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Demo 51

React effect cleanup missing

Effects that register timers or listeners must clean them up or old work keeps running after the component is gone.

fully simulatedcurated scenariodoes not execute real code
Short answer

The key output order is still syncing. The effect creates long-lived work but never returns cleanup.

Real-world bug this helps solve

A production symptom appears first: flaky tests, stale state, slow UI, late cleanup, or growing memory. This appears in dashboards, resize measurement, polling widgets, analytics listeners, and components that mount/unmount often.

Common wrong assumption

Assuming React automatically clears timers and browser listeners.

Fix direction

Fix the root scheduling, cleanup, or concurrency pattern instead of adding arbitrary waits.

Fixed code pattern
try {
  await operation();
} finally {
  cleanup();
}
Visual proof

The console lane proves the visible order: still syncing. The active line and queues show why source order changed.

How to verify in a real app

Reproduce the symptom with a small test, apply the safer pattern, then verify the flaky, slow, or leaking behavior disappears.

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Related cases

Continue with nearby confusion while the mental model is fresh.

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