The Best React JS Tutorial for Beginners (Top 11 List)

Table of Contents

• 1. Intro to React
• 2. Build a Web App with React
• 3. Codecademy: Learn React
• 4. Learn React
• 5. The Beginner’s Guide to React
• 6. Epic React
• 7. Modern React with Redux
• 8. Node with React: Fullstack Web Development
• 9. React Tutorial: An Overview and Walkthrough
• 10. React for Designers
• 11. React for Beginners: Build an App and Learn the Fundamentals

React can be intimidating. With its jumbled syntax, JSX, opening a React file feels like you’re looking at HTML and Javascript all in one file, which as Tania Rascia explains in her tutorial, seems like something we’re supposed to avoid! 

We’re demystifying React with the best React courses on the internet. Maybe you’re looking for the best React Udemy courses – which might be Stephen Girder’s tutorials: React with Node or React with Redux. Maybe you’re here to find the best React course free resources have to offer which is probably Tania’s guide to React. You could be here to just learn React, no fluff, like Ryan Johnson’s React for Beginners. 

Keep in mind that most of these tutorials assume that you have some familiarity with HTML, JavaScript, and sometimes CSS. You can learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for free or through a JavaScript bootcamp before you learn React. 

Wherever you choose to learn React JS, there’s a tutorial here for you! We’ve rounded up the 11 best React JS tutorial options from React for Designers to React practice projects.

1. Intro to React

From the creators of React, this Intro to React tutorial will teach you how to build a small tic-tac-toe game in just a few hours. It’s designed for “people who prefer to learn by doing.” The goal of this tutorial is to help you understand both React and its syntax.In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create a tic-tac-toe game from start to finish. It teaches you how to set up for building a React app, components, props, and state, common techniques for development, and how to use React’s unique time travel feature. 

Price: Free!This class is for: This is for people who learn by doing and know basic JavaScript and HTML.

2. Build a Web App with React

This five-part mini course teaches you how to Build a Web App with React. It provides videos and interactive code examples to help you learn React. The Glitch team teaches this course and also offers a web browser coding environment with sample projects for you to practice your skills. You can check out their gallery of apps that use React for inspiration for your next project, too. 

In this tutorial, you’ll get an intro to React from Software Engineers who use React in their job every day with examples of when to use it and why it’s useful. Then, you’ll dive into a sample app that uses React along with Webpack, JSX, components, elements, and props. Later, you’ll dive deeper with React Router and React Redux.

Length: 30 minutes of videos + however long it takes you to complete the practice projectsPrice: Free!This class is for: Someone who learns best by having video tutorials in combination with practice problems and wants to hear from industry-experienced Software Engineers. 

3. Codecademy: Learn React

This Learn React course from Codecademy offers a certificate of completion when you subscribe to their Pro plan. Develop a strong understanding of React’s most essential concepts and combine them in React’s modular programming style. 

Over the course of 7 chapters, you’ll learn how to use JSX, the syntax of React; React components and how they work together; Hooks; stateless components; and more. This course includes portfolio projects. 

Length: 20 hoursPrice: $19.99-$39.99/mo, students get 35% offThis class is for: This course is great for students who like to learn step-by-stepReviews: “I know from first-hand experience that you can go in knowing nothing and just get a grasp on everything as you go to start building right away.” -Madelyn

4. Learn React

This course is “the perfect starting point for any React Beginner.” Learn React via 58 interactive screencasts from “Why use React” all the way to practice projects. These screencasts include interactive coding challenges and exercises along the way. This course comes with a friendly community that you can chat with through Discord. 

You’ll learn key react features and build two apps: a meme generator and Todo MVC. This course teaches JSX – the React syntax, conditional rendering, class components, lifecycle methods, handling events, controlled components, props and state, local dev setup, functional components styling components, fetching data from APIs, forms, and hooks.

