React Ahead: Build Your Own Router + What’s Next with the Compiler

Talk 1: Upcoming React Compiler

Abstract: As React continues to evolve, so do the tools and techniques we use to keep our apps fast and efficient. In this talk, we’ll take a closer look at the upcoming React Compiler, a major new addition to the React ecosystem.
We’ll explore what the compiler does, why it’s useful, and how it simplifies performance optimizations that developers previously had to manage manually. You’ll get a fresh perspective on tools like React.memo, useMemo, and useCallback: what they were designed for, where they fall short, and how the compiler now handles those optimizations automatically. The result is less boilerplate, fewer bugs, and cleaner code.
We’ll walk through how to set up the React Compiler in your project and how to prepare for it using the official ESLint plugin.

Speaker 1: Thomas is a full-stack engineer at Zenika. He focuses on improving the performance and accessibility of modern web applications. He supports teams throughout the entire software development process, from designing solutions to deploying them in production, with a focus on building reliable and user-friendly systems.

Talk 2: Build Your Own Lightweight React Router Using React 18 Features

Abstract: In this session, we’ll demystify React 18’s advanced capabilities by building a lightweight custom router from scratch using the History API, while exploring when, why, and how to use hooks like useSyncExternalStore and useTransition. Following topics will be discussed
- how/when/why to use useSyncExternalStore
- how/when/why to use useTransition
- how/when/why to use History API
- Testing the written code (if there's time for it)

Speaker: Huiren Woo is a Singapore-based Full-Stack Engineer at Zenika who
builds high-performance APIs, real-time backends and reusable React
components, and is a passionate open-source evangelist and former
Fedora Ambassador; he's authored deep-dive guides on testing custom
React routers and crafting real-time chat without WebSockets and
delivered 15+ Meetup and conference talks on frontend development,
continuous delivery and best practices: bringing production-grade code
samples, practical takeaways and an inclusive, community-first ethos.

Timeline for the meetup
6:30 PM: Meet n Greet
6:45 PM: Upcoming React Compiler by Thomas
7:25 PM: Build Your Own Lightweight React Router Using React 18 Features By Huiren
8:30 PM: Meetup Ends