Master React Reusing Components For Better UI Design

How can developers build React apps that scale easily and stay easy to manage?

One of the best ways is React reusing components. It helps reduce repetition, speed up development, and keep the codebase clean.

By creating reusable components, developers can maintain a consistent design, make updates simpler, and improve overall project structure.

This blog breaks down the best practices for building reusable UI components, explains how to do it effectively, and shares real-world examples.

Why Reusable Components Matter in React Applications

Reusable components in React help improve code quality by promoting modularity and maintainability. Instead of rewriting similar UI elements, developers can reuse components across multiple sections of the application. This approach enhances consistency and ensures that updates propagate seamlessly across different parts of a React project.

Benefits of Using Reusable Components

1. Consistency – Standardized UI components maintain design uniformity.

2. Maintainability – Updating a single component affects all instances, reducing redundant changes.

3. Scalability – Projects grow efficiently when components are modular and reusable.

4. Performance Optimization – React efficiently updates only the changed components, improving performance.

Building Blocks of Reusable UI Components

1. Functional Components and Component Composition

A functional component is a simple JavaScript function that returns JSX. These components make it easier to reuse components across different sections of a React project.

Example: Creating a Basic Functional Component

Copy
1const Button = ({ label, onClick }) => {
2  return (
3    <button onClick={onClick} className="btn">
4      {label}
5    </button>
6  );
7};
8
9export default Button;

This button component can be used in multiple parts of the application, making the UI more consistent.

2. Keeping Components Focused and Following the Single Responsibility Principle

When creating reusable components, keeping components focused on a single task enhances maintainability. The single responsibility principle ensures that each component does one thing well.

Example: Splitting UI and Logic for a Reusable Input Component

Copy
1const Input = ({ type, placeholder, value, onChange }) => {
2  return (
3    <input
4      type={type}
5      placeholder={placeholder}
6      value={value}
7      onChange={onChange}
8      className="input-field"
9    />
10  );
11};
12
13export default Input;

This input component can handle various input fields such as text, email, and passwords, making it highly reusable.

Creating Reusable UI Components

1. Structuring a Reusable Form Component

A form component should encapsulate form elements like text inputs, checkboxes, and buttons. It should also support form validation and handle user input efficiently.

Example: Creating a Form Component

Copy
1import { useState } from "react";
2import Input from "./Input";
3import Button from "./Button";
4
5const Form = ({ onSubmit }) => {
6  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({ name: "", email: "" });
7
8  const handleChange = (e) => {
9    setFormData({ ...formData, [e.target.name]: e.target.value });
10  };
11
12  const handleSubmit = (e) => {
13    e.preventDefault();
14    onSubmit(formData);
15  };
16
17  return (
18    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="form-component">
19      <Input type="text" placeholder="Name" name="name" value={formData.name} onChange={handleChange} />
20      <Input type="email" placeholder="Email" name="email" value={formData.email} onChange={handleChange} />
21      <Button label="Submit" onClick={handleSubmit} />
22    </form>
23  );
24};
25
26export default Form;

This form component ensures that the form elements are reusable and adaptable.

Best Practices for Reusing Components in React

1. Follow the Single Responsibility Principle

Each component should handle one task. Keeping components focused improves readability and maintainability.

2. Use Component Composition for Flexibility

Rather than making monolithic components, use component composition to pass children as props.

Example: Component Composition

Copy
1const Card = ({ title, children }) => {
2  return (
3    <div className="card">
4      <h3>{title}</h3>
5      {children}
6    </div>
7  );
8};

This allows flexibility in how the Card component is used.

3. Managing API Calls in Reusable Components

When components require API calls, handle them within hooks or higher-order components to avoid tightly coupling UI with data fetching.

Example: Handling API Calls in a Component

Copy
1import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
2
3const DataFetcher = ({ url, render }) => {
4  const [data, setData] = useState(null);
5
6  useEffect(() => {
7    fetch(url)
8      .then((res) => res.json())
9      .then((data) => setData(data));
10  }, [url]);
11
12  return render(data);
13};

This component can be used to fetch and display any data without modifying the core logic.

Structuring a React Project for Reusable Components

A well-defined folder structure enhances code organization.

Copy
1src/
2│── components/
3│   ├── Button.js
4│   ├── Input.js
5│   ├── Form.js
6│   ├── Card.js
7│── hooks/
8│── utils/
9│── pages/
10│── styles/

By organizing components effectively, maintainable components become easier to manage.

Building Reusable UI Components with a Thematic Approach

Creating a reusable UI often requires setting up reusable UI components for buttons, forms, modals, and layouts.

Example: Thematic Button Component

Copy
1const Button = ({ label, variant, onClick }) => {
2  const styles = variant === "primary" ? "btn-primary" : "btn-secondary";
3  return <button className={styles} onClick={onClick}>{label}</button>;
4};

This approach ensures that the button component maintains a consistent theme.

Making the Most of Reusable Components in React

React reusing components keeps development smooth and organized. By focusing on small, single-purpose components and structuring projects well, developers can build UI elements that work across different pages and apps.

Using reusable components means forms, buttons, and input fields don’t need to be built from scratch each time. With a thoughtful approach, teams can speed up development, keep code clean, and create better user experiences.