Provides exact patterns for diagnosing and fixing automatic batching regressions in React 18 class components. Use this skill whenever a class component has multiple setState calls in an async method, inside setTimeout, inside a Promise .then() or .catch(), or in a native event handler. Use it before writing any flushSync call - the decision tree here prevents unnecessary flushSync overuse. Also use this skill when fixing test failures caused by intermediate state assertions that break after React 18 upgrade.
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Use react18-batching-patterns to diagnose and fix the React 18 batching regression in [class component], preserving required intermediate UI behavior without unnecessary flushSync; include the needed test update for [failing behavior].
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[class component]
[failing behavior]
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SKILL.md
name: react18-batching-patternsdescription: 'Provides exact patterns for diagnosing and fixing automatic batching regressions in React 18 class components. Use this skill whenever a class component has multiple setState calls in an async method, inside setTimeout, inside a Promise .then() or .catch(), or in a native event handler. Use it before writing any flushSync call - the decision tree here prevents unnecessary flushSync overuse. Also use this skill when fixing test failures caused by intermediate state assertions that break after React 18 upgrade.'
React 18 Automatic Batching Patterns
Reference for diagnosing and fixing the most dangerous silent breaking change in React 18 for class-component codebases.
The Core Change
Location of setState
React 17
React 18
React event handler
Batched
Batched (same)
setTimeout
Immediate re-render
Batched
Promise .then() / .catch()
Immediate re-render
Batched
async/await
Immediate re-render
Batched
Native addEventListener callback
Immediate re-render
Batched
Batched means: all setState calls within that execution context flush together in a single re-render at the end. No intermediate renders occur.
Quick Diagnosis
Read every async class method. Ask: does any code after an await read this.state to make a decision?
Code reads this.state after await?
YES → Category A (silent state-read bug)
NO, but intermediate render must be visible to user?
YES → Category C (flushSync needed)
NO → Category B (refactor, no flushSync)
For the full pattern for each category, read:
references/batching-categories.md - Category A, B, C with full before/after code
references/flushSync-guide.md - when to use flushSync, when NOT to, import syntax
The flushSync Rule
Use flushSync sparingly. It forces a synchronous re-render, bypassing React 18's concurrent scheduler. Overusing it negates the performance benefits of React 18.
Only use flushSync when:
The user must see an intermediate UI state before an async operation begins
A spinner/loading state must render before a fetch starts
Sequential UI steps have distinct visible states (progress wizard, multi-step flow)
In most cases, the fix is a refactor - restructuring the code to not read this.state after await. Read references/batching-categories.md for the correct approach per category.