{"id":15692,"date":"2022-12-19T11:29:43","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T05:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/?p=15692"},"modified":"2026-03-02T23:07:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T17:37:57","slug":"how-to-fetch-and-display-data-from-api-in-react","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/how-to-fetch-and-display-data-from-api-in-react\/","title":{"rendered":"Use ReactJS to Fetch and Display Data from API – 5 Simple Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this blog, we\u2019ll learn how to fetch and display data from APIs and use it in a ReactJS app.<\/strong> There are multiple ways to fetch data in a React application, and we\u2019ll walk you through those methods. With the help of APIs, we can fetch the data from servers and display it in our application. Let’s first understand what an API is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

API <\/strong>stands for “Application Programming Interface”,<\/strong> which is a method of communication between different applications. ReactJS <\/strong>is an open-source JavaScript-based library developed by Facebook used to create web applications’ user interfaces. As ReactJS is dynamic in nature, we can get the data using APIs and display it in our application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To render some data in our front end, we either need a backend to store our data and then make use of the data, or we can simply use APIs to have some mock data while building an application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we use APIs, we don\u2019t need a backend and are also not required to build anything from scratch. Mostly, we use the REST API or the GraphQL API to access the data added to the server. Before we go into depth, we should understand how an API works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TL\/DR Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetching data from an API in React means sending an HTTP request (usually a GET request) to a server when a component loads, receiving the response (typically in JSON format), storing it in state using useState(), and rendering it on the UI. This is commonly done inside the useEffect() hook using fetch(), Axios, or async\/await. Proper API fetching also includes handling loading, error, and empty states to ensure a smooth user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is an API?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Direct Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An API (Application Programming Interface) <\/strong>is a set of rules that allows two applications to communicate with each other. Think of it as a waiter in a restaurant \u2014 you (the client) tell the waiter (the API) what you want, and the waiter fetches it from the kitchen (the server) and brings it back to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In React development, APIs let your frontend request data from a backend server \u2014 without you needing to build that server yourself. The most common type is a REST API, which uses standard HTTP methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HTTP Method<\/strong><\/td>What It Does<\/strong><\/td>Example Use Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
GET<\/td>Fetch data from server<\/td>Load a list of products<\/td><\/tr>
POST<\/td>Send new data to server<\/td>Submit a registration form<\/td><\/tr>
PUT \/ PATCH<\/td>Update existing data<\/td>Edit a user profile<\/td><\/tr>
DELETE<\/td>Remove data from server<\/td>Delete a post or comment<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How does an API work<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The workings of an API are very easy to understand. Here’s an example: say we want to build a new application but don\u2019t have our backend. Now, to display the news in our application, we need some third-party APIs to access their backend server and display the data in our app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, there are three things we must have noted: an application, a server, and an API. <\/strong>Most times, the API is in between the app and server because whenever the client requests the data, the API makes a GET request to the server and sends that back to the application for display.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before diving into the next section, ensure you’re solid on full-stack development<\/a><\/strong><\/em> essentials like front-end frameworks, back-end technologies, and database management. If you are looking for a detailed full-stack development career program, you can join HCL GUVI\u2019s Full Stack Development Course<\/a> with Placement Assistance. You will be able to master the MERN stack<\/a> (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) and build real-life projects.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, if you want to explore ReactJS through a self-paced course, try HCL GUVI\u2019s self-paced ReactJS certification course<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Methods to Fetch and Display Data from API<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We commonly use a Web API called REST, or Representational State Transfer API<\/strong>, which consists of HTTP methods to fetch data from the server and display it in the application. A REST API has several methods, which are discussed further below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. GET: <\/strong>This method is used to fetch data from a server endpoint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. POST: <\/strong>This method is used to post the data to a server endpoint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. DELETE: <\/strong>This method is used to delete the data from a server endpoint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. PUT: <\/strong>This method is used to update or modify the data from a server endpoint.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Now that you have understood all the methods of the API, we can move on to how the data is fetched from the server. To fetch the data, we use the GET <\/strong>method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The different ways of fetching the data in a React application are given below:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n