise
  return <div>{data.summary}</div>
}

Both components share the same promise, so only one fetch occurs. Layout renders immediately while both components wait together.

When NOT to use this pattern:

• Critical data needed for layout decisions (affects positioning)
• SEO-critical content above the fold
• Small, fast queries where suspense overhead isn't worth it
• When you want to avoid layout shift (loading → content jump)

Trade-off: Faster initial paint vs potential layout shift. Choose based on your UX priorities.

Avoid Barrel File Imports

Import directly from source files instead of barrel files to avoid loading thousands of unused modules. Barrel files are entry points that re-export multiple modules (e.g., index.js that does export * from './module').

Popular icon and component libraries can have up to 10,000 re-exports in their entry file. For many React packages, it takes 200-800ms just to import them, affecting both development speed and production cold starts.

Why tree-shaking doesn't help: When a library is marked as external (not bundled), the bundler can't optimize it. If you bundle it to enable tree-shaking, builds become substantially slower analyzing the entire module graph.

Incorrect (imports entire library):

import { Check, X, Menu } from 'lucide-react'
// Loads 1,583 modules, takes ~2.8s extra in dev
// Runtime cost: 200-800ms on every cold start

import { Button, TextField } from '@mui/material'
// Loads 2,225 modules, takes ~4.2s extra in dev

Correct (imports only what you need):

import Check from 'lucide-react/dist/esm/icons/check'
import X from 'lucide-react/dist/esm/icons/x'
import Menu from 'lucide-react/dist/esm/icons/menu'
// Loads only 3 modules (~2KB vs ~1MB)

import Button from '@mui/material/Button'
import TextField from '@mui/material/TextField'
// Loads only what you use

Alternative (Next.js 13.5+):

// next.config.js - use optimizePackageImports
module.exports = {
  experimental: {
    optimizePackageImports: ['lucide-react', '@mui/material']
  }
}

// Then you can keep the ergonomic barrel imports:
import { Check, X, Menu } from 'lucide-react'
// Automatically transformed to direct imports at build time

Direct imports provide 15-70% faster dev boot, 28% faster builds, 40% faster cold starts, and significantly faster HMR.

Libraries commonly affected: lucide-react, @mui/material, @mui/icons-material, @tabler/icons-react, react-icons, @headlessui/react, @radix-ui/react-*, lodash, ramda, date-fns, rxjs, react-use.

Reference: How we optimized package imports in Next.js

Conditional Module Loading

Load large data or modules only when a feature is activated.

Example (lazy-load animation frames):

function AnimationPlayer({ enabled, setEnabled }: { enabled: boolean; setEnabled: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>> }) {
  const [frames, setFrames] = useState<Frame[] | null>(null)

  useEffect(() => {
    if (enabled && !frames && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
      import('./animation-frames.js')
        .then(mod => setFrames(mod.frames))
        .catch(() => setEnabled(false))
    }
  }, [enabled, frames, setEnabled])

  if (!frames) return <Skeleton />
  return <Canvas frames={frames} />
}

The typeof window !== 'undefined' check prevents bundling this module for SSR, optimizing server bundle size and build speed.

Defer Non-Critical Third-Party Libraries

Analytics, logging, and error tracking don't block user interaction. Load them after hydration.

Incorrect (blocks initial bundle):

import { Analytics } from '@vercel/analytics/react'

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html>
      <body>
        {children}
        <Analytics />
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}

Correct (loads after hydration):

import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'

const Analytics = dynamic(
  () => import('@vercel/analytics/react').then(m => m.Analytics),
  { ssr: false }
)

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html>
      <body>
        {children}
        <Analytics />
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}

Dynamic Imports for Heavy Components

Use next/dynamic to lazy-load large components not needed on initial render.

Incorrect (Monaco bundles with main chunk ~300KB):

import { MonacoEditor } from './monaco-editor'

function CodePanel({ code }: { code: string }) {
  return <MonacoEditor value={code} />
}

Correct (Monaco loads on demand):

import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'

const MonacoEditor = dynamic(
  () => import('./monaco-editor').then(m => m.MonacoEditor),
  { ssr: false }
)

function CodePanel({ code }: { code: string }) {
  return <MonacoEditor value={code} />
}

Preload Based on User Intent

Preload heavy bundles before they're needed to reduce perceived latency.

Example (preload on hover/focus):

function EditorButton({ onClick }: { onClick: () => void }) {
  const preload = () => {
    if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
      void import('./monaco-editor')
    }
  }

  return (
    <button
      onMouseEnter={preload}
      onFocus={preload}
      onClick={onClick}
    >
      Open Editor
    </button>
  )
}

Example (preload when feature flag is enabled):

function FlagsProvider({ children, flags }: Props) {
  useEffect(() => {
    if (flags.editorEnabled && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
      void import('./monaco-editor').then(mod => mod.init())
    }
  }, [flags.editorEnabled])

  return <FlagsContext.Provider value={flags}>
    {children}
  </FlagsContext.Provider>
}

The typeof window !== 'undefined' check prevents bundling preloaded modules for SSR, optimizing server bundle size and build speed.

Deduplicate Global Event Listeners

Use useSWRSubscription() to share global event listeners across component instances.

Incorrect (N instances = N listeners):

function useKeyboardShortcut(key: string, callback: () => void) {
  useEffect(() => {
    const handler = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      if (e.metaKey && e.key === key) {
        callback()
      }
    }
    window.addEventListener('keydown', handler)
    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handler)
  }, [key, callback])
}

When using the useKeyboardShortcut hook multiple times, each instance will register a new listener.

Correct (N instances = 1 listener):

import useSWRSubscription from 'swr/subscription'

// Module-level Map to track callbacks per key
const keyCallbacks = new Map<string, Set<() => void>>()

function useKeyboardShortcut(key: string, callback: () => void) {
  // Register this callback in the Map
  useEffect(() => {
    if (!keyCallbacks.has(key)) {
      keyCallbacks.set(key, new Set())
    }
    keyCallbacks.get(key)!.add(callback)

    return () => {
      const set = keyCallbacks.get(key)
      if (set) {
        set.delete(callback)
        if (set.size === 0) {
          keyCallbacks.delete(key)
        }
      }
    }
  }, [key, callback])

  useSWRSubscription('global-keydown', () => {
    const handler = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      if (e.metaKey && keyCallbacks.has(e.key)) {
        keyCallbacks.get(e.key)!.forEach(cb => cb())
      }
    }
    window.addEventListener('keydown', handler)
    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handler)
  })
}

function Profile() {
  // Multiple shortcuts will share the same listener
  useKeyboardShortcut('p', () => { /* ... */ }) 
  useKeyboardShortcut('k', () => { /* ... */ })
  // ...
}

Version and Minimize localStorage Data

Add version prefix to keys and store only needed fields. Prevents schema conflicts and accidental storage of sensitive data.

