React components rely on JSX syntax, which is used to describe the structure of the UI. JSX will only get you so far—you need data to fill in the structure of your React components. The focus of this chapter is on component data, which comes in two main varieties: properties and state. Another option for passing data to components is via a context.

I'll start things off by defining what is meant by properties and state. Then, I'll walk through some examples that show you the mechanics of setting component state and passing component properties. Toward the end of this chapter, we'll build on your newfound knowledge of properties and state and introduce functional components and the container pattern. Finally, you'll learn about context and when it makes a better choice than a property for passing data to components...