What is the difference between props and state in React?

Direct answer

Props are inputs supplied by a parent, while state is component memory managed by React and updated by the component through state setters.

Feature	Props	State
Source	Usually parent component	Component using a state Hook
Mutated directly?	No	No; use the state setter
Purpose	Configure a component	Remember changing information
Can trigger a render?	New props arrive during parent-driven rendering	A state update can schedule a render

Both props and state should be treated as immutable snapshots for a particular render.