Incorrect:

// No version, stores everything, no error handling
localStorage.setItem('userConfig', JSON.stringify(fullUserObject))
const data = localStorage.getItem('userConfig')

Correct:

const VERSION = 'v2'

function saveConfig(config: { theme: string; language: string }) {
  try {
    localStorage.setItem(`userConfig:${VERSION}`, JSON.stringify(config))
  } catch {
    // Throws in incognito/private browsing, quota exceeded, or disabled
  }
}

function loadConfig() {
  try {
    const data = localStorage.getItem(`userConfig:${VERSION}`)
    return data ? JSON.parse(data) : null
  } catch {
    return null
  }
}

// Migration from v1 to v2
function migrate() {
  try {
    const v1 = localStorage.getItem('userConfig:v1')
    if (v1) {
      const old = JSON.parse(v1)
      saveConfig({ theme: old.darkMode ? 'dark' : 'light', language: old.lang })
      localStorage.removeItem('userConfig:v1')
    }
  } catch {}
}

Store minimal fields from server responses:

// User object has 20+ fields, only store what UI needs
function cachePrefs(user: FullUser) {
  try {
    localStorage.setItem('prefs:v1', JSON.stringify({
      theme: user.preferences.theme,
      notifications: user.preferences.notifications
    }))
  } catch {}
}

Always wrap in try-catch: getItem() and setItem() throw in incognito/private browsing (Safari, Firefox), when quota exceeded, or when disabled.

Benefits: Schema evolution via versioning, reduced storage size, prevents storing tokens/PII/internal flags.

Use Passive Event Listeners for Scrolling Performance

Add { passive: true } to touch and wheel event listeners to enable immediate scrolling. Browsers normally wait for listeners to finish to check if preventDefault() is called, causing scroll delay.

Incorrect:

useEffect(() => {
  const handleTouch = (e: TouchEvent) => console.log(e.touches[0].clientX)
  const handleWheel = (e: WheelEvent) => console.log(e.deltaY)
  
  document.addEventListener('touchstart', handleTouch)
  document.addEventListener('wheel', handleWheel)
  
  return () => {
    document.removeEventListener('touchstart', handleTouch)
    document.removeEventListener('wheel', handleWheel)
  }
}, [])

Correct:

useEffect(() => {
  const handleTouch = (e: TouchEvent) => console.log(e.touches[0].clientX)
  const handleWheel = (e: WheelEvent) => console.log(e.deltaY)
  
  document.addEventListener('touchstart', handleTouch, { passive: true })
  document.addEventListener('wheel', handleWheel, { passive: true })
  
  return () => {
    document.removeEventListener('touchstart', handleTouch)
    document.removeEventListener('wheel', handleWheel)
  }
}, [])

Use passive when: tracking/analytics, logging, any listener that doesn't call preventDefault().

Don't use passive when: implementing custom swipe gestures, custom zoom controls, or any listener that needs preventDefault().

Use SWR for Automatic Deduplication

SWR enables request deduplication, caching, and revalidation across component instances.

Incorrect (no deduplication, each instance fetches):

function UserList() {
  const [users, setUsers] = useState([])
  useEffect(() => {
    fetch('/api/users')
      .then(r => r.json())
      .then(setUsers)
  }, [])
}

Correct (multiple instances share one request):

import useSWR from 'swr'

function UserList() {
  const { data: users } = useSWR('/api/users', fetcher)
}

For immutable data:

import { useImmutableSWR } from '@/lib/swr'

function StaticContent() {
  const { data } = useImmutableSWR('/api/config', fetcher)
}

For mutations:

import { useSWRMutation } from 'swr/mutation'

function UpdateButton() {
  const { trigger } = useSWRMutation('/api/user', updateUser)
  return <button onClick={() => trigger()}>Update</button>
}

Reference: https://swr.vercel.app

Avoid Layout Thrashing

Avoid interleaving style writes with layout reads. When you read a layout property (like offsetWidth, getBoundingClientRect(), or getComputedStyle()) between style changes, the browser is forced to trigger a synchronous reflow.

This is OK (browser batches style changes):

function updateElementStyles(element: HTMLElement) {
  // Each line invalidates style, but browser batches the recalculation
  element.style.width = '100px'
  element.style.height = '200px'
  element.style.backgroundColor = 'blue'
  element.style.border = '1px solid black'
}

Incorrect (interleaved reads and writes force reflows):

function layoutThrashing(element: HTMLElement) {
  element.style.width = '100px'
  const width = element.offsetWidth  // Forces reflow
  element.style.height = '200px'
  const height = element.offsetHeight  // Forces another reflow
}

Correct (batch writes, then read once):

function updateElementStyles(element: HTMLElement) {
  // Batch all writes together
  element.style.width = '100px'
  element.style.height = '200px'
  element.style.backgroundColor = 'blue'
  element.style.border = '1px solid black'
  
  // Read after all writes are done (single reflow)
  const { width, height } = element.getBoundingClientRect()
}

Correct (batch reads, then writes):

function avoidThrashing(element: HTMLElement) {
  // Read phase - all layout queries first
  const rect1 = element.getBoundingClientRect()
  const offsetWidth = element.offsetWidth
  const offsetHeight = element.offsetHeight
  
  // Write phase - all style changes after
  element.style.width = '100px'
  element.style.height = '200px'
}

Better: use CSS classes

.highlighted-box {
  width: 100px;
  height: 200px;
  background-color: blue;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

function updateElementStyles(element: HTMLElement) {
  element.classList.add('highlighted-box')
  
  const { width, height } = element.getBoundingClientRect()
}

React example:

// Incorrect: interleaving style changes with layout queries
function Box({ isHighlighted }: { isHighlighted: boolean }) {
  const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
  
  useEffect(() => {
    if (ref.current && isHighlighted) {
      ref.current.style.width = '100px'
      const width = ref.current.offsetWidth // Forces layout
      ref.current.style.height = '200px'
    }
  }, [isHighlighted])
  
  return <div ref={ref}>Content</div>
}

// Correct: toggle class
function Box({ isHighlighted }: { isHighlighted: boolean }) {
  return (
    <div className={isHighlighted ? 'highlighted-box' : ''}>
      Content
    </div>
  )
}

Prefer CSS classes over inline styles when possible. CSS files are cached by the browser, and classes provide better separation of concerns and are easier to maintain.

See this gist and CSS Triggers for more information on layout-forcing operations.

Cache Repeated Function Calls

Use a module-level Map to cache function results when the same function is called repeatedly with the same inputs during render.

