I want to React.use() this!
I want to React.use() this!
By Dave Bitter
4 min read
A big part of working with React.js is fetching data and displaying the results. Let’s see how the new React.use() hook can can help you!
- Authors
- Name
- Dave Bitter
- linkedinDave Bitter
- twitter@dave_bitter
- Github
- githubDaveBitter
- Website
- websiteBlog
There’s quite a bit of chatter lately about an experimental hook called React.use(). This will fundamentally change the way you work with React.js. Let’s have a look at what it is, why you would want to React.use() it and how it works!
What is React.use()?
React.use() is an experimental hook that offers first-class support for promises and async/await. In essence, it means that you can await asynchronous code in the root of your components.
Couldn’t you already do that? Nope! Sure you could have promises in React.js for, for instance, data fetching, but you always used something like useEffect for this. The component, or rather function that returns some JSX, always just ran. There was no way to pause it to await some asynchronous code. Until now.
Why would I want to React.use() this?
The ability to now await some asynchronous code will for instance have a big impact on how you load data into your component. Previously, you would have to resort to useEffect to fetch data. You would then have to add some state where you store the data and potentially show a spinner while the data is being fetched. This could look something like this:
import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
const YourComponent = () => {
const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false)
const [data, setData] = useState([])
useEffect(() => {
setIsLoading(true)
fetch('api.com/data')
.then((res) => res.json())
.then((result) => {
setData(result)
setIsLoading(false)
})
}, [])
if (isLoading) {
return 'Loading...'
}
if (!data) {
return 'No data'
}
return (
<ul>
{data.map((datum) => (
<li key={datum.id}>{datum.name}</li>
))}
</ul>
)
}
export default YourComponent
Note that all the data fetching happens on the client-side. Because of this, the first time the component renders on the client you start fetching data and you need to show some feedback to the user. In this simplified example that is the string ‘Loading…’, but more than likely you display a spinner.
This isn’t great as the component is rather useless if the data is not fetched yet. So, even though you might have server-side rendering, you won’t really get any benefits. You have to do it this way as you couldn’t run the fetching logic on the server before due to the need of useEffect. As the JavaScript function (or often named “component”) is just a function that will run on the server, why can’t I pause that function, fetch the data on the server and then have the first render already use that fetched data on the server? This is why you want React.use().
How do I React.use() it?
You can simply import the use hook from the React.js package. Next, you pass it a fetching function, or rather, a Promise. Finally, you assign the response to a variable. The updated example would look a bit like this:
import React, { use } from 'react'
const getData = fetch('api.com/data').then((res) => res.json())
const YourComponent = () => {
const data = use(getData)
if (!data) {
return 'No data'
}
return (
<ul>
{data.map((datum) => (
<li key={datum.id}>{datum.name}</li>
))}
</ul>
)
}
export default YourComponent
It looks like a minor change, but let’s see what you gained.
Firstly, you got rid of the useEffect and useState hooks. Even better, you got rid of any client-side code! This is now a server component which, when server-side rendering, the function will pause on the server, fetch some data and then return the “filled JSX”.
Secondly, you simplified the logic. As you don’t need the before-mentioned hooks and callbacks, the code is drastically simplified. Now, this is a simple demo component, but you can imagine more complex components really benefitting from this.
Finally, you could remove any of the loading state. Because of the use hook waited on, the rest of the code will never be executed before it’s done. Of course, you still have to handle the state where there's no data returned from the endpoint, but you can forget about any loading feedback.
So, no more data fetching in the useEffect hook?
Not necessarily, you now have two options which both have their benefits. use is great to fetch the data on the server when the component isn’t very useful without the data. Fetching data in a useEffect hook is useful when you do want to show the UI while it is fetching the data.
Closing thoughts
I’m very excited for React.use() and the move to server side-first. With frameworks like Remix and Next.js creating solutions for this problem, it’s good to see a standard coming to React.js that can be utilised by both. It will drastically simplify data fetching and help you create robust server-first components!
Upcoming events
Coven of Wisdom - Herentals - Winter `24 edition
Worstelen jij en je team met automated testing en performance? Kom naar onze meetup waar ervaren sprekers hun inzichten en ervaringen delen over het bouwen van robuuste en efficiënte applicaties. Schrijf je in voor een avond vol kennis, heerlijk eten en een mix van creativiteit en technologie! 🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Deuren open 18:15 – 🍕 Food & drinks 19:00 – 📢 Talk 1 20:00 – 🍹 Kleine pauze 20:15 – 📢 Talk 2 21:00 – 🙋♀️ Drinks 22:00 – 🍻 Tot de volgende keer? Tijdens deze meetup gaan we dieper in op automated testing en performance. Onze sprekers delen heel wat praktische inzichten en ervaringen. Ze vertellen je hoe je effectieve geautomatiseerde tests kunt schrijven en onderhouden, en hoe je de prestaties van je applicatie kunt optimaliseren. Houd onze updates in de gaten voor meer informatie over de sprekers en hun specifieke onderwerpen. Over iO Wij zijn iO: een groeiend team van experts die end-to-end-diensten aanbieden voor communicatie en digitale transformatie. We denken groot en werken lokaal. Aan strategie, creatie, content, marketing en technologie. In nauwe samenwerking met onze klanten om hun merken te versterken, hun digitale systemen te verbeteren en hun toekomstbestendige groei veilig te stellen. We helpen klanten niet alleen hun zakelijