What will happen if you use props in initial state?
Assesses fundamental understanding of React conventions, runtime behavior, and memory/performance considerations.
Hiring managers look for precision, avoidance of ambiguous jargon, and ability to explain trade-offs under real production conditions.
If the props on the component are changed without the component being refreshed, the new prop value will never be displayed because the constructor function will never update the current state of the component. The initialization of state from props only runs when the component is first created.
The below component won't display the updated input value:
```jsx harmony
class MyComponent extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
records: [],
inputValue: this.props.inputValue,
};
}
render() {
return <div>{this.state.inputValue}</div>;
}
}
Using props inside render method will update the value:
class MyComponent extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
record: [],
};
}
render() {
return <div>{this.props.inputValue}</div>;
}
}
```
Candidate Response Strategy & Interview Tips
- Start with a concise one-sentence summary: Deliver a direct, confident answer first before expanding into nuances.
- Demonstrate real-world trade-offs: Discuss where this approach excels and when you would avoid it in production systems.
- Discuss complexity & edge cases: Proactively explain time/space complexity or boundary conditions (null values, scale limits).
- Prepare for interviewer follow-ups: Technical hiring panels frequently probe deeper into concurrency, backward compatibility, or alternative libraries.