Incorrect (redundant computation):

function ProjectList({ projects }: { projects: Project[] }) {
  return (
    <div>
      {projects.map(project => {
        // slugify() called 100+ times for same project names
        const slug = slugify(project.name)
        
        return <ProjectCard key={project.id} slug={slug} />
      })}
    </div>
  )
}

Correct (cached results):

// Module-level cache
const slugifyCache = new Map<string, string>()

function cachedSlugify(text: string): string {
  if (slugifyCache.has(text)) {
    return slugifyCache.get(text)!
  }
  const result = slugify(text)
  slugifyCache.set(text, result)
  return result
}

function ProjectList({ projects }: { projects: Project[] }) {
  return (
    <div>
      {projects.map(project => {
        // Computed only once per unique project name
        const slug = cachedSlugify(project.name)
        
        return <ProjectCard key={project.id} slug={slug} />
      })}
    </div>
  )
}

Simpler pattern for single-value functions:

let isLoggedInCache: boolean | null = null

function isLoggedIn(): boolean {
  if (isLoggedInCache !== null) {
    return isLoggedInCache
  }
  
  isLoggedInCache = document.cookie.includes('auth=')
  return isLoggedInCache
}

// Clear cache when auth changes
function onAuthChange() {
  isLoggedInCache = null
}

Use a Map (not a hook) so it works everywhere: utilities, event handlers, not just React components.

Reference: How we made the Vercel Dashboard twice as fast

Cache Property Access in Loops

Cache object property lookups in hot paths.

Incorrect (3 lookups × N iterations):

for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
  process(obj.config.settings.value)
}

Correct (1 lookup total):

const value = obj.config.settings.value
const len = arr.length
for (let i = 0; i < len; i++) {
  process(value)
}

Cache Storage API Calls

localStorage, sessionStorage, and document.cookie are synchronous and expensive. Cache reads in memory.

Incorrect (reads storage on every call):

function getTheme() {
  return localStorage.getItem('theme') ?? 'light'
}
// Called 10 times = 10 storage reads

Correct (Map cache):

const storageCache = new Map<string, string | null>()

function getLocalStorage(key: string) {
  if (!storageCache.has(key)) {
    storageCache.set(key, localStorage.getItem(key))
  }
  return storageCache.get(key)
}

function setLocalStorage(key: string, value: string) {
  localStorage.setItem(key, value)
  storageCache.set(key, value)  // keep cache in sync
}

Use a Map (not a hook) so it works everywhere: utilities, event handlers, not just React components.

Cookie caching:

let cookieCache: Record<string, string> | null = null

function getCookie(name: string) {
  if (!cookieCache) {
    cookieCache = Object.fromEntries(
      document.cookie.split('; ').map(c => c.split('='))
    )
  }
  return cookieCache[name]
}

Important (invalidate on external changes):

If storage can change externally (another tab, server-set cookies), invalidate cache:

window.addEventListener('storage', (e) => {
  if (e.key) storageCache.delete(e.key)
})

document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
  if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
    storageCache.clear()
  }
})

Combine Multiple Array Iterations

Multiple .filter() or .map() calls iterate the array multiple times. Combine into one loop.

Incorrect (3 iterations):

const admins = users.filter(u => u.isAdmin)
const testers = users.filter(u => u.isTester)
const inactive = users.filter(u => !u.isActive)

Correct (1 iteration):

const admins: User[] = []
const testers: User[] = []
const inactive: User[] = []

for (const user of users) {
  if (user.isAdmin) admins.push(user)
  if (user.isTester) testers.push(user)
  if (!user.isActive) inactive.push(user)
}

Early Return from Functions

Return early when result is determined to skip unnecessary processing.

Incorrect (processes all items even after finding answer):

function validateUsers(users: User[]) {
  let hasError = false
  let errorMessage = ''
  
  for (const user of users) {
    if (!user.email) {
      hasError = true
      errorMessage = 'Email required'
    }
    if (!user.name) {
      hasError = true
      errorMessage = 'Name required'
    }
    // Continues checking all users even after error found
  }
  
  return hasError ? { valid: false, error: errorMessage } : { valid: true }
}

Correct (returns immediately on first error):

function validateUsers(users: User[]) {
  for (const user of users) {
    if (!user.email) {
      return { valid: false, error: 'Email required' }
    }
    if (!user.name) {
      return { valid: false, error: 'Name required' }
    }
  }

  return { valid: true }
}

Hoist RegExp Creation

Don't create RegExp inside render. Hoist to module scope or memoize with useMemo().

Incorrect (new RegExp every render):

function Highlighter({ text, query }: Props) {
  const regex = new RegExp(`(${query})`, 'gi')
  const parts = text.split(regex)
  return <>{parts.map((part, i) => ...)}</>
}

Correct (memoize or hoist):

const EMAIL_REGEX = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/

function Highlighter({ text, query }: Props) {
  const regex = useMemo(
    () => new RegExp(`(${escapeRegex(query)})`, 'gi'),
    [query]
  )
  const parts = text.split(regex)
  return <>{parts.map((part, i) => ...)}</>
}

Warning (global regex has mutable state):

Global regex (/g) has mutable lastIndex state:

const regex = /foo/g
regex.test('foo')  // true, lastIndex = 3
regex.test('foo')  // false, lastIndex = 0

Build Index Maps for Repeated Lookups

Multiple .find() calls by the same key should use a Map.

Incorrect (O(n) per lookup):

function processOrders(orders: Order[], users: User[]) {
  return orders.map(order => ({
    ...order,
    user: users.find(u => u.id === order.userId)
  }))
}

Correct (O(1) per lookup):

function processOrders(orders: Order[], users: User[]) {
  const userById = new Map(users.map(u => [u.id, u]))

  return orders.map(order => ({
    ...order,
    user: userById.get(order.userId)
  }))
}

Build map once (O(n)), then all lookups are O(1). For 1000 orders × 1000 users: 1M ops → 2K ops.

Early Length Check for Array Comparisons

When comparing arrays with expensive operations (sorting, deep equality, serialization), check lengths first. If lengths differ, the arrays cannot be equal.

In real-world applications, this optimization is especially valuable when the comparison runs in hot paths (event handlers, render loops).

Incorrect (always runs expensive comparison):

function hasChanges(current: string[], original: string[]) {
  // Always sorts and joins, even when lengths differ
  return current.sort().join() !== original.sort().join()
}

Two O(n log n) sorts run even when current.length is 5 and original.length is 100. There is also overhead of joining the arrays and comparing the strings.

