React Hooks changed the way we write React. They cleaned up class-based components, removed the need for lifecycle gymnastics, and gave us a more functional, flexible approach to managing state and effects.

But here’s the problem:

Hooks are powerful—but they won’t fix bad design, unclear logic, or rushed decisions.

They make things easier. But not simpler. Let’s unpack what Hooks solve, and more importantly—what they don’t.

🚀 What Hooks Do Well

Before we talk about limitations, here’s a quick recap of what Hooks actually excel at:

These are real improvements.

But a lot of problems in React apps come from outside the scope of Hooks. Let’s look at those.

1. 🧠 Hooks Won’t Fix Confusing Component Logic

The Problem

You can use useState, useEffect, and useRef beautifully—and still end up with a component no one wants to maintain.

Sometimes, it's not about the tools—it’s about what you choose to build inside the component.

Bad Example

function UserProfile({ userId }) {
  const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
  const [posts, setPosts] = useState([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    fetchUser(userId).then(setUser);
    fetchPosts(userId).then(setPosts);
  }, [userId]);

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>{user?.name}</h2>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <p key={post.id}>{post.title}</p>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

This works… but this logic belongs in a custom hook or a separate data layer. Otherwise, the component becomes a data-fetching mess.


Better Design

function useUserData(userId) {
  const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
  const [posts, setPosts] = useState([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    fetchUser(userId).then(setUser);
    fetchPosts(userId).then(setPosts);
  }, [userId]);

  return { user, posts };
}

function UserProfile({ userId }) {
  const { user, posts } = useUserData(userId);

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>{user?.name}</h2>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <p key={post.id}>{post.title}</p>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Hooks didn’t fix the code. Refactoring did.

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2. 🏗 Hooks Won’t Fix Bad Separation of Concerns

React is unopinionated about architecture. Hooks don’t change that.

If your business logic, rendering logic, and side effects are all jammed into one component, useEffect won’t save you.

Real Example

Let’s say you’re checking a user’s permissions and fetching data and rendering UI in one file.

function Dashboard({ user }) {
  const [data, setData] = useState(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (user.role === 'admin') {
      fetchAdminData().then(setData);
    }
  }, [user]);

  return (
    <div>
      {user.role === 'admin' ? <AdminPanel data={data} /> : <NoAccess />}
    </div>
  );
}

This kind of logic should live in a separate hook, context provider, or utility function. Otherwise, you’ll hit a wall as complexity grows.

3. 🧩 Hooks Won’t Fix Poor Naming or Abstraction

It’s easy to get excited and extract a custom hook for everything.

But...

A badly named hook is just as confusing as a deeply nested component.

If your hook is called useLogic or useStuff, no one will know what it does.

Bad

const { state, doSomething } = useHandler();

Better

const { isOpen, toggleModal } = useModal();

Naming is part of your API. Hooks won’t save you from naming things poorly.

4. 🕳 Hooks Won’t Fix State Mismanagement

Many devs rely only on useState—then pile on useEffect to sync things manually.

That leads to bugs and spaghetti logic.

Example

const [isOnline, setIsOnline] = useState(false);
const [status, setStatus] = useState('');

useEffect(() => {
  if (isOnline) setStatus('Online');
  else setStatus('Offline');
}, [isOnline]);

Why are you syncing state manually? Just compute it.

Better

const status = isOnline ? 'Online' : 'Offline';

Derived state doesn’t belong in useState. Hooks won’t protect you from this trap.

5. 🔄 Hooks Won’t Stop Unnecessary Rerenders

A major misconception: using Hooks = better performance.

Not always.

Every time your component re-renders, all your Hooks re-run. That includes expensive computations or unstable functions—unless you memoize properly.

Common Mistake

const handleClick = () => {
  console.log('Clicked');
};
<MyComponent onClick={handleClick} />

This creates a new handleClick on every render.

Fix With useCallback

const handleClick = useCallback(() => {
  console.log('Clicked');
}, []);

But even useCallback adds complexity. Overusing it can make code harder to read. Hooks give you tools—but they can’t prevent misuse.

6. 🧪 Hooks Won’t Replace Testing or Debugging

Just because you refactor code into neat hooks doesn’t mean it’s correct.

Hooks don’t guarantee that your logic is working as expected. You still need to write tests and debug with intent.

// Just because this is in a custom hook:
const { value } = useSomeLogic(); 
// ...doesn't mean the logic is tested or predictable.

Hooks help organize logic. But correctness still requires discipline.

✅ So What Do Hooks Fix?

Let’s be clear—Hooks are still a massive improvement:

But if your app feels unmaintainable or messy, the problem likely isn’t Hooks—it’s how you structure your code around them.

✍ Final Thoughts

Hooks are powerful—but they’re not magic.

They give you a better syntax. Cleaner APIs. A more functional approach.

But they won’t:

Simplicity doesn’t come from using Hooks.
It comes fromhow you use them.

Don’t just reach for useEffect or useState and call it a day. Think about your logic, your structure, and your user. Then build accordingly.

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Give me right now..