20 React Router DOM Interview Questions and Answers
Prepare for the types of questions you are likely to be asked when interviewing for a position where React Router DOM will be used.
React Router DOM is a popular JavaScript library that helps developers create single-page web applications. If you are applying for a position that involves React Router DOM, it is important to be prepared for questions about this library. In this article, we review some of the most common React Router DOM interview questions and provide tips on how to answer them.
React Router DOM Interview Questions and Answers
Here are 20 commonly asked React Router DOM interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:
1. What is React Router?
React Router is a library that helps developers manage and navigate different views in a React application. React Router makes it easy to declare and render different routes in an application, and it also provides a number of features that make it easier to handle things like dynamic routing and server-side rendering.
2. What are the advantages of using React Router over other routing solutions like Angular or Backbone?
React Router is a lightweight solution that provides dynamic routing for React applications. It is easy to use and can be integrated into existing applications with minimal effort. React Router is also fast, efficient, and scalable, making it a good choice for large-scale applications.
3. How do you use a component in React Router?
In order to use a component in React Router, you need to first import it into your React file. Once the component is imported, you can then render it anywhere in your code using the React Router DOM tags.
4. Can you explain what BrowserRouter and HashRouter are?
BrowserRouter is a router that uses the HTML5 history API to keep track of your location. HashRouter is a router that uses the hash fragment of the URL to keep track of your location.
5. What’s the difference between BrowserRouter and HashRouter? Which one would you recommend for certain situations?
BrowserRouter uses the HTML5 history API to keep track of your router history, whereas HashRouter uses the hash in the URL to keep track of your router history. I would recommend BrowserRouter for most situations, as it provides a cleaner URL structure. However, HashRouter may be necessary if you are working with an older browser that does not support the HTML5 history API.
6. How can you access the history object in React Router?
The history object can be accessed by using the withRouter higher-order component. This will give you access to the history object, which you can then use to programmatically change the route that is being rendered.
7. Is it possible to pass parameters to routes in React Router? If yes, then how?
Yes, it is possible to pass parameters to routes in React Router. You can do this by using the URL parameters feature of React Router. With this feature, you can specify a parameter in the URL path of a route. When a user navigates to that route, the parameter will be available to the route component.
8. What is the difference between static and dynamic routing in React Router?
Static routing is used to define routes that are not dependent on any dynamic data, while dynamic routing is used to define routes that are based on dynamic data. For example, if you were creating a route to a user’s profile page, you would use dynamic routing and include the user’s ID in the route.
9. What are some ways to render nested routes in React Router?
There are a few ways to render nested routes in React Router. One way is to use the render prop. Another way is to use the component prop. Finally, you can also use the children prop.
10. What is react-router-dom?
React-router-dom is a routing library for React that allows you to declaratively define routes in your React application. With react-router-dom, you can easily add new pages to your React application without having to do any complex configuration. Simply add the appropriate React components and you’re good to go!
11. What is the meaning of “exact” path matching when used with React Router?
The “exact” path matching is used to make sure that the path specified in the route is an exact match. This is important because, without it, React Router would match any path that contains the specified path. For example, if you have a route specified for “/about” and you are trying to match the path “/about-us”, then React Router would incorrectly match the path because it contains “/about”. By specifying the “exact” path, you can be sure that only an exact match will be matched.
12. What is Linked State Mixin in context of React Router?
Linked State Mixin is a mixin for React Router that allows two-way binding between a component and the current location. This means that if the location changes, the component will update automatically, and vice versa. This is especially useful for creating dynamic and responsive applications.
13. What do you understand about Route Configuration in React Router?
Route configuration is how you tell React Router what components to render when the user navigates to a specific URL. You can configure React Router to render different components depending on the URL, and you can also specify what props to pass to those components. Route configuration is a powerful way to control how your React app behaves, and it’s one of the most important concepts to understand in React Router.
14. What is query string in context of React Router?
The query string is the part of the URL that comes after the question mark (?). It is used to pass information to the server. In the context of React Router, the query string can be used to pass information about the route to the server.
15. How can you handle 404 errors with React Router?
React Router provides a built-in component called
16. How do you define multiple redirects with React Router?
You can use the Redirect component from React Router to define multiple redirects. The Redirect component takes in a from prop and a to prop. The from prop defines the path that you are redirecting from, and the to prop defines the path that you are redirecting to. You can use multiple Redirect components to define multiple redirects.
17. Why aren’t we allowed to use state inside JSX elements?
The main reason for this is because it can lead to unexpected behavior and make your code more difficult to reason about. When you use state inside of JSX elements, it is not clear where that state is coming from or how it is being used. This can make it difficult to debug your code and understand what is happening. Additionally, using state inside of JSX elements can lead to re-rendering issues and make your code less performant.
18. What is route nesting in context of React Router?
Route nesting is when you have multiple levels of routes, and each level is nested inside the previous level. For example, you might have a route for /users, and inside that route you have a route for /:userId. That would be an example of route nesting.
19. When should I prefer props over state in React Router?
Props are generally preferred over state when it comes to React Router, since props are immutable and thus provide a more predictable state for your application. However, there are some cases where state may be necessary, such as when you need to track the location of a user within your application.
20. What are some common mistakes people make while using React Router?
One common mistake is not using the right React Router component for the task at hand. For instance, using a Link component when a NavLink is more appropriate. Another mistake is not properly nesting routes, which can lead to unexpected behavior. Finally, people sometimes forget to set the key prop on a route, which can also lead to unexpected behavior.