How does React's Virtual DOM improve performance compared to direct manipulation of the actual DOM?

I'm currently learning React and I've come across the concept of the Virtual DOM. I understand that one of the key advantages of React is its use of a Virtual DOM to improve performance, but I'm having trouble understanding exactly how this works.

From what I've read, React creates a representation of the actual DOM in memory, and when state changes in a component, React first updates the Virtual DOM. Then, it compares the updated Virtual DOM with the previous Virtual DOM using a diffing algorithm, and finally updates the actual DOM based on the differences it found.

However, I'm confused about how this process is more efficient than updating the actual DOM directly. It seems like React is doing more work by creating and comparing Virtual DOMs, so I'm not clear on how this leads to performance improvements.

I've tried to find clear explanations online, but I'm still not fully understanding the concept. Could someone please explain how the Virtual DOM improves performance compared to direct manipulation of the actual DOM? I would appreciate if you could provide some examples or analogies to help clarify this concept. Thank you!

1. The Virtual DOM allows React to batch multiple updates together, reducing the number of actual DOM operations and improving performance.
2. React's reconciliation algorithm uses the Virtual DOM to selectively render only the necessary changes, avoiding unnecessary re-renders and DOM manipulations.
3. The Virtual DOM employs an efficient diffing algorithm to identify precise changes, reducing computational costs and improving performance.
4. React batches DOM updates, minimizing browser reflow and repaint cycles for better performance.
5. The Virtual DOM optimizes rendering by scheduling updates at the most appropriate time, reducing visual glitches and ensuring a responsive UI.
6. React's Virtual DOM is compatible with server-side rendering, enabling improved performance and better SEO.