How a Misused useEffect Hook Caused an Infinite Render Loop in React

A React developer shared how their app froze due to an infinite re-render loop triggered by a misconfigured useEffect hook with an incorrect dependency array. The bug caused CPU usage to spike and the browser to become unresponsive, initially making the issue hard to trace. Using browser Developer Tools, the developer identified that the effect was re-running on every render because its dependencies were being recreated each cycle. The fix involved correcting the dependency array and memoizing values with useMemo and useCallback to prevent unnecessary re-renders. The experience highlighted how small mistakes in React hooks can cause significant performance issues and underscored the value of careful dependency management.