Most React developers are familiar with the concept of the Virtual DOM. We’re taught that when we call setState, React creates a new virtual tree, “diffs” it with the old one, and efficiently updates the actual browser DOM. While true, this high-level explanation barely scratches the surface of the sophisticated engine running under the hood. It doesn’t answer the critical questions: How does React handle multiple, competing updates? What allows it to render fluid animations while also fetching data or responding to user input without freezing the page? The simple diffing algorithm is only the beginning of the story. The… Go to Post