React Course Updates

Problems

The current React course was falling out of date particularly:

  • React Hooks vs. Classes
  • Styling Techniques
  • Reach Router

Goals

Create materials that are:

  • Up to date with industry best practices
  • Aligned with PayPal internal approaches
  • Using the latest versions of all npm tools
  • Try to avoid too much tooling early in the class

React.js at PayPal: Fundamentals

Old Outline

  • What is React

  • Understanding JSX

  • Building Components

  • Using Props

  • Handling State with React Hooks

  • Enhancing State Management with useReducer

  • Fetching Data with useEffect

  • Using paypal-scripts & pp-react

New Outline

  • ES6

  • Intro to React

  • Routing

  • Styling

  • Inner Components

  • Debugging

What Went Well

  • Create another Cumulative Lab 

  • Add debugging activity to that lab

  • Create a better student repo with links

Improvements Before Handoff

  • Hooks

  • Smaller Files

  • Challenges

  • PayPal Specifics

React.js at PayPal: Beyond the Basics

Old Outline

  • React Recap

  • Creating Custom Hooks for Forms

  • State Management Techniques: Redux, xstate, etc.

  • Working with Remote Data: REST & GraphQL

  • React Testing

  • paypal-scripts and pp-react

  • Ecosystem APIs: React Router, Next.js, Gatsby, and more!

New Outline

  • React Intro

  • User Input

  • AJAX

  • Best Practices

  • Shared State

  • Flux

  • Redux

  • paypal-scripts

  • Testing

  • Mock Testing

  • Griffin

React.js at PayPal: Beyond the Basics


October 19-22, 2021

Next Steps

  • Tweak fundamentals content
  • Migrate repository to PP
  • Create instructor notes
  • Gather feedback from advanced content