What is state in React?

Short answer: State is data that is local to a component and can change over time. ✅ Example using useState: import { useState } from 'react'; function Counter() { const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

Example code

return <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>{count}</button>; }

Real-world example (ShopNest)

ProductCard receives price via props. The parent Catalog owns selected filters in state and passes them down.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.