diff --git a/ui/state_semantics_test.go b/ui/state_semantics_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..044986af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/state_semantics_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+//go:build !js || !wasm
+
+package ui_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/monstercameron/GoWebComponents/internal/platform/mockdom"
+	"github.com/monstercameron/GoWebComponents/internal/runtime"
+)
+
+// stateHarness mounts a single stateful component and exposes its first state
+// hook for driving. The component re-renders synchronously (nil scheduler).
+type stateHarness struct {
+	adapter *mockdom.MockDOMAdapter
+	rt      *runtime.Runtime
+	root    runtime.DOMNode
+}
+
+func newStateHarness() *stateHarness {
+	adapter := mockdom.NewMockDOMAdapter()
+	return &stateHarness{
+		adapter: adapter,
+		rt:      runtime.NewRuntime(runtime.Config{DOMAdapter: adapter, Reset: true}),
+		root:    adapter.CreateElement("div"),
+	}
+}
+
+func (parseH *stateHarness) text() string {
+	parseKids := parseH.adapter.GetChildren(parseH.root)
+	if len(parseKids) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	parseNode, _ := parseKids[0].(*mockdom.MockDOMNode)
+	for parseNode != nil && parseNode.TextContent == "" && len(parseNode.Children) > 0 {
+		parseNode = parseNode.Children[0]
+	}
+	if parseNode == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return parseNode.TextContent
+}
+
+// TestStateFunctionalUpdatesCompose: chained functional updaters compose, and a
+// plain value can follow an updater.
+func TestStateFunctionalUpdatesCompose(t *testing.T) {
+	parseH := newStateHarness()
+	var parseSet func(any)
+	parseH.rt.RenderInto(parseH.root, runtime.CreateElement(func() *runtime.Element {
+		parseGet, parseSetter := runtime.GoUseState(parseH.rt, 0)
+		parseSet = parseSetter
+		return runtime.CreateElement("span", map[string]any{}, fmt.Sprint(parseGet()))
+	}, map[string]any{}))
+
+	parseSet(func(parseP int) int { return parseP + 1 })
+	parseSet(func(parseP int) int { return parseP + 1 })
+	if parseH.text() != "2" {
+		t.Errorf("2x +1 = %q, want 2", parseH.text())
+	}
+	parseSet(10)
+	parseSet(func(parseP int) int { return parseP + 5 })
+	if parseH.text() != "15" {
+		t.Errorf("set(10);+5 = %q, want 15", parseH.text())
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStateGetterIsLiveRead documents GWC's design choice (a deliberate
+// difference from React's per-render snapshot): the getter returned by GoUseState
+// reads the current state live, so a getter captured at an earlier render returns
+// the latest value rather than a stale snapshot. This avoids React's stale-closure
+// footgun and is why functional updates / render-phase convergence read fresh
+// state.
+func TestStateGetterIsLiveRead(t *testing.T) {
+	parseH := newStateHarness()
+	var parseCaptured func() int
+	var parseSet func(any)
+	parseRenders := 0
+	parseH.rt.RenderInto(parseH.root, runtime.CreateElement(func() *runtime.Element {
+		parseRenders++
+		parseGet, parseSetter := runtime.GoUseState(parseH.rt, 0)
+		parseSet = parseSetter
+		if parseRenders == 1 {
+			parseCaptured = parseGet
+		}
+		return runtime.CreateElement("span", map[string]any{}, fmt.Sprint(parseGet()))
+	}, map[string]any{}))
+
+	if parseCaptured() != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("initial captured getter = %d, want 0", parseCaptured())
+	}
+	parseSet(42)
+	if parseCaptured() != 42 {
+		t.Errorf("captured getter after set = %d; GWC getter is a live read, want 42", parseCaptured())
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStateReferenceVsValueDedup: slice/map state (non-comparable, reference-like)
+// re-renders on a new equal-content value (like React's Object.is on a new
+// object), while a comparable struct value dedups on equality (Go value
+// semantics).
+func TestStateReferenceVsValueDedup(t *testing.T) {
+	// Slice: new equal-content slice re-renders.
+	parseSliceH := newStateHarness()
+	var parseSetSlice func(any)
+	parseSliceRenders := 0
+	parseSliceH.rt.RenderInto(parseSliceH.root, runtime.CreateElement(func() *runtime.Element {
+		parseSliceRenders++
+		parseGet, parseSetter := runtime.GoUseState(parseSliceH.rt, []int{1, 2, 3})
+		parseSetSlice = parseSetter
+		return runtime.CreateElement("span", map[string]any{}, fmt.Sprint(len(parseGet())))
+	}, map[string]any{}))
+	parseSetSlice([]int{1, 2, 3})
+	if parseSliceRenders != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("slice: new equal-content value should re-render (renders=%d, want 2)", parseSliceRenders)
+	}
+
+	// Struct: equal value dedups (no re-render).
+	type parsePoint struct{ X, Y int }
+	parseStructH := newStateHarness()
+	var parseSetPt func(any)
+	parseStructRenders := 0
+	parseStructH.rt.RenderInto(parseStructH.root, runtime.CreateElement(func() *runtime.Element {
+		parseStructRenders++
+		parseGet, parseSetter := runtime.GoUseState(parseStructH.rt, parsePoint{1, 2})
+		parseSetPt = parseSetter
+		return runtime.CreateElement("span", map[string]any{}, fmt.Sprint(parseGet()))
+	}, map[string]any{}))
+	parseSetPt(parsePoint{1, 2})
+	if parseStructRenders != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("struct: equal value should dedup (renders=%d, want 1)", parseStructRenders)
+	}
+	parseSetPt(parsePoint{3, 4})
+	if parseStructRenders != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("struct: changed value should re-render (renders=%d, want 2)", parseStructRenders)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStateFunctionValueStorable: a function can be stored as state — the setter
+// distinguishes a functional updater (func(T) T) from a plain function value.
+func TestStateFunctionValueStorable(t *testing.T) {
+	parseH := newStateHarness()
+	var parseSet func(any)
+	parseH.rt.RenderInto(parseH.root, runtime.CreateElement(func() *runtime.Element {
+		parseGet, parseSetter := runtime.GoUseState[func() string](parseH.rt, func() string { return "initial" })
+		parseSet = parseSetter
+		parseFn := parseGet()
+		parseLabel := "<nil>"
+		if parseFn != nil {
+			parseLabel = parseFn()
+		}
+		return runtime.CreateElement("span", map[string]any{}, parseLabel)
+	}, map[string]any{}))
+
+	if parseH.text() != "initial" {
+		t.Fatalf("mount = %q, want initial", parseH.text())
+	}
+	parseSet(func() string { return "stored" })
+	if parseH.text() != "stored" {
+		t.Errorf("after storing a function value = %q, want stored", parseH.text())
+	}
+}