Getting Started with React 19: A Modern Approach to Building Faster and Simpler Web Interfaces

Arian Aas Sami • General Secretary-2025-2026 (HSC-2026) • 4 November 2025

React 19 represents a significant evolution in the React ecosystem, focused on simplifying development and improving performance. One of the most notable advancements is the new React Compiler, which automatically optimizes components so developers no longer have to rely heavily on performance helpers like useMemo and useCallback. This allows for cleaner, more readable code. Additionally, React 19 officially supports React Server Components, enabling parts of the UI to be rendered directly on the server. This reduces JavaScript bundle size and speeds up page loads, especially useful for large or data-heavy applications. The update also introduces new hooks, such as useActionState for handling forms and async requests more easily, useOptimistic for instant UI updates before server confirmation, and the use() hook for directly working with asynchronous data inside components. With smoother integration into tools like Vite and frameworks such as Next.js, getting started with React 19 is more straightforward than ever. Overall, React 19 preserves React’s well-loved component-based design but streamlines workflows, improves efficiency, and offers faster, more dynamic web experiences for users and developers alike.