The answer
Whatever makes the calling code clearest. A custom hook can return a single value, an array like useState does, or an object. Arrays are common when there are exactly two related values, like state and a setter.
What Are Custom Hooks in React and When Should You Write One?
What should a custom hook return?
More FAQs in What Are Custom Hooks in React and When Should You Write One?
A custom hook is a function whose name starts with 'use' that can call other hooks. It lets you extract stateful logic from a component into a reusable function that other components and hooks can call.
When the same stateful logic appears in multiple components, or when a component's logic is complex enough that extracting it improves clarity. Common examples include useFetch, useForm, and useLocalStorage hooks.
When the logic has no state or effects. A pure function that formats a date or sorts an array is a utility function, not a hook. Hooks are specifically for stateful, effectful logic.
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