Intro To React, Week 5

Meeting Purpose

To conduct the fifth week's algorithm hour, focusing on binary search implementation.

Key Takeaways

• Binary search algorithm introduced as an efficient "divide and conquer" strategy for searching sorted arrays
• Non-recursive implementation of binary search was the main focus, with a brief mention of a recursive version for future learning
• Two student groups presented their solutions, demonstrating different approaches to the problem
• Bonus challenge involved counting occurrences of the target number in the array

Meeting Purpose

Overview of the Intro to React module and modern JavaScript essentials for React development.

Key Takeaways

• Two-week React module covers ES6+ JavaScript, React fundamentals, and advanced concepts
• Assessment window opens on Wednesday of the second week; practice assessment is a to-do list app
• Modern JavaScript features (ES6+) are crucial for React development, including var/let/const, destructuring, and arrow functions
• React ecosystem is vast with numerous third-party libraries and tools available

Meeting Purpose

Introduce React module and review key ES6 features needed for React development.

Key Takeaways

• React module begins today, focusing on ES6 features crucial for React development
• Covered spread/rest operators, arrow functions, callbacks, and pure functions
• Emphasized importance of immutability and functional programming concepts for React
• Introduced JSDoc for improved developer experience and code documentation

Meeting Purpose

Discuss and solve two coding algorithms: D-Dup Array and First Non-Repeated Integer.

Key Takeaways

• Two algorithms introduced: D-Dup Array (remove duplicates from sorted array) and First Non-Repeated Integer (find first unique element)
• Multiple solutions presented, ranging from using built-in methods (Set constructor) to custom implementations with nested loops
• Emphasis on understanding the problem, considering edge cases, and exploring different approaches (e.g., with/without built-in methods)

Meeting Purpose

Introduce React fundamentals and compare it to vanilla JavaScript for building user interfaces.

Key Takeaways

• React is a JavaScript library for building UIs that enables single-page applications (SPAs) with improved performance and user experience
• React's declarative approach using JSX syntax simplifies UI development compared to imperative vanilla JavaScript DOM manipulation
• Key React concepts introduced: components, state, props, and the virtual DOM for efficient rendering

Meeting Purpose

Provide a foundational lecture on starting a React project using Vite, cleaning up default files, and exploring functional components.

Key Takeaways

• Vite provides efficient scaffolding for React projects with npm create vite@latest
• React components use PascalCase naming and are typically organized in a components folder
• JSX allows composing UI with component-based architecture, improving maintainability
• CSS can be applied globally or scoped to components using CSS modules

Meeting Purpose

Review and discuss two algorithm problems for ACE Academics coding practice.

Key Takeaways

• Two algorithms presented: "Missing Value" and "Longest Consecutive Streak"
• "Missing Value" problem solved using mathematical approach (sequence sum formula)
• "Longest Consecutive Streak" problem postponed for next session
• Increasing difficulty noted in recent algorithm challenges

Meeting Purpose

Discuss React props and state, focusing on their implementation and best practices.

Key Takeaways

• Props allow components to be configurable and reusable, passing data from parent to child components
• useState hook enables components to have self-contained, updatable state
• Best practice for updating state based on previous state is to use a function in the setter
• Components can turn props into state to make them updatable within the component

Meeting Purpose

Demonstrate practical uses of state in React, focusing on Boolean and string state types for UI interactions.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented a toggleable off-canvas menu using Boolean state
• Created a theme switcher using string state for light/dark modes
• Demonstrated prop passing and state management across multiple components
• Showcased React conventions for naming state and handler functions

Meeting Purpose

To introduce recursive functions and provide practice algorithms for ACE Academics students.

Key Takeaways

• Recursive functions call themselves within their own definition, requiring a base case to prevent infinite loops
• Key components: base case, recursive case (with progression toward base case), and self-call
• Two practice algorithms introduced: Recursive Sigma and Recursive Sum Array
• Recursive approach can be powerful but often less efficient than iterative solutions

Meeting Purpose

Continuation of React module, focusing on controlled components and form handling.

Key Takeaways

• Controlled components in React manage form input state, providing predictable data flow and easier validation
• Multiple approaches exist for handling form state, from individual state variables to a unified form state object
• Different input types (text, textarea, checkbox, radio) require slight variations in controlled component implementation

Meeting Purpose

Afternoon lecture on React input validation and conditional rendering, followed by code review planning.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented controlled inputs and form validation using React state and conditional rendering
• Explored two approaches to conditional rendering: short-circuit (&& operator) and ternary statements
• Code reviews for the registration form assignment will begin at 2:30 PM, with students able to choose their readiness level

Meeting Purpose

Review and discuss implementations of recursive Fibonacci and binary search algorithms.

Key Takeaways

• Recursive Fibonacci: Classic approach with base case (n ≤ 1) and recursive calls (fib(n-1) + fib(n-2))
• Recursive Binary Search: Two main approaches shared - one using array slicing, another using left/right pointers
• Both algorithms demonstrate the importance of base cases and efficient recursive calls
• Space complexity considerations led some groups to prefer pointer-based approach for binary search

Meeting Purpose

To cover rendering lists in React, focusing on mapping and filtering data with parent and child components.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented a TV show list using React's map function and child components
• Explored the importance of unique key props when rendering lists
• Created a dynamic filtering system for favorites using React state
• Introduced CSS modules for component-specific styling

Meeting Purpose

Implement filtering and favoriting functionality for a React TV show list application, and introduce the Birdwatch Pro assignment.

Key Takeaways

• Successfully implemented rating filters and favorite toggling for TV shows
• Demonstrated lifting state up to manage shared data between sibling components
• Introduced delete functionality for TV show items
• Outlined requirements for the Birdwatch Pro assignment, emphasizing similar functionality