The Virtual DOM (VDOM) is a core concept in React that enhances the efficiency of updates to the user interface (UI). It is a lightweight, in-memory representation of the actual Document Object Model (DOM) used by the browser. The primary purpose of the Virtual DOM is to optimize the process of updating the browser's DOM, which can be slow and performance-intensive when handled directly, especially with frequent changes.
How Virtual DOM Works
Representation: The Virtual DOM is essentially a JavaScript object that represents the DOM tree. It includes the same properties as real DOM objects but does not have the power to directly change what's displayed on the screen[1][2][5][6][8][9][11][12][15][16].
Reconciliation: Whenever there is a change in the state of a React application, such as user input or data fetches, React updates this Virtual DOM first. This update does not affect the actual DOM immediately. Instead, React creates a new Virtual DOM tree representing the new state[1][2][5][6][8][9][11][12][15][16].
Diffing Algorithm: React then compares the new Virtual DOM tree with the previous tree using a diffing algorithm. This process identifies exactly what has changed between the two trees. The algorithm is efficient, aiming to minimize the number of computations needed to determine the differences[1][2][5][6][8][9][11][12][15][16].
Batch Updates: Once React knows which parts of the Virtual DOM have changed, it updates only those specific parts in the actual DOM. This selective update process avoids the performance cost of re-rendering the entire DOM and ensures that only the necessary DOM elements are touched[1][2][5][6][8][9][11][12][15][16].
Benefits of Virtual DOM
Performance: By minimizing direct interactions with the actual DOM and batching updates, the Virtual DOM significantly reduces the amount of work done by the browser, leading to better performance and a smoother user experience[1][2][5][6][8][9][11][...
