Execution sequence of a React component's lifecycle methods

Why does it matter?

• You might want to perform certain actions when a new component instance is initialized or destroyed.
• Even though react optimizes the render for you, there may be cases when you want to inspect your component state/props to determine if you even need to invoke render in the first place.
• You might want to write reusable Mixins that are invoked at certain points in a component's lifecycle.
• You might want to perform some calculations when the a parent of a component changes your component's props.

Scenarios

Initial Render

NOTE: Although the above diagram will help you visualize the flow, the invocation of getDefaultProps actually takes place once before any instance of the component is created and the return value is shared among all instances of the component. Thanks to @boxofrox for bringing up this point in the comments.

Props Change

State Change

Component Unmount

/**
 * @jsx React.DOM
 */

var React = require('react'),
    MyReactComponent = React.createClass({

    // The object returned by this method sets the initial value of this.state
    getInitialState: function(){
        return {};
    },

    // The object returned by this method sets the initial value of this.props
    // If a complex object is returned, it is shared among all component instances
    getDefaultProps: function(){
        return {};
    },

    // Returns the jsx markup for a component
    // Inspects this.state and this.props create the markup
    // Should never update this.state or this.props
    render: function(){
        return (<div></div>);
    },

    // An array of objects each of which can augment the lifecycle methods
    mixins: [],

    // Functions that can be invoked on the component without creating instances
    statics: {
        aStaticFunction: function(){}
    },

    // -- Lifecycle Methods --

    // Invoked once before first render
    componentWillMount: function(){
        // Calling setState here does not cause a re-render
    },

    // Invoked once after the first render
    componentDidMount: function(){
        // You now have access to this.getDOMNode()
    },

    // Invoked whenever there is a prop change
    // Called BEFORE render
    componentWillReceiveProps: function(nextProps){
        // Not called for the initial render
        // Previous props can be accessed by this.props
        // Calling setState here does not trigger an an additional re-render
    },

    // Determines if the render method should run in the subsequent step
    // Called BEFORE a render
    // Not called for the initial render
    shouldComponentUpdate: function(nextProps, nextState){
        // If you want the render method to execute in the next step
        // return true, else return false
        return true;
    },

    // Called IMMEDIATELY BEFORE a render
    componentWillUpdate: function(nextProps, nextState){
        // You cannot use this.setState() in this method
    },

    // Called IMMEDIATELY AFTER a render
    componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState){
    },

    // Called IMMEDIATELY before a component is unmounted
    componentWillUnmount: function(){
    }

});

module.exports = MyReactComponent;