Correct (O(1) length check first):

function hasChanges(current: string[], original: string[]) {
  // Early return if lengths differ
  if (current.length !== original.length) {
    return true
  }
  // Only sort when lengths match
  const currentSorted = current.toSorted()
  const originalSorted = original.toSorted()
  for (let i = 0; i < currentSorted.length; i++) {
    if (currentSorted[i] !== originalSorted[i]) {
      return true
    }
  }
  return false
}

This new approach is more efficient because:

• It avoids the overhead of sorting and joining the arrays when lengths differ
• It avoids consuming memory for the joined strings (especially important for large arrays)
• It avoids mutating the original arrays
• It returns early when a difference is found

Use Loop for Min/Max Instead of Sort

Finding the smallest or largest element only requires a single pass through the array. Sorting is wasteful and slower.

Incorrect (O(n log n) - sort to find latest):

interface Project {
  id: string
  name: string
  updatedAt: number
}

function getLatestProject(projects: Project[]) {
  const sorted = [...projects].sort((a, b) => b.updatedAt - a.updatedAt)
  return sorted[0]
}

Sorts the entire array just to find the maximum value.

Incorrect (O(n log n) - sort for oldest and newest):

function getOldestAndNewest(projects: Project[]) {
  const sorted = [...projects].sort((a, b) => a.updatedAt - b.updatedAt)
  return { oldest: sorted[0], newest: sorted[sorted.length - 1] }
}

Still sorts unnecessarily when only min/max are needed.

Correct (O(n) - single loop):

function getLatestProject(projects: Project[]) {
  if (projects.length === 0) return null
  
  let latest = projects[0]
  
  for (let i = 1; i < projects.length; i++) {
    if (projects[i].updatedAt > latest.updatedAt) {
      latest = projects[i]
    }
  }
  
  return latest
}

function getOldestAndNewest(projects: Project[]) {
  if (projects.length === 0) return { oldest: null, newest: null }
  
  let oldest = projects[0]
  let newest = projects[0]
  
  for (let i = 1; i < projects.length; i++) {
    if (projects[i].updatedAt < oldest.updatedAt) oldest = projects[i]
    if (projects[i].updatedAt > newest.updatedAt) newest = projects[i]
  }
  
  return { oldest, newest }
}

Single pass through the array, no copying, no sorting.

Alternative (Math.min/Math.max for small arrays):

const numbers = [5, 2, 8, 1, 9]
const min = Math.min(...numbers)
const max = Math.max(...numbers)

This works for small arrays, but can be slower or just throw an error for very large arrays due to spread operator limitations. Maximal array length is approximately 124000 in Chrome 143 and 638000 in Safari 18; exact numbers may vary - see the fiddle. Use the loop approach for reliability.

Use Set/Map for O(1) Lookups

Convert arrays to Set/Map for repeated membership checks.

Incorrect (O(n) per check):

const allowedIds = ['a', 'b', 'c', ...]
items.filter(item => allowedIds.includes(item.id))

Correct (O(1) per check):

const allowedIds = new Set(['a', 'b', 'c', ...])
items.filter(item => allowedIds.has(item.id))

Use toSorted() Instead of sort() for Immutability

.sort() mutates the array in place, which can cause bugs with React state and props. Use .toSorted() to create a new sorted array without mutation.

Incorrect (mutates original array):

function UserList({ users }: { users: User[] }) {
  // Mutates the users prop array!
  const sorted = useMemo(
    () => users.sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name)),
    [users]
  )
  return <div>{sorted.map(renderUser)}</div>
}

Correct (creates new array):

function UserList({ users }: { users: User[] }) {
  // Creates new sorted array, original unchanged
  const sorted = useMemo(
    () => users.toSorted((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name)),
    [users]
  )
  return <div>{sorted.map(renderUser)}</div>
}

Why this matters in React:

1. Props/state mutations break React's immutability model - React expects props and state to be treated as read-only 2. Causes stale closure bugs - Mutating arrays inside closures (callbacks, effects) can lead to unexpected behavior

Browser support (fallback for older browsers):

.toSorted() is available in all modern browsers (Chrome 110+, Safari 16+, Firefox 115+, Node.js 20+). For older environments, use spread operator:

// Fallback for older browsers
const sorted = [...items].sort((a, b) => a.value - b.value)

Other immutable array methods:

• .toSorted() - immutable sort
• .toReversed() - immutable reverse
• .toSpliced() - immutable splice
• .with() - immutable element replacement

Use Activity Component for Show/Hide

Use React's <Activity> to preserve state/DOM for expensive components that frequently toggle visibility.

Usage:

import { Activity } from 'react'

function Dropdown({ isOpen }: Props) {
  return (
    <Activity mode={isOpen ? 'visible' : 'hidden'}>
      <ExpensiveMenu />
    </Activity>
  )
}

Avoids expensive re-renders and state loss.

Animate SVG Wrapper Instead of SVG Element

Many browsers don't have hardware acceleration for CSS3 animations on SVG elements. Wrap SVG in a <div> and animate the wrapper instead.

Incorrect (animating SVG directly - no hardware acceleration):

function LoadingSpinner() {
  return (
    <svg 
      className="animate-spin"
      width="24" 
      height="24" 
      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
    >
      <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10" stroke="currentColor" />
    </svg>
  )
}

Correct (animating wrapper div - hardware accelerated):

function LoadingSpinner() {
  return (
    <div className="animate-spin">
      <svg 
        width="24" 
        height="24" 
        viewBox="0 0 24 24"
      >
        <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10" stroke="currentColor" />
      </svg>
    </div>
  )
}

This applies to all CSS transforms and transitions (transform, opacity, translate, scale, rotate). The wrapper div allows browsers to use GPU acceleration for smoother animations.

Use Explicit Conditional Rendering

Use explicit ternary operators (? :) instead of && for conditional rendering when the condition can be 0, NaN, or other falsy values that render.

Incorrect (renders "0" when count is 0):

function Badge({ count }: { count: number }) {
  return (
    <div>
      {count && <span className="badge">{count}</span>}
    </div>
  )
}

// When count = 0, renders: <div>0</div>
// When count = 5, renders: <div><span class="badge">5</span></div>

Correct (renders nothing when count is 0):

function Badge({ count }: { count: number }) {
  return (
    <div>
      {count > 0 ? <span className="badge">{count}</span> : null}
    </div>
  )
}

// When count = 0, renders: <div></div>
// When count = 5, renders: <div><span class="badge">5</span></div>

CSS content-visibility for Long Lists

Apply content-visibility: auto to defer off-screen rendering.

CSS:

.message-item {
  content-visibility: auto;
  contain-intrinsic-size: 0 80px;
}

Example:

function MessageList({ messages }: { messages: Message[] }) {
  return (
    <div className="overflow-y-auto h-screen">
      {messages.map(msg => (
        <div key={msg.id} className="message-item">
          <Avatar user={msg.author} />
          <div>{msg.content}</div>
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  )
}

For 1000 messages, browser skips layout/paint for ~990 off-screen items (10× faster initial render).

