How to Create the Initial Components for a React App

How to Create the Initial Components for a React App

The initial components set the foundation for your React app. Here is how to create them cleanly.

Start With the Layout

Create the app shell first: the header, the main content area, and any sidebar. These are the containers that everything else renders inside.

Create Page Components

For each route, create a page component. These are the top-level components React Router renders, like BrowsePage, ProfilePage, and ChatPage.

Build Reusable Primitives

Create small reusable primitives early: a Button, a Card, an Input. Building these once with consistent styling saves repetition later.

Keep Components Focused

Each component should do one thing. A BrowsePage renders the header and the feed; the feed renders cards. Each piece is focused and reusable.

Use Props for Flexibility

Make components flexible with props. A Card takes a title and an image, so it can render any card, not just one specific item.

Stub Before Polish

Create stubs of all your components with placeholder content first, so the structure is visible. Then iterate, replacing stubs with real content one at a time.

The Takeaway

Start with the layout, create page components for each route, build reusable primitives like Button and Card, keep components focused, use props for flexibility, and stub everything before polishing. The foundation makes the rest easier.