Length: Includes 5 hours of lessons. This can take you a few days to a few weeks, depending on how much time you have to dedicate and how much time you spend on practice problems. Instructors: Bob ZirollPrice: Free!This class is for: Students who learn by doing and love to pause in the middle of lessons to try it out for themselves. Reviews: People are raving about this React tutorial on Twitter: 

“I have to say, Scrimba is the best platform you can learn React from. The best thing about it is that you can code along with the video and you don’t even have to switch tabs! It’s literally hassle-free. Love this platform!” -Ishan 

“Thanks for your awesome Scrimba tutorial, Bob! BEST. REACT. TUTORIAL. EVER.” -Andrea

“The best intro course for React basics is by Scrimba and it’s free. I took several React courses and I think this one is the best.” -Eng 

“I had started React a couple of times but was never able to complete any course on it. But the moment my search landed me at Scrimba I just fell in love with React. No doubt your course is the best one, Bob!” -Pramod

5. The Beginner’s Guide to React

This Beginner’s Guide to React is designed to teach you everything you need to get started building web apps in React right away. It’s a 28 part course in one file to keep your focus. You’ll learn by doing, starting with a blank file and adding more complexity throughout the course. 

Learn everything from getting started in React to deploying your app in this thorough course. The curriculum touches on what problems React can solve, what JSX is and how it translates to regular JavaScript, how to build forms, how React solves problems, and how to manage state with hooks. 

Length: ~3 hoursInstructors: Kent C. DoddsPrice: Free!This class is for: This course is perfect for React newbies and anyone looking to build a solid foundation. Reviews: This course has a 4.6 star rating on Egghead. Here’s what students are saying about it: 

“Quick, informative, great overview.” -Lesley | 5 stars

“Super helpful for a beginner with many topics covered at a high level and an enthusiastic instructor. The cherry on top? It’s free!” -Grayson | 4 stars

“I like the granular approach to React that Kent provides in this course. With my experience with other React courses, they always use the Create a React App approach which (in my opinion) can confuse beginner users because you need an understanding of webpack and npm too. By teaching each concept individually, it helped me gain a firmer understanding of how much React technically is just JavaScript. The only thing I feel was lacking from this course is a project. In summary, this is a great in-depth jumping off point before you start building actual projects.” -Richard | 4 stars 

6. Epic React

Another course by Kent Dodds that has been getting rave reviews is called Epic React. It provides hands-on practice in a real development environment through a series of self-paced code-along interactive workshops. This course dives deeper to teach you how to “confidently ship well-architected production ready react apps like a pro.” 

You’ll learn React fundamentals, hooks, advanced hooks, advanced patterns, performance, testing, suspense, and building an app. If you want to create robust, high-quality, well-tested React applications that scale to meet users, teams, and project stakeholders’ needs, this class is for you. 

Length: 19 hoursInstructors: Kent C. Dodds, with 10 bonus interviews with React Experts. Price: $599 or buy 2 or 4 chapters for less.This class is for: This isn’t for novice developers, it’s designed to help intermediate React users. Reviews: This course is rated 5 stars. Here’s why: 

“This has been my favorite masterclass series. Especially the compound components chapter! I want to write better APIs for components both for others and for resilience.” -Mike 

“I typically work on smaller apps, so since I don't get exposure to React performance tips and tricks, I found this extremely helpful. I appreciate how much effort you have put into the materials and schedule because this was the smoothest workshop I have EVER attended!” -Lindsey

“This workshop/video/bonanza is nothing like what egghead has on their normal website, honestly this feels like a React Bootcamp/Coding School on a more digestible platform and delivery.” -Jacob (referring to course number 5 on this list)

7. Modern React with Redux

This course is designed to help you build a single page application with modern React and Redux. It aims to teach you Redux so well that you’ll be able to explain how it works to everyone else. This is a comprehensive React course. 

Master React, Redux, with React Router, Webpack, and Create-React-App. Build single page apps, create composable components, become fluent in the toolchain supporting React, and master Redux fundamentals.

Length: 53 hoursInstructors: Stephen GriderPrice: $119.99This class is for: This is for programmers who are looking to learn React and anyone who wants to grow out of just using jQuery.Reviews: This course is rated 4.7 stars on Udemy. Here’s why:

“This course changed how I think about and process code. I have always wanted to try building my own web application and this has given me the confidence to do so! Stephen really goes into great detail to help you gain a deep understanding of challenging concepts while keeping things fresh. I highly recommend this course to anyone.” -Kimberley | 5 stars

“This is really one of the best courses that I found about React and Redux since I started my learning journey. So you're going to dive into React and Redux and understand every step that you do. Stephen is explaining all the behind the scenes stuff. The projects are really cool, they have a lot of functionalities that you need to be able later to build Web Apps on your own. I highly recommend taking this course if you want to learn "React and Redux" the proper way.” -Mohannad | 5 stars

8. Node with React: Fullstack Web Development

This course covers Fullstack Web Development with Node and React. It’s another course by Stephen Grider and it was just updated in January of 2021 on Udemy. This course is for people who learn by doing. Instead of a bunch of small projects, you’ll build one massive web application with a bunch of features. 

