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JavaScript React Basics (retired) Stateful Components Understanding State

Posted by sayedshahidi
sayedshahidi
9,158 Points

getInitialState vs defaultProps

Why use getIntialState when you can also set default values to defaultProps ? I am confused.

1 Answer

Lucas Santos
Lucas Santos
19,315 Points
Lucas Santos
Lucas Santos
19,315 Points

I think your confusion lies in understanding the difference between States and Props.

Props are just the properties of the component that do not change and are immutable. Something like a title for the app or a certain value for a variable.

States are the data points in your application that do change. Like scores, lists, timers and so on.

So setting getIntialState gives the component a default State and defaultProps gives the component a default Prop. The reason anyone would use state over a props would be because they want the data point to change at some point in time in the app.

That or they decide to not use a "Stateless Functional Component". (a component that has no state only props)

Also here is a great topic in StackOverflow that explains this a lot more detailed than I did.

sayedshahidi
sayedshahidi
9,158 Points

Thanks for explaining. This makes sense.