Why React's useEffect Causes Infinite Loops

This article dissects why React's useEffect hook is responsible for so many production bugs, from obvious missing dependency arrays to subtle infinite loops caused by unstable object and function references. Because React compares dependencies by identity rather than content, seemingly harmless inline objects or arrays trigger re-runs on every render. The piece demonstrates how to stabilize references with useMemo and useCallback, prefer primitive dependencies, and leverage ESLint rules and tools like React Doctor to catch these issues before they reach production. Ultimately, it argues that the best fix is often avoiding useEffect entirely when derived state, event handlers, or framework data fetching can replace it.