React is a popular JavaScript library used for building user interfaces, and it provides developers with two types of components: functional components and class components. While both types of components can be used to create React applications, functional components have gained popularity in recent years due to their many advantages over class components.
One of the main advantages of functional components is their simplicity. Functional components are lightweight and straightforward, consisting of only a function that returns a piece of UI. This simplicity can make it easier to read and understand your code, which can be helpful when working on larger or more complex projects.
Another benefit of functional components is their performance. Functional components can be more efficient than class components because they do not have the overhead of creating an instance of a class. This can result in faster rendering and a smoother user experience.
Functional components are also easier to test than class components. Because functional components are just plain JavaScript functions, you can test them in isolation without needing to set up a lot of extra infrastructure. This can make it easier to write tests for your components and ensure that your application is functioning as expected.
In addition, functional components work well with React's hooks API, which provides a way to add state and lifecycle methods to functional components. The hooks API is designed to be used with functional components, so using functional components can provide a more natural way to use the hooks API and make your code more organized and easier to maintain.
Finally, functional components are the recommended way to write React components since React version 16.8. Class components are still supported, but the React team recommends using functional components for new development as they provide a simpler and more concise way of building React applications.
From React documentation: "Component is the base class for the React components defined as JavaScript classes. Class components are still supported by React, but we don’t recommend using them in new code."
Functional components provide many advantages over class components in React. They are simpler, more performant, easier to test, work well with the hooks API, and are now the recommended way to write React components. If you are starting a new React project or considering a refactor, functional components are the way to go.