How to Handle Complex Forms with Validation in React Using Modern Libraries?

Use react-hook-form for efficient form state management (minimizing re-renders) combined with a schema validation library like zod for defining validation rules declaratively. zod integrates easily via @hookform/resolvers/zod and provides strong type safety.

Why this combination:

• Performance: Fewer re-renders compared to controlled components.
• Developer Experience: Simple API via hooks.
• Decoupling: Validation logic (schema) is separate from UI.

Type Safety: zod infers TypeScript types.

Simplified Example: Use react-hook-form with zod for schema-based form validation.

import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
import { z } from 'zod';
import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod';
const schema = z.object({ name: z.string().min(1), age: z.number().min(18),
});
const MyForm = () => { const { register, handleSubmit, formState: { errors }, } = useForm({ resolver: zodResolver(schema) }); return ( <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(console.log)}> <input {...register('name')} /> {errors.name && <p>{errors.name.message}</p>} <input type="number" {...register('age')} /> <button>Submit</button> </form> );
};