Hoist Static JSX Elements

Extract static JSX outside components to avoid re-creation.

Incorrect (recreates element every render):

function LoadingSkeleton() {
  return <div className="animate-pulse h-20 bg-gray-200" />
}

function Container() {
  return (
    <div>
      {loading && <LoadingSkeleton />}
    </div>
  )
}

Correct (reuses same element):

const loadingSkeleton = (
  <div className="animate-pulse h-20 bg-gray-200" />
)

function Container() {
  return (
    <div>
      {loading && loadingSkeleton}
    </div>
  )
}

This is especially helpful for large and static SVG nodes, which can be expensive to recreate on every render.

Note: If your project has React Compiler enabled, the compiler automatically hoists static JSX elements and optimizes component re-renders, making manual hoisting unnecessary.

Prevent Hydration Mismatch Without Flickering

When rendering content that depends on client-side storage (localStorage, cookies), avoid both SSR breakage and post-hydration flickering by injecting a synchronous script that updates the DOM before React hydrates.

Incorrect (breaks SSR):

function ThemeWrapper({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  // localStorage is not available on server - throws error
  const theme = localStorage.getItem('theme') || 'light'
  
  return (
    <div className={theme}>
      {children}
    </div>
  )
}

Server-side rendering will fail because localStorage is undefined.

Incorrect (visual flickering):

function ThemeWrapper({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  const [theme, setTheme] = useState('light')
  
  useEffect(() => {
    // Runs after hydration - causes visible flash
    const stored = localStorage.getItem('theme')
    if (stored) {
      setTheme(stored)
    }
  }, [])
  
  return (
    <div className={theme}>
      {children}
    </div>
  )
}

Component first renders with default value (light), then updates after hydration, causing a visible flash of incorrect content.

Correct (no flicker, no hydration mismatch):

function ThemeWrapper({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  return (
    <>
      <div id="theme-wrapper">
        {children}
      </div>
      <script
        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
          __html: `
            (function() {
              try {
                var theme = localStorage.getItem('theme') || 'light';
                var el = document.getElementById('theme-wrapper');
                if (el) el.className = theme;
              } catch (e) {}
            })();
          `,
        }}
      />
    </>
  )
}

The inline script executes synchronously before showing the element, ensuring the DOM already has the correct value. No flickering, no hydration mismatch.

This pattern is especially useful for theme toggles, user preferences, authentication states, and any client-only data that should render immediately without flashing default values.

Suppress Expected Hydration Mismatches

In SSR frameworks (e.g., Next.js), some values are intentionally different on server vs client (random IDs, dates, locale/timezone formatting). For these expected mismatches, wrap the dynamic text in an element with suppressHydrationWarning to prevent noisy warnings. Do not use this to hide real bugs. Don’t overuse it.

Incorrect (known mismatch warnings):

function Timestamp() {
  return <span>{new Date().toLocaleString()}</span>
}

Correct (suppress expected mismatch only):

function Timestamp() {
  return (
    <span suppressHydrationWarning>
      {new Date().toLocaleString()}
    </span>
  )
}

Optimize SVG Precision

Reduce SVG coordinate precision to decrease file size. The optimal precision depends on the viewBox size, but in general reducing precision should be considered.

Incorrect (excessive precision):

<path d="M 10.293847 20.847362 L 30.938472 40.192837" />

Correct (1 decimal place):

<path d="M 10.3 20.8 L 30.9 40.2" />

Automate with SVGO:

npx svgo --precision=1 --multipass icon.svg

Use useTransition Over Manual Loading States

Use useTransition instead of manual useState for loading states. This provides built-in isPending state and automatically manages transitions.

Incorrect (manual loading state):

function SearchResults() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
  const [results, setResults] = useState([])
  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false)

  const handleSearch = async (value: string) => {
    setIsLoading(true)
    setQuery(value)
    const data = await fetchResults(value)
    setResults(data)
    setIsLoading(false)
  }

  return (
    <>
      <input onChange={(e) => handleSearch(e.target.value)} />
      {isLoading && <Spinner />}
      <ResultsList results={results} />
    </>
  )
}

Correct (useTransition with built-in pending state):

import { useTransition, useState } from 'react'

function SearchResults() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
  const [results, setResults] = useState([])
  const [isPending, startTransition] = useTransition()

  const handleSearch = (value: string) => {
    setQuery(value) // Update input immediately
    
    startTransition(async () => {
      // Fetch and update results
      const data = await fetchResults(value)
      setResults(data)
    })
  }

  return (
    <>
      <input onChange={(e) => handleSearch(e.target.value)} />
      {isPending && <Spinner />}
      <ResultsList results={results} />
    </>
  )
}

Benefits:

• Automatic pending state: No need to manually manage setIsLoading(true/false)
• Error resilience: Pending state correctly resets even if the transition throws
• Better responsiveness: Keeps the UI responsive during updates
• Interrupt handling: New transitions automatically cancel pending ones

Reference: useTransition

Defer State Reads to Usage Point

Don't subscribe to dynamic state (searchParams, localStorage) if you only read it inside callbacks.

Incorrect (subscribes to all searchParams changes):

function ShareButton({ chatId }: { chatId: string }) {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams()

  const handleShare = () => {
    const ref = searchParams.get('ref')
    shareChat(chatId, { ref })
  }

  return <button onClick={handleShare}>Share</button>
}

Correct (reads on demand, no subscription):

function ShareButton({ chatId }: { chatId: string }) {
  const handleShare = () => {
    const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
    const ref = params.get('ref')
    shareChat(chatId, { ref })
  }

  return <button onClick={handleShare}>Share</button>
}

Narrow Effect Dependencies

Specify primitive dependencies instead of objects to minimize effect re-runs.

Incorrect (re-runs on any user field change):

useEffect(() => {
  console.log(user.id)
}, [user])

Correct (re-runs only when id changes):

useEffect(() => {
  console.log(user.id)
}, [user.id])

For derived state, compute outside effect:

// Incorrect: runs on width=767, 766, 765...
useEffect(() => {
  if (width < 768) {
    enableMobileMode()
  }
}, [width])

// Correct: runs only on boolean transition
const isMobile = width < 768
useEffect(() => {
  if (isMobile) {
    enableMobileMode()
  }
}, [isMobile])

Calculate Derived State During Rendering

If a value can be computed from current props/state, do not store it in state or update it in an effect. Derive it during render to avoid extra renders and state drift. Do not set state in effects solely in response to prop changes; prefer derived values or keyed resets instead.

