What is the difference between ReactJS functional components and class components?

ReactJS Functional Components vs Class Components

In ReactJS, there are two main types of components: functional components and class components. Both types of components serve the same purpose of rendering UI elements, but there are some key differences between them.

Functional Components:

• Functional components are just plain JavaScript functions that accept props as an argument and return React elements.
• They are simpler and more lightweight compared to class components.
• Functional components do not have access to state or lifecycle methods, so they are used for simple UI components.
• Functional components are also known as stateless components or presentational components.

Class Components:

• Class components are ES6 classes that extend from React.Component class.
• They have access to state and lifecycle methods such as componentDidMount, componentDidUpdate, etc.
• Class components are used when the component needs to maintain its own state or lifecycle methods.
• Class components are also known as stateful components.

When deciding between functional and class components in ReactJS, consider the complexity of the component. If the component does not need state or lifecycle methods, opt for a functional component. For more complex components that require state or lifecycle methods, use a class component.