How to Fix Infinite Loop in React useEffect Caused by Objects and Arrays

A common React bug occurs when objects or arrays are used as dependencies in useEffect, triggering an infinite loop due to reference-based comparison rather than value-based comparison. Since JavaScript treats two objects with identical content as unequal references, React detects a change on every render and re-executes the effect endlessly. Developers can resolve this by using an empty dependency array for one-time initialization, implementing a custom useDeepCompareEffect hook that compares dependencies by value using JSON.stringify or lodash.isEqual, or adding conditional checks before calling state setters. A broader best practice is to avoid resetting state inside a useEffect that depends on that same state, opting instead for explicit reset functions triggered by user events. These approaches improve data flow predictability and eliminate hidden side effects in React applications.