You’ll learn how to build and deploy fullstack web apps with Node, React Redux, Express, and MongoDB. Create boilerplate starter projects, master deployment techniques, effectively create and send emails from a backend server, understand common web technologies and design patterns, accept and process credit card payments from users. You’ll even make an app with Google OAuth authentication. 

Length: 26 hoursInstructors: Stephen GriderPrice: $94.99This class is for: This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to build full stack apps with the latest in web technology. Reviews: This course is rated 4.7 stars on Udemy. Here’s what students are saying: 

“A good introduction to fullstack web development with React and Node that covers plenty of the potential 'gotchas' that one would run into if trying to put all of this together on their own. Stephen always does a great job of explaining things and the diagrams that he creates and provides are very helpful when working through some of the more difficult portions of the content.” -Steve | 4.5 stars

9. React Tutorial: An Overview and Walkthrough

For those who learn best by reading, Tania Rascia’s tutorial is a great primer that’s actually recommended by the creators of React themselves! She describes it as “the essential guide to getting started with React.” 

This tutorial walks you through building an application in React from scratch, learning about state, props, and components through written tutorials and screenshots. Tania struggled to get started with React on more than a few occasions, so if you’re struggling too, this is a great place to start. 

Instructors: Tania RasciaPrice: Free!This class is for: Beginners who have struggled to get started with React.Reviews: Tania’s post was extremely popular in 2020. Here’s what readers are saying: 

“Thanks Tania for using the simplest way to explain ReactJS.”

“Seriously, awesome tutorial! I read the React docs a few months ago, but this is so much more concise but it presents the same information. Thanks!”

“This was a super awesome tutorial! I built out this app a few days ago. This hands-on lesson was well written and organized. It helped me understand some key React concepts like state and event handling. Thank you so much for making this available.”

10. React for Designers

This React guide for designers is perfect for dipping your feet into a new coding hobby or switching careers. They say, “React is intimidating. But it doesn’t need to be if you know where to look and what concepts to learn first.” This guide breaks down how to learn React in 3 simple steps. 

You’ll learn React fundamentals, work through some example React projects, and then create your first React App. This guide shares where to learn React through free third party courses, comprehensive resources for designers learning to code, Github projects and free JavaScript tools, and more. 

Length: 1 weekInstructors: Zach JohnstonPrice: Free!This class is for: Designers who want to learn React for free.

11. React for Beginners: Build an App and Learn the Fundamentals

This is the most popular React for Beginners course on SkillShare. It aims to teach you React without all the distractions by sticking to the fundamentals and guiding you through the creation of your first app. It keeps you from getting hung up on external dependencies like webpack and redux by just sticking to the fundamentals. 

You’ll learn elements and components, working with JSX, state and lifecycle, working with forms, creating stateless components, and building your first app. There are also two bonus videos on React rendering and updates. 

Length: 1 hourInstructors: Ryan JohnsonPrice: Free trial, then $19/moThis class is for: Beginners who don’t want to learn webpack or redux right away. 

Reviews: This class is highly rated for how it organized lessons, clarity of instruction, and helpful examples. Here’s what students are saying:

“If you are just beginning with React, ,start with this course to demystify your journey into it. Ryan succeeds in delivering quality actionable information in this short, compact course. Go for it.” -Pulkit G.

“Excellent explanation, i'm really amazed on the format with small videos because that makes it easier to follow, great!” -Beto Q. 

“With little to no previous knowledge of React, this was a perfect intro course. I really appreciated the teaching style and the extremely detailed steps of how and why we made each change to our example project. Thank you!” -Isaac B. 

Once you’ve done these tutorials and decided that you love React JS, you may be ready for an immersive coding bootcamp – here are our picks for the best coding bootcamps!