Getting Started with React

React has become one of the most popular JavaScript libraries for building user interfaces. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through creating your first React application from scratch.

Setting Up Your Environment

Before we begin, you'll need Node.js installed on your system. We'll use Create React App to bootstrap our project quickly and efficiently.

npx create-react-app my-first-app\ncd my-first-app\nnpm start

Understanding Components

React applications are built using components - reusable pieces of code that return JSX. Components can be functional or class-based, with functional components being the modern standard.

State Management

Managing state in React is crucial for building interactive applications. We'll explore useState hook and how to handle user interactions effectively.

Next Steps

Once you've mastered the basics, consider exploring React Router for navigation, Context API for state management, and testing with Jest and React Testing Library.