React location state 초기화 - React location state chogihwa

I am writing this article after struggling a lot over a simple requirement. I knew it was a very small thing, but I was unable to find the solution over internet. Various stackoverflow and medium articles, but not the thing I was looking for.

목차 Show

You will learn
The UI tree
State is tied to a position in the tree
Same component at the same position preserves state
Different components at the same position reset state
Resetting state at the same position
Option 1: Rendering a component in different positions
Option 2: Resetting state with a key
Resetting a form with a key
Try out some challenges

State is isolated between components. React keeps track of which state belongs to which component based on their place in the UI tree. You can control when to preserve state and when to reset it between re-renders.

You will learn

How React “sees” component structures
When React chooses to preserve or reset the state
How to force React to reset component’s state
How keys and types affect whether the state is preserved

The UI tree

Browsers use many tree structures to model UI. The DOM represents HTML elements, the CSSOM does the same for CSS. There’s even an Accessibility tree!

React also uses tree structures to manage and model the UI you make. React makes UI trees from your JSX. Then React DOM updates the browser DOM elements to match that UI tree. (React Native translates these trees into elements specific to mobile platforms.)

From components, React creates a UI tree which React DOM uses to render the DOM

State is tied to a position in the tree

When you give a component state, you might think the state “lives” inside the component. But the state is actually held inside React. React associates each piece of state it’s holding with the correct component by where that component sits in the UI tree.

Here, there is only one

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 JSX tag, but it’s rendered at two different positions:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const counter = <Counter />;
  return (
    <div>
      {counter}
      {counter}
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Here’s how these look as a tree:

React tree

These are two separate counters because each is rendered at its own position in the tree. You don’t usually have to think about these positions to use React, but it can be useful to understand how it works.

In React, each component on the screen has fully isolated state. For example, if you render two

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 components side by side, each of them will get its own, independent,

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

8 and

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

9 states.

Try clicking both counters and notice they don’t affect each other:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

As you can see, when one counter is updated, only the state for that component is updated:

Updating state

React will keep the state around for as long as you render the same component at the same position. To see this, increment both counters, then remove the second component by unchecking “Render the second counter” checkbox, and then add it back by ticking it again:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Notice how the moment you stop rendering the second counter, its state disappears completely. That’s because when React removes a component, it destroys its state.

Deleting a component

When you tick “Render the second counter”, a second

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 and its state are initialized from scratch (

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

1) and added to the DOM.

Adding a component

React preserves a component’s state for as long as it’s being rendered at its position in the UI tree. If it gets removed, or a different component gets rendered at the same position, React discards its state.

Same component at the same position preserves state

In this example, there are two different

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 tags:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
      ) : (
        <Counter isFancy={false} /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

When you tick or clear the checkbox, the counter state does not get reset. Whether

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

3 is

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4 or

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5, you always have a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 as the first child of the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 returned from the root

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

8 component:

Updating the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

8 state does not reset the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 because

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 stays in the same position

It’s the same component at the same position, so from React’s perspective, it’s the same counter.

Pitfall

Remember that it’s the position in the UI tree—not in the JSX markup—that matters to React! This component has two

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
      ) : (
        <Counter isFancy={false} /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

2 clauses with different

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 JSX tags inside and outside the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
      ) : (
        <Counter isFancy={false} /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

You might expect the state to reset when you tick checkbox, but it doesn’t! This is because both of these

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 tags are rendered at the same position. React doesn’t know where you place the conditions in your function. All it “sees” is the tree you return. In both cases, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

8 component returns a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
      ) : (
        <Counter isFancy={false} /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 with

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 as a first child. This is why React considers them as the same

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

You can think of them as having the same “address”: the first child of the first child of the root. This is how React matches them up between the previous and next renders, regardless of how you structure your logic.

Different components at the same position reset state

In this example, ticking the checkbox will replace

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

0 with a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPaused ? (
        <p>See you later!</p> 
      ) : (
        <Counter /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isPaused}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsPaused(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Take a break
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Here, you switch between different component types at the same position. Initially, the first child of the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
      ) : (
        <Counter isFancy={false} /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 contained a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7. But when you swapped in a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4, React removed the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 from the UI tree and destroyed its state.

