Learn why and how to edit components.
When working with components it is important to realize that they are parametric containers. You need to preserve the parametric integrity of the component by making it active when you edit it. This forces all the changes to happen inside the component, any new geometry is created inside the component.
Why? Components are parts. Parts get re-used. Parts are re-purposed. You need the components to carry all the critical parametric information when you save copies of them for use outside the current design. Parametrically incomplete exported components carry only cache data and may not perform the same outside their home assembly as they do inside it.
When Activate Component is used, the timeline only shows the portion required to edit the active component. This is a huge benefit when your design is large. Don’t spend time sifting through the timeline! Activate component does it for you.
Sketches that are created inside components stay with the component when it moves. When you edit the sketch, you don’t have to go looking for its original location.