React Project Ideas for Beginners 2025
As we move into 2025, React continues to dominate the JavaScript ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for beginners seeking to enhance their web development skills. If you’re starting your journey with React or looking to consolidate what you’ve learned, embarking on a hands-on project is one of the best ways to solidify your understanding. This article presents a collection of engaging React project ideas designed specifically for beginners. Each project not only reinforces foundational React concepts but also enables you to create a portfolio that stands out.
1. To-Do List Application
Creating a To-Do List application is a classic beginner project that provides insight into component structures, state management, and handling user inputs.
Key Features:
- Add new tasks.
- Mark tasks as completed.
- Delete tasks.
- Persist tasks using local storage.
Example Code:
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
const TodoApp = () => {
const [task, setTask] = useState('');
const [tasks, setTasks] = useState(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('tasks')) || []);
useEffect(() => {
localStorage.setItem('tasks', JSON.stringify(tasks));
}, [tasks]);
const addTask = () => {
if (task) {
setTasks([...tasks, { id: Date.now(), text: task, completed: false }]);
setTask('');
}
};
const toggleTaskCompletion = (id) => {
setTasks(tasks.map(t => t.id === id ? { ...t, completed: !t.completed } : t));
};
const deleteTask = (id) => {
setTasks(tasks.filter(t => t.id !== id));
};
return (
To-Do List
setTask(e.target.value)} />
{tasks.map(t => (
-
{t.text}
))}
);
};
export default TodoApp;2. Simple Weather App
Building a weather application enables you to connect to live APIs and display dynamic data. This project familiarizes you with fetching data, handling promises, and displaying results conditionally.
Key Features:
- Get current weather based on user input.
- Display temperature, condition, and location.
- Responsive design for mobile and desktop views.
Example Code:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
const WeatherApp = () => {
const [city, setCity] = useState('');
const [weather, setWeather] = useState(null);
const fetchWeather = async () => {
const response = await fetch(`https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=${city}&appid=YOUR_API_KEY&units=metric`);
const data = await response.json();
setWeather(data);
};
return (
Weather App
setCity(e.target.value)} />
{weather && (
{weather.name}
Temperature: {weather.main.temp} °C
Condition: {weather.weather[0].description}
)}
);
};
export default WeatherApp;3. Recipe Finder
The Recipe Finder project helps you understand how to manage data from external APIs while enabling users to search and filter information based on specific ingredients or cuisine types.
Key Features:
- Search for recipes by ingredient.
- Display list of recipes with images.
- Detailed recipe view with cooking instructions.
Example Code:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
const RecipeFinder = () => {
const [ingredient, setIngredient] = useState('');
const [recipes, setRecipes] = useState([]);
const fetchRecipes = async () => {
const response = await fetch(`https://www.themealdb.com/api/json/v1/1/filter.php?i=${ingredient}`);
const data = await response.json();
setRecipes(data.meals);
};
return (
Recipe Finder
setIngredient(e.target.value)} />
{recipes && recipes.map(recipe => (
- {recipe.strMeal}
))}
);
};
export default RecipeFinder;4. Personal Blog
A personal blog site allows you to explore routing, layout, and dynamic data presentation. It provides an opportunity to learn about React Router and state management approaches.
Key Features:
- Create, edit, and delete blog posts.
- Category tagging for posts.
- Comment section for discussion.
Example Code:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Switch, Link } from 'react-router-dom';
const Blog = () => {
const [posts, setPosts] = useState([]);
const addPost = (title, content) => {
setPosts([...posts, { id: Date.now(), title, content }]);
};
return (
My Blog
Create Post
{/* A form to create post will go here */}
{posts.map(post => (
-
{post.title}
{post.content}
))}
);
};
export default Blog;5. E-commerce Product Page
Designing an E-commerce product page helps you get accustomed to component hierarchy, props drilling, and applying styles. You can create a UI that mimics popular e-commerce platforms, which can serve as part of your portfolio.
Key Features:
- Display product details like images, prices, and descriptions.
- Add to cart functionality.
- Filter products based on categories.
Example Code:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
const ProductPage = () => {
const [cart, setCart] = useState([]);
const products = [
{ id: 1, name: 'Laptop', price: 999, description: 'High-performance laptop', image: 'laptop.jpg' },
{ id: 2, name: 'Phone', price: 499, description: 'Latest smartphone', image: 'phone.jpg' }
];
const addToCart = (product) => {
setCart([...cart, product]);
};
return (
Products
{products.map(product => (
{product.name}
{product.description}
${product.price}
))}
);
};
export default ProductPage;6. Expense Tracker
Building an expense tracker helps you practice state management and present real-time updates based on user input. This project is particularly beneficial for mastering forms and creating interactive applications.
Key Features:
- Input for adding expenses.
- Categorize expenses (e.g., Food, Transportation).
- Display total expenses and savings.
Example Code:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
const ExpenseTracker = () => {
const [amount, setAmount] = useState('');
const [category, setCategory] = useState('');
const [expenses, setExpenses] = useState([]);
const addExpense = () => {
if (amount && category) {
setExpenses([...expenses, { id: Date.now(), amount, category }]);
setAmount('');
setCategory('');
}
};
const totalExpenses = expenses.reduce((acc, curr) => acc + parseFloat(curr.amount), 0);
return (
Expense Tracker
setAmount(e.target.value)} placeholder="Amount" />
setCategory(e.target.value)} placeholder="Category" />
Total Expenses: ${totalExpenses}
{expenses.map(exp => (
- {exp.category}: ${exp.amount}
))}
);
};
export default ExpenseTracker;7. Chat Application (Real-Time Messaging)
Creating a chat application introduces advanced concepts such as websockets and real-time data transmission. You can use libraries like Socket.io to facilitate communication.
Key Features:
- Real-time messaging between users.
- Display active users.
- Support for private and group chats.
Example Code Skeleton:
The code for a real-time chat application would require backend support and will mainly use API interactions.
// Basic skeleton for chat app setup
import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
import io from 'socket.io-client';
const ChatApp = () => {
const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
const [messageInput, setMessageInput] = useState('');
const socket = io('http://localhost:4000'); // backend socket URL
useEffect(() => {
socket.on('receive-message', (data) => {
setMessages(prevMessages => [...prevMessages, data]);
});
}, []);
const sendMessage = () => {
socket.emit('send-message', messageInput);
setMessageInput('');
};
return (
Chat Application
{messages.map((msg, index) => (
{msg}
))}
setMessageInput(e.target.value)}
placeholder="Type a message..."
/>
);
};
export default ChatApp;Conclusion
These React project ideas provide a solid foundation for beginners looking to get their hands dirty while learning the ropes of React development. By building these applications, you will develop a better understanding of how React works, solidify your programming skills, and create portfolio pieces that showcase your capabilities.
Remember, as you progress, challenge yourself with additional features, integrate more complex libraries, or even experiment with integrating backend services. Your journey with React starts here, and the possibilities are endless!
Happy coding!
