The Evolution of React Reusability Patterns - From Composition to Custom Hooks

TL;DR — React reusability evolved through four patterns: Composition → HOC → Render Props → Custom Hooks. Each pattern solved the problems of the previous one. Today, Custom Hooks for logic and Composition for UI is the recommended approach. Introduction Every React developer eventually hits the same problem: I wrote this logic in one component… now I need it in five more. Over the years, the React community developed several patterns to solve this problem. Some worked well. Some created new problems. The journey of React reusability went through four major patterns: Component Composition ↓ Higher Order Components (HOC) ↓ Render Props ↓ Custom Hooks ✅ In this blog, we will walk through all four patterns — not just what they are, but why they exist and when to use each one. By the end, you will have a clear mental model for choosing the right pattern in any situation. 1️⃣ Component Composition — UI Reuse React's original philosophy is: Composition over inheritance Instead of creating la