What are the differences between functional components and class components in React?

What are the differences between functional components and class components in React?

Functional components and class components are two different ways to create components in React.

Functional Components:

• Functional components are simpler and easier to read. They are just JavaScript functions that accept props as arguments and return React elements.
• Functional components are stateless, which means they do not have internal state or lifecycle methods.
• Functional components are considered lightweight and have better performance compared to class components.

Class Components:

• Class components are created using ES6 classes and extend the React.Component class.
• Class components have access to state and lifecycle methods such as componentDidMount, componentDidUpdate, and componentWillUnmount.
• Class components are recommended when you need to manage state or use lifecycle methods.

In summary, functional components are preferred for simpler components that do not need internal state or lifecycle methods, while class components are used for more complex components that require state management and lifecycle methods.