---
title: Component State
---
## Component State
In `Class` components, there is a way to store and manage state built in to React Native.
```javascript
class App extends Component {
constructor() {
super();
this.state = {
counter: 0,
};
}
incrementCount() {
this.setState({
counter: this.state.counter + 1,
});
}
decrementCount() {
this.setState({
counter: this.state.counter - 1,
});
}
render() {
return (
Count: {this.state.counter}
);
}
}
```
State is similar to props, but it is private and fully controlled by the component. Here, the `constructor()` method is calling the parent class' constructor with `super();` - **`Component`** is the parent class of `App` because we are using the `extends` keyword. The `constructor()` method also initializes the component's state object:
```js
this.state = {
counter: 0,
};
```
The state can be displayed within the component:
```js
{
this.state.counter;
}
```
Or updated by calling:
```js
this.setState({});
```
**Note:** Aside from its initial creation in your component's `constructor()` method, you should never directly modify the component's state with `this.state =`. You must use `this.setState`, as shown in the `incrementCount` and `decrementCount` functions above.
The count is incremented and decremented by calling the functions passed to the `onPress` handlers, just like they would if you called a click handler from JavaScript on the web.
_ASIDE: In the first example, `