Incorrect (redundant state and effect):

function Form() {
  const [firstName, setFirstName] = useState('First')
  const [lastName, setLastName] = useState('Last')
  const [fullName, setFullName] = useState('')

  useEffect(() => {
    setFullName(firstName + ' ' + lastName)
  }, [firstName, lastName])

  return <p>{fullName}</p>
}

Correct (derive during render):

function Form() {
  const [firstName, setFirstName] = useState('First')
  const [lastName, setLastName] = useState('Last')
  const fullName = firstName + ' ' + lastName

  return <p>{fullName}</p>
}

References: You Might Not Need an Effect

Subscribe to Derived State

Subscribe to derived boolean state instead of continuous values to reduce re-render frequency.

Incorrect (re-renders on every pixel change):

function Sidebar() {
  const width = useWindowWidth()  // updates continuously
  const isMobile = width < 768
  return <nav className={isMobile ? 'mobile' : 'desktop'} />
}

Correct (re-renders only when boolean changes):

function Sidebar() {
  const isMobile = useMediaQuery('(max-width: 767px)')
  return <nav className={isMobile ? 'mobile' : 'desktop'} />
}

Use Functional setState Updates

When updating state based on the current state value, use the functional update form of setState instead of directly referencing the state variable. This prevents stale closures, eliminates unnecessary dependencies, and creates stable callback references.

Incorrect (requires state as dependency):

function TodoList() {
  const [items, setItems] = useState(initialItems)
  
  // Callback must depend on items, recreated on every items change
  const addItems = useCallback((newItems: Item[]) => {
    setItems([...items, ...newItems])
  }, [items])  // ❌ items dependency causes recreations
  
  // Risk of stale closure if dependency is forgotten
  const removeItem = useCallback((id: string) => {
    setItems(items.filter(item => item.id !== id))
  }, [])  // ❌ Missing items dependency - will use stale items!
  
  return <ItemsEditor items={items} onAdd={addItems} onRemove={removeItem} />
}

The first callback is recreated every time items changes, which can cause child components to re-render unnecessarily. The second callback has a stale closure bug—it will always reference the initial items value.

Correct (stable callbacks, no stale closures):

function TodoList() {
  const [items, setItems] = useState(initialItems)
  
  // Stable callback, never recreated
  const addItems = useCallback((newItems: Item[]) => {
    setItems(curr => [...curr, ...newItems])
  }, [])  // ✅ No dependencies needed
  
  // Always uses latest state, no stale closure risk
  const removeItem = useCallback((id: string) => {
    setItems(curr => curr.filter(item => item.id !== id))
  }, [])  // ✅ Safe and stable
  
  return <ItemsEditor items={items} onAdd={addItems} onRemove={removeItem} />
}

Benefits:

1. Stable callback references - Callbacks don't need to be recreated when state changes 2. No stale closures - Always operates on the latest state value 3. Fewer dependencies - Simplifies dependency arrays and reduces memory leaks 4. Prevents bugs - Eliminates the most common source of React closure bugs

When to use functional updates:

• Any setState that depends on the current state value
• Inside useCallback/useMemo when state is needed
• Event handlers that reference state
• Async operations that update state

When direct updates are fine:

• Setting state to a static value: setCount(0)
• Setting state from props/arguments only: setName(newName)
• State doesn't depend on previous value

Note: If your project has React Compiler enabled, the compiler can automatically optimize some cases, but functional updates are still recommended for correctness and to prevent stale closure bugs.

Use Lazy State Initialization

Pass a function to useState for expensive initial values. Without the function form, the initializer runs on every render even though the value is only used once.

Incorrect (runs on every render):

function FilteredList({ items }: { items: Item[] }) {
  // buildSearchIndex() runs on EVERY render, even after initialization
  const [searchIndex, setSearchIndex] = useState(buildSearchIndex(items))
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
  
  // When query changes, buildSearchIndex runs again unnecessarily
  return <SearchResults index={searchIndex} query={query} />
}

function UserProfile() {
  // JSON.parse runs on every render
  const [settings, setSettings] = useState(
    JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('settings') || '{}')
  )
  
  return <SettingsForm settings={settings} onChange={setSettings} />
}

Correct (runs only once):

function FilteredList({ items }: { items: Item[] }) {
  // buildSearchIndex() runs ONLY on initial render
  const [searchIndex, setSearchIndex] = useState(() => buildSearchIndex(items))
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('')
  
  return <SearchResults index={searchIndex} query={query} />
}

function UserProfile() {
  // JSON.parse runs only on initial render
  const [settings, setSettings] = useState(() => {
    const stored = localStorage.getItem('settings')
    return stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : {}
  })
  
  return <SettingsForm settings={settings} onChange={setSettings} />
}

Use lazy initialization when computing initial values from localStorage/sessionStorage, building data structures (indexes, maps), reading from the DOM, or performing heavy transformations.

For simple primitives (useState(0)), direct references (useState(props.value)), or cheap literals (useState({})), the function form is unnecessary.

Extract Default Non-primitive Parameter Value from Memoized Component to Constant

When memoized component has a default value for some non-primitive optional parameter, such as an array, function, or object, calling the component without that parameter results in broken memoization. This is because new value instances are created on every rerender, and they do not pass strict equality comparison in memo().

To address this issue, extract the default value into a constant.

Incorrect (`onClick` has different values on every rerender):

const UserAvatar = memo(function UserAvatar({ onClick = () => {} }: { onClick?: () => void }) {
  // ...
})

// Used without optional onClick
<UserAvatar />

Correct (stable default value):

const NOOP = () => {};

const UserAvatar = memo(function UserAvatar({ onClick = NOOP }: { onClick?: () => void }) {
  // ...
})

// Used without optional onClick
<UserAvatar />

Extract to Memoized Components

Extract expensive work into memoized components to enable early returns before computation.

Incorrect (computes avatar even when loading):

function Profile({ user, loading }: Props) {
  const avatar = useMemo(() => {
    const id = computeAvatarId(user)
    return <Avatar id={id} />
  }, [user])

  if (loading) return <Skeleton />
  return <div>{avatar}</div>
}

Correct (skips computation when loading):

const UserAvatar = memo(function UserAvatar({ user }: { user: User }) {
  const id = useMemo(() => computeAvatarId(user), [user])
  return <Avatar id={id} />
})

function Profile({ user, loading }: Props) {
  if (loading) return <Skeleton />
  return (
    <div>
      <UserAvatar user={user} />
    </div>
  )
}

Note: If your project has React Compiler enabled, manual memoization with memo() and useMemo() is not necessary. The compiler automatically optimizes re-renders.

Put Interaction Logic in Event Handlers

If a side effect is triggered by a specific user action (submit, click, drag), run it in that event handler. Do not model the action as state + effect; it makes effects re-run on unrelated changes and can duplicate the action.

