State is an extremely complex and intimidating topic for a lot of new and learning developers. It is one of the largest tasks a developer must overcome and control to make any project - big or small, good or bad, worthy or unworthy - successfully functional. But what is state exactly? I personally enjoy the definition found here from https://daveceddia.com/visual-guide-to-state-in-react/
In the React sense, “state” is an object that represents the parts of the app that can change. Each component can maintain its own state, which lives in an object called this.state.
And that definition is extremely relatable. You see, state is the part of programming that is most human-like. It has a code (yes pun intended) it does it’s best to follow and “live” by, but still isn’t perfect and will make mista—errors. An app’s state is subject to influence from it’s environment and really can have a very difficult time accepting anything that isn’t directly a part of that particular environment. By the same token, a state could crave data -from varied & wide-ranging to very specific niche(s) - from new sources, and constantly updating itself as it’s worldview expands.
This is because state as we know it is directly affected by free will. YOUR will. Through you state gains its form and characteristics, whether you share the exact same similarities as state or not. Are you slow to recognize your own mistakes? Too prideful to work in a team? State may become stubborn and foolhardy, failing to update properly and become stuck in it’s ways without some outside influence to help guide it, or a considerable amount of time and care. Always feeling rushed and pressured by deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise? State may become so consumed with it’s immediate concerns that it loses sight of everything else it’s supposed to do.
But fear not! State, much like you and me, WANTS to improve. It WANTS to make as many people as it can happy. State will always try to improve itself, and isn’t afraid to ask for help when necessarry, even when it it’s being super annoying and acting like a 3 year old throwing a temper tantrum because it can’t talk right and doesn’t know the words real people use to communicate things…State is still trying. Just like you and me.
State is You, You are State.