When

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 changes to

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 is deleted and the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4 is added

When switching back, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  if (isFancy) {
    return (
      <div>
        <Counter isFancy={true} />
        <label>
          <input
            type="checkbox"
            checked={isFancy}
            onChange={e => {
              setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
            }}
          />
          Use fancy styling
        </label>
      </div>
    );
  }
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter isFancy={false} />
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4 is deleted and the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 is added

Also, when you render a different component in the same position, it resets the state of its entire subtree. To see how this works, increment the counter and then tick the checkbox:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <div>
          <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
        </div>
      ) : (
        <section>
          <Counter isFancy={false} />
        </section>
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

The counter state gets reset when you click the checkbox. Although you render a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7, the first child of the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 changes from a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 to a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPaused ? (
        <p>See you later!</p> 
      ) : (
        <Counter /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isPaused}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsPaused(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Take a break
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5. When the child

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 was removed from the DOM, the whole tree below it (including the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 and its state) was destroyed as well.

When

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPaused ? (
        <p>See you later!</p> 
      ) : (
        <Counter /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isPaused}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsPaused(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Take a break
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5 changes to

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPaused ? (
        <p>See you later!</p> 
      ) : (
        <Counter /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isPaused}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsPaused(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Take a break
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5 is deleted and the new

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 is added

When switching back, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 is deleted and the new

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPaused ? (
        <p>See you later!</p> 
      ) : (
        <Counter /> 
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isPaused}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsPaused(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Take a break
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5 is added

As a rule of thumb, if you want to preserve the state between re-renders, the structure of your tree needs to “match up” from one render to another. If the structure is different, the state gets destroyed because React destroys state when it removes a component from the tree.

Pitfall

This is why you should not nest component function definitions.

Here, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <div>
          <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
        </div>
      ) : (
        <section>
          <Counter isFancy={false} />
        </section>
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4 component function is defined inside

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <div>
          <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
        </div>
      ) : (
        <section>
          <Counter isFancy={false} />
        </section>
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

Every time you click the button, the input state disappears! This is because a different

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <div>
          <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
        </div>
      ) : (
        <section>
          <Counter isFancy={false} />
        </section>
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4 function is created for every render of

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [isFancy, setIsFancy] = useState(false);
  return (
    <div>
      {isFancy ? (
        <div>
          <Counter isFancy={true} /> 
        </div>
      ) : (
        <section>
          <Counter isFancy={false} />
        </section>
      )}
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={isFancy}
          onChange={e => {
            setIsFancy(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Use fancy styling
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ isFancy }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }
  if (isFancy) {
    className += ' fancy';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

5. You’re rendering a different component in the same position, so React resets all state below. This leads to bugs and performance problems. To avoid this problem, always declare component functions at the top level, and don’t nest their definitions.

Resetting state at the same position

By default, React preserves state of a component while it stays at the same position. Usually, this is exactly what you want, so it makes sense as the default behavior. But sometimes, you may want to reset a component’s state. Consider this app that lets two players keep track of their scores during each turn:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Currently, when you change the player, the score is preserved. The two

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7s appear in the same position, so React sees them as the same

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 whose

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

0 prop has changed.

But conceptually, in this app they should be two separate counters. They might appear in the same place in the UI, but one is a counter for Taylor, and another is a counter for Sarah.

There are two ways to reset state when switching between them:

Render components in different positions

Give each component an explicit identity with

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

Option 1: Rendering a component in different positions

If you want these two

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7s to be independent, you can render them in two different positions:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA &&
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      }
      {!isPlayerA &&
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      }
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Initially,

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

3 is

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  const [showB, setShowB] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      {showB && <Counter />} 
      <label>
        <input
          type="checkbox"
          checked={showB}
          onChange={e => {
            setShowB(e.target.checked)
          }}
        />
        Render the second counter
      </label>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

4. So the first position contains

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7 state, and the second one is empty.

When you click the “Next player” button the first position clears but the second one now contains a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Initial state

Clicking “next”

Clicking “next” again

Each

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

7’s state gets destroyed each time its removed from the DOM. This is why they reset every time you click the button.

This solution is convenient when you only have a few independent components rendered in the same place. In this example, you only have two, so it’s not a hassle to render both separately in the JSX.

Option 2: Resetting state with a key

There is also another, more generic, way to reset a component’s state.

