Let's analyze the relevant parts of the tutorial code you provided, focusing on the addMessage function and the related socket handling, and address why it might have worked without the functional update pattern: Key Parts of the Code State Initialization: javascript const [chats, setChats] = useState([]); Sending a Message: javascript function addMessage(chat){ const newChat = {...chat , user:localStorage.getItem("user") , avatar} addToFirrebase(chat) setChats([...chats , newChat]) sendChatToSocket([...chats , newChat]) } Why It Might Have Worked Timing and User Interaction: If users are not sending messages in rapid succession, the state chats may have the expected value at the time sendChatToSocket([...chats, newChat]) is called. This means that even without using the functional update form, it worked because the updates happened in a way that maintained the expected state context. Batching of Updates: React's batching behavior allows multiple state updates to be handled more efficiently. If the state change happens due to a user action (like clicking a button), React batches those updates. If there is a slight delay or pause after one message is sent before another message is sent, the chats state may have updated in between calls, making it appear as if the non-functional pattern worked. Single User Context: In a simple scenario with a single user interacting with the chat, the likelihood of encountering race conditions is lower. If there’s only one source of updates (the user), it can create a sequential appearance. The Problem with the Current Approach While it might seem to work, the approach is fragile for a couple of reasons: Stale State Issue: If you were to implement a feature where multiple messages could be sent rapidly (e.g., pressing the "send" button multiple times), the chats array might not reflect the newly added message when the socket emits the chat. Lack of Predictability: As the application grows, maintaining state with a non-functional approach can lead to unpredictable bugs, especially when more components depend on the same state. Recommended Fix To ensure the latest state is used, you should adopt the functional update pattern, which ensures that you always work with the latest state: javascript function addMessage(chat) { const newChat = { ...chat, user: localStorage.getItem("user"), avatar }; addToFirrebase(chat); // Add to Firebase setChats((prevChats) => { const updatedChats = [...prevChats, newChat]; // Use the latest state sendChatToSocket(updatedChats); // Emit the updated chats return updatedChats; // Update the state }); }

nvm i found the problem. i was trying to insert a breakpoint where one wasnt valid. i would delete this comment so that i dont look stupid but i want to increase your engagement for the SEO. happy coding :)