Building Custom React Hooks for Clean and Reusable Logic

What Are Custom Hooks? Custom Hooks are JavaScript functions that start with “use” and encapsulate stateful logic you’d otherwise repeat in several components. Why Use Them? Reusability: Write your logic once and share it everywhere. Readability: Keeps components focused on rendering, not on complex data fetching or event handling. Testability: You can test hook logic in isolation, without mounting UI. Naming & Structure Always prefix with use (e.g., useFetch, useForm). Return only what consumers need: state values, updater functions, or any side-effect triggers. Common Examples Data fetching: Centralize API calls and loading/error state. Form handling: Manage input values, validation, and submission status. Event listeners: Abstract window resize, scroll, or visibility observers. Best Practices Keep hooks focused: one concern per hook. Use dependency arrays thoughtfully to avoid stale closures. Document inputs and outputs clearly for other developers. Conclusion Custom Hooks are a lightweight, elegant way to DRY up your React code. As your app grows, they’ll save time, reduce bugs, and make your components far easier to understand. Try extracting a piece of repeated logic into a hook in your next project!