Skills you need to be a react developer
10 skills a hiring manager would actually test for, each with the level this role expects and what it is used for. Not a syllabus — the shape of the job.
Build my path to this roleUpskili checks what you can already do, then sequences only what is missing. No account needed.
What the role requires
Ordered by how much the job depends on it. The bar is the proficiency expected of a competent react developer — not mastery, and not a passing acquaintance.
-
React
Essential
Builds and maintains all UI components and application logic.
Deep -
JavaScript (ES6+)
Essential
Core language for all frontend logic, state, and async operations.
Deep -
TypeScript
Important
Adds type safety to large codebases and improves developer experience.
Strong -
State Management (Redux/Zustand)
Important
Manages complex, shared application state across many components.
Strong -
CSS/SCSS
Important
Styles components responsively and maintains design system consistency.
Strong -
Testing (Jest/React Testing Library)
Important
Writes unit and integration tests to prevent regressions.
Strong -
Git
Useful
Collaborates on code with branching, merging, and pull requests.
Strong -
REST APIs / GraphQL
Useful
Integrates frontend with backend services and handles data fetching.
Strong -
Next.js
Useful
Enables server-side rendering and static site generation when needed.
Working -
Docker
Useful
Runs containerized development environments consistently across the team.
Familiar
An order worth learning it in
A list of ten skills is the same unhelpful answer a catalogue gives, just sorted. This is where to actually start.
Start here
Essential to the role, and reachable from a standing start. Everything below rests on these.
- TypeScript
- State Management (Redux/Zustand)
- CSS/SCSS
- Testing (Jest/React Testing Library)
Then this
The rest of what the role is assessed on. Harder, and it builds on the foundation above.
- React
- JavaScript (ES6+)
What sets you apart
Not what gets you hired, but what separates doing the job from being trusted with it.
- Git
- REST APIs / GraphQL
- Next.js
- Docker
You almost certainly have some of this already.
That is the point of starting from the role rather than a course. Upskili checks what you can do, then builds a path across only the gap.
See my path to react developer