Incorrect (event modeled as state + effect):

function Form() {
  const [submitted, setSubmitted] = useState(false)
  const theme = useContext(ThemeContext)

  useEffect(() => {
    if (submitted) {
      post('/api/register')
      showToast('Registered', theme)
    }
  }, [submitted, theme])

  return <button onClick={() => setSubmitted(true)}>Submit</button>
}

Correct (do it in the handler):

function Form() {
  const theme = useContext(ThemeContext)

  function handleSubmit() {
    post('/api/register')
    showToast('Registered', theme)
  }

  return <button onClick={handleSubmit}>Submit</button>
}

Reference: Should this code move to an event handler?

Do not wrap a simple expression with a primitive result type in useMemo

When an expression is simple (few logical or arithmetical operators) and has a primitive result type (boolean, number, string), do not wrap it in useMemo. Calling useMemo and comparing hook dependencies may consume more resources than the expression itself.

Incorrect:

function Header({ user, notifications }: Props) {
  const isLoading = useMemo(() => {
    return user.isLoading || notifications.isLoading
  }, [user.isLoading, notifications.isLoading])

  if (isLoading) return <Skeleton />
  // return some markup
}

Correct:

function Header({ user, notifications }: Props) {
  const isLoading = user.isLoading || notifications.isLoading

  if (isLoading) return <Skeleton />
  // return some markup
}

Use Transitions for Non-Urgent Updates

Mark frequent, non-urgent state updates as transitions to maintain UI responsiveness.

Incorrect (blocks UI on every scroll):

function ScrollTracker() {
  const [scrollY, setScrollY] = useState(0)
  useEffect(() => {
    const handler = () => setScrollY(window.scrollY)
    window.addEventListener('scroll', handler, { passive: true })
    return () => window.removeEventListener('scroll', handler)
  }, [])
}

Correct (non-blocking updates):

import { startTransition } from 'react'

function ScrollTracker() {
  const [scrollY, setScrollY] = useState(0)
  useEffect(() => {
    const handler = () => {
      startTransition(() => setScrollY(window.scrollY))
    }
    window.addEventListener('scroll', handler, { passive: true })
    return () => window.removeEventListener('scroll', handler)
  }, [])
}

Use useRef for Transient Values

When a value changes frequently and you don't want a re-render on every update (e.g., mouse trackers, intervals, transient flags), store it in useRef instead of useState. Keep component state for UI; use refs for temporary DOM-adjacent values. Updating a ref does not trigger a re-render.

Incorrect (renders every update):

function Tracker() {
  const [lastX, setLastX] = useState(0)

  useEffect(() => {
    const onMove = (e: MouseEvent) => setLastX(e.clientX)
    window.addEventListener('mousemove', onMove)
    return () => window.removeEventListener('mousemove', onMove)
  }, [])

  return (
    <div
      style={{
        position: 'fixed',
        top: 0,
        left: lastX,
        width: 8,
        height: 8,
        background: 'black',
      }}
    />
  )
}

Correct (no re-render for tracking):

function Tracker() {
  const lastXRef = useRef(0)
  const dotRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)

  useEffect(() => {
    const onMove = (e: MouseEvent) => {
      lastXRef.current = e.clientX
      const node = dotRef.current
      if (node) {
        node.style.transform = `translateX(${e.clientX}px)`
      }
    }
    window.addEventListener('mousemove', onMove)
    return () => window.removeEventListener('mousemove', onMove)
  }, [])

  return (
    <div
      ref={dotRef}
      style={{
        position: 'fixed',
        top: 0,
        left: 0,
        width: 8,
        height: 8,
        background: 'black',
        transform: 'translateX(0px)',
      }}
    />
  )
}

Use after() for Non-Blocking Operations

Use Next.js's after() to schedule work that should execute after a response is sent. This prevents logging, analytics, and other side effects from blocking the response.

Incorrect (blocks response):

import { logUserAction } from '@/app/utils'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  // Perform mutation
  await updateDatabase(request)
  
  // Logging blocks the response
  const userAgent = request.headers.get('user-agent') || 'unknown'
  await logUserAction({ userAgent })
  
  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ status: 'success' }), {
    status: 200,
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
  })
}

Correct (non-blocking):

import { after } from 'next/server'
import { headers, cookies } from 'next/headers'
import { logUserAction } from '@/app/utils'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  // Perform mutation
  await updateDatabase(request)
  
  // Log after response is sent
  after(async () => {
    const userAgent = (await headers()).get('user-agent') || 'unknown'
    const sessionCookie = (await cookies()).get('session-id')?.value || 'anonymous'
    
    logUserAction({ sessionCookie, userAgent })
  })
  
  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ status: 'success' }), {
    status: 200,
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
  })
}

The response is sent immediately while logging happens in the background.

Common use cases:

• Analytics tracking
• Audit logging
• Sending notifications
• Cache invalidation
• Cleanup tasks

Important notes:

• after() runs even if the response fails or redirects
• Works in Server Actions, Route Handlers, and Server Components

Reference: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/functions/after

Authenticate Server Actions Like API Routes

Impact: CRITICAL (prevents unauthorized access to server mutations)

Server Actions (functions with "use server") are exposed as public endpoints, just like API routes. Always verify authentication and authorization inside each Server Action—do not rely solely on middleware, layout guards, or page-level checks, as Server Actions can be invoked directly.

Next.js documentation explicitly states: "Treat Server Actions with the same security considerations as public-facing API endpoints, and verify if the user is allowed to perform a mutation."

Incorrect (no authentication check):

'use server'

export async function deleteUser(userId: string) {
  // Anyone can call this! No auth check
  await db.user.delete({ where: { id: userId } })
  return { success: true }
}

Correct (authentication inside the action):

'use server'

import { verifySession } from '@/lib/auth'
import { unauthorized } from '@/lib/errors'

export async function deleteUser(userId: string) {
  // Always check auth inside the action
  const session = await verifySession()
  
  if (!session) {
    throw unauthorized('Must be logged in')
  }
  
  // Check authorization too
  if (session.user.role !== 'admin' && session.user.id !== userId) {
    throw unauthorized('Cannot delete other users')
  }
  
  await db.user.delete({ where: { id: userId } })
  return { success: true }
}

With input validation:

'use server'

import { verifySession } from '@/lib/auth'
import { z } from 'zod'

const updateProfileSchema = z.object({
  userId: z.string().uuid(),
  name: z.string().min(1).max(100),
  email: z.string().email()
})

export async function updateProfile(data: unknown) {
  // Validate input first
  const validated = updateProfileSchema.parse(data)
  
  // Then authenticate
  const session = await verifySession()
  if (!session) {
    throw new Error('Unauthorized')
  }
  
  // Then authorize
  if (session.user.id !== validated.userId) {
    throw new Error('Can only update own profile')
  }
  
  // Finally perform the mutation
  await db.user.update({
    where: { id: validated.userId },
    data: {
      name: validated.name,
      email: validated.email
    }
  })
  
  return { success: true }
}

Reference: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/guides/authentication

Cross-Request LRU Caching

React.cache() only works within one request. For data shared across sequential requests (user clicks button A then button B), use an LRU cache.

Implementation:

import { LRUCache } from 'lru-cache'

const cache = new LRUCache<string, any>({
  max: 1000,
  ttl: 5 * 60 * 1000  // 5 minutes
})

export async function getUser(id: string) {
  const cached = cache.get(id)
  if (cached) return cached

  const user = await db.user.findUnique({ where: { id } })
  cache.set(id, user)
  return user
}

// Request 1: DB query, result cached
// Request 2: cache hit, no DB query

Use when sequential user actions hit multiple endpoints needing the same data within seconds.

With Vercel's [Fluid Compute](https://vercel.com/docs/fluid-compute): LRU caching is especially effective because multiple concurrent requests can share the same function instance and cache. This means the cache persists across requests without needing external storage like Redis.

In traditional serverless: Each invocation runs in isolation, so consider Redis for cross-process caching.

Reference: https://github.com/isaacs/node-lru-cache

Per-Request Deduplication with React.cache()

Use React.cache() for server-side request deduplication. Authentication and database queries benefit most.

Usage:

import { cache } from 'react'

export const getCurrentUser = cache(async () => {
  const session = await auth()
  if (!session?.user?.id) return null
  return await db.user.findUnique({
    where: { id: session.user.id }
  })
})

Within a single request, multiple calls to getCurrentUser() execute the query only once.

Avoid inline objects as arguments:

React.cache() uses shallow equality (Object.is) to determine cache hits. Inline objects create new references each call, preventing cache hits.

Incorrect (always cache miss):

const getUser = cache(async (params: { uid: number }) => {
  return await db.user.findUnique({ where: { id: params.uid } })
})

// Each call creates new object, never hits cache
getUser({ uid: 1 })
getUser({ uid: 1 })  // Cache miss, runs query again

Correct (cache hit):

const getUser = cache(async (uid: number) => {
  return await db.user.findUnique({ where: { id: uid } })
})

// Primitive args use value equality
getUser(1)
getUser(1)  // Cache hit, returns cached result

If you must pass objects, pass the same reference:

const params = { uid: 1 }
getUser(params)  // Query runs
getUser(params)  // Cache hit (same reference)

Next.js-Specific Note:

In Next.js, the fetch API is automatically extended with request memoization. Requests with the same URL and options are automatically deduplicated within a single request, so you don't need React.cache() for fetch calls. However, React.cache() is still essential for other async tasks:

• Database queries (Prisma, Drizzle, etc.)
• Heavy computations
• Authentication checks
• File system operations
• Any non-fetch async work

Use React.cache() to deduplicate these operations across your component tree.

Reference: React.cache documentation

Avoid Duplicate Serialization in RSC Props

Impact: LOW (reduces network payload by avoiding duplicate serialization)

RSC→client serialization deduplicates by object reference, not value. Same reference = serialized once; new reference = serialized again. Do transformations (.toSorted(), .filter(), .map()) in client, not server.

Incorrect (duplicates array):

// RSC: sends 6 strings (2 arrays × 3 items)
<ClientList usernames={usernames} usernamesOrdered={usernames.toSorted()} />

Correct (sends 3 strings):

// RSC: send once
<ClientList usernames={usernames} />

// Client: transform there
'use client'
const sorted = useMemo(() => [...usernames].sort(), [usernames])

Nested deduplication behavior:

Deduplication works recursively. Impact varies by data type:

• string[], number[], boolean[]: HIGH impact - array + all primitives fully duplicated
• object[]: LOW impact - array duplicated, but nested objects deduplicated by reference

// string[] - duplicates everything
usernames={['a','b']} sorted={usernames.toSorted()} // sends 4 strings

// object[] - duplicates array structure only
users={[{id:1},{id:2}]} sorted={users.toSorted()} // sends 2 arrays + 2 unique objects (not 4)

Operations breaking deduplication (create new references):

• Arrays: .toSorted(), .filter(), .map(), .slice(), [...arr]
• Objects: {...obj}, Object.assign(), structuredClone(), JSON.parse(JSON.stringify())

More examples:

// ❌ Bad
<C users={users} active={users.filter(u => u.active)} />
<C product={product} productName={product.name} />

// ✅ Good
<C users={users} />
<C product={product} />
// Do filtering/destructuring in client

Exception: Pass derived data when transformation is expensive or client doesn't need original.

Parallel Data Fetching with Component Composition

React Server Components execute sequentially within a tree. Restructure with composition to parallelize data fetching.

Incorrect (Sidebar waits for Page's fetch to complete):

export default async function Page() {
  const header = await fetchHeader()
  return (
    <div>
      <div>{header}</div>
      <Sidebar />
    </div>
  )
}

async function Sidebar() {
  const items = await fetchSidebarItems()
  return <nav>{items.map(renderItem)}</nav>
}

Correct (both fetch simultaneously):

async function Header() {
  const data = await fetchHeader()
  return <div>{data}</div>
}

async function Sidebar() {
  const items = await fetchSidebarItems()
  return <nav>{items.map(renderItem)}</nav>
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Header />
      <Sidebar />
    </div>
  )
}

Alternative with children prop:

async function Header() {
  const data = await fetchHeader()
  return <div>{data}</div>
}

async function Sidebar() {
  const items = await fetchSidebarItems()
  return <nav>{items.map(renderItem)}</nav>
}

function Layout({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <Header />
      {children}
    </div>
  )
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Layout>
      <Sidebar />
    </Layout>
  )
}

Minimize Serialization at RSC Boundaries

The React Server/Client boundary serializes all object properties into strings and embeds them in the HTML response and subsequent RSC requests. This serialized data directly impacts page weight and load time, so size matters a lot. Only pass fields that the client actually uses.

Incorrect (serializes all 50 fields):

async function Page() {
  const user = await fetchUser()  // 50 fields
  return <Profile user={user} />
}

'use client'
function Profile({ user }: { user: User }) {
  return <div>{user.name}</div>  // uses 1 field
}

Correct (serializes only 1 field):

async function Page() {
  const user = await fetchUser()
  return <Profile name={user.name} />
}

'use client'
function Profile({ name }: { name: string }) {
  return <div>{name}</div>
}