You might have seen

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

1s when rendering lists. Keys aren’t just for lists! You can use keys to make React distinguish between any components. By default, React uses order within the parent (“first counter”, “second counter”) to discern between components. But keys let you tell React that this is not just a first counter, or a second counter, but a specific counter—for example, Taylor’s counter. This way, React will know Taylor’s counter wherever it appears in the tree!

In this example, the two

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6s don’t share state even though they appear in the same place in JSX:

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Switching between Taylor and Sarah does not preserve the state. This is because you gave them different

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

1s:

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Specifying a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

1 tells React to use the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

1 itself as part of the position, instead of their order within the parent. This is why, even though you render them in the same place in JSX, from React’s perspective, these are two different counters. As a result, they will never share state. Every time a counter appears on the screen, its state is created. Every time it is removed, its state is destroyed. Toggling between them resets their state over and over.

Remember that keys are not globally unique. They only specify the position within the parent.

Resetting a form with a key

Resetting state with a key is particularly useful when dealing with forms.

In this chat app, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

3 component contains the text input state:

App.jsContactList.jsChat.js

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Try entering something into the input, and then press “Alice” or “Bob” to choose a different recipient. You will notice that the input state is preserved because the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

3 is rendered at the same position in the tree.

In many apps, this may be the desired behavior, but not in a chat app! You don’t want to let the user send a message they already typed to a wrong person due to an accidental click. To fix it, add a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

This ensures that when you select a different recipient, the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 component will be recreated from scratch, including any state in the tree below it. React will also re-create the DOM elements instead of reusing them.

Now switching the recipient always clears the text field:

App.jsContactList.jsChat.js

App.js

ResetFork

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Counter />
      <Counter />
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter() {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Deep Dive

Preserving state for removed components

Hide Details

In a real chat app, you’d probably want to recover the input state when the user selects the previous recipient again. There are a few ways to keep the state “alive” for a component that’s no longer visible:

You could render all chats instead of just the current one, but hide all the others with CSS. The chats would not get removed from the tree, so their local state would be preserved. This solution works great for simple UIs. But it can get very slow if the hidden trees are large and contain a lot of DOM nodes.
You could lift the state up and hold the pending message for each recipient in the parent component. This way, when the child components get removed, it doesn’t matter, because it’s the parent that keeps the important information. This is the most common solution.

You might also use a different source in addition to React state. For example, you probably want a message draft to persist even if the user accidentally closes the page. To implement this, you could have the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

6 component initialize its state by reading from the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

8, and save the drafts there too.

No matter which strategy you pick, a chat with Alice is conceptually distinct from a chat with Bob, so it makes sense to give a

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function MyComponent() {
  const [counter, setCounter] = useState(0);

  function MyTextField() {
    const [text, setText] = useState('');

    return (
      <input
        value={text}
        onChange={e => setText(e.target.value)}
      />
    );
  }

  return (
    <>
      <MyTextField />
      <button onClick={() => {
        setCounter(counter + 1)
      }}>Clicked {counter} times</button>
    </>
  );
}

1 to the

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Scoreboard() {
  const [isPlayerA, setIsPlayerA] = useState(true);
  return (
    <div>
      {isPlayerA ? (
        <Counter person="Taylor" />
      ) : (
        <Counter person="Sarah" />
      )}
      <button onClick={() => {
        setIsPlayerA(!isPlayerA);
      }}>
        Next player!
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

function Counter({ person }) {
  const [score, setScore] = useState(0);
  const [hover, setHover] = useState(false);

  let className = 'counter';
  if (hover) {
    className += ' hover';
  }

  return (
    <div
      className={className}
      onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)}
      onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
    >
      <h1>{person}'s score: {score}</h1>
      <button onClick={() => setScore(score + 1)}>
        Add one
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

3 tree based on the current recipient.

Recap

React keeps state for as long as the same component is rendered at the same position.
State is not kept in JSX tags. It’s associated with the tree position in which you put that JSX.
You can force a subtree to reset its state by giving it a different key.
Don’t nest component definitions, or you’ll reset state by accident.

Try out some challenges

1. Fix disappearing input text2. Swap two form fields3. Reset a detail form4. Clear an image while it’s loading5. Fix misplaced state in the list

Challenge 1 of 5:
Fix disappearing input text

This example shows a message when you press the button. However, pressing the button also accidentally resets the input. Why does this happen? Fix it so that pressing the button does not reset the input text.