React Engineer
I build React interfaces that stay fast and maintainable as they grow — component APIs that compose, state that lives where it belongs, and rendering you can reason about. 6+ years across production SaaS dashboards and customer-facing apps.
What it is
React is the component library for building user interfaces from composable, declarative pieces. Modern React spans client components, server components (via frameworks like Next.js), hooks for state and effects, and a rich ecosystem for data fetching and forms.
Why it matters
Most React problems are architecture problems wearing a performance costume: state in the wrong place, components that do too much, re-renders nobody asked for. Getting the structure right is what keeps a UI fast and a codebase changeable.
My experience
I've built analytics dashboards, multi-tenant admin consoles, and customer apps in React + Next.js, maintaining 90%+ test coverage on the codebases that needed it and leading code review across a five-person team.
Projects
Architecture decisions & trade-offs
Local state by default; lift only when shared; reach for a store (Redux Toolkit) only when cross-cutting state genuinely warrants it. Most apps need far less global state than they think.
Components should be obvious to use and hard to misuse — clear props, sensible defaults, composition over configuration flags.
Measure before memoizing. Most re-render problems are solved by moving state down or splitting components, not by sprinkling `useMemo`.
- Putting everything in global state — it couples unrelated features and slows renders.
- Premature memoization that adds complexity without measured benefit.
- Giant components that mix data, layout, and logic — impossible to test or reuse.
- Co-locate state with the components that use it.
- Small, focused components with clear prop contracts.
- Test behavior, not implementation details.
- Profile with React DevTools before optimizing.
FAQ
Do I still need Redux in 2026?
Usually no. Local state plus server state from your framework covers most apps. Use a store only when you have genuinely cross-cutting client state that many distant components share.
How do you fix slow React renders?
Profile first. Most slowness comes from state placed too high or components doing too much — move state down and split components before memoizing.
Key takeaways
- React performance is mostly architecture: state placement + component boundaries.
- Default to local state; globalize only when truly shared.
- Measure before you optimize.