Difference between React Component and React Element

Question

What is the difference between React Component and React Element? The documentation mentions both but does not go into detail, some methods require components, other element

Answer 1

React Element - It is a simple object that describes a DOM node and its attributes or properties you can say. It is an immutable description object and you can not apply any methods on it.

Eg -

React Component - It is a function or class that accepts an input and returns a React element. It has to keep references to its DOM nodes and to the instances of the child components.

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);