How to access previous props or state with React Hooks

Updated by Marie Starck in May 2024, this guide explores the intricacies of managing state in React, particularly focusing on the differences between props and state, and the roles of useRef and useState in tracking previous values. It highlights the challenge of accessing previous props or state in functional components, which can be addressed by using the useRef, useState, and useEffect hooks. The guide explains how useRef can persist state between renders without causing re-renders, making it useful for tracking previous state values. Additionally, it introduces a custom hook, usePrevious, to abstract the process of tracking previous values. The discussion extends to comparing this approach with using useState for tracking, elaborating on the potential pitfalls of asynchronous updates and batch processing in React. The guide also touches on the evolution from class components to hooks for state management, illustrating how hooks streamline code and enhance reusability. For those seeking third-party solutions, Zustand is recommended for state management, offering functionalities like subscribers to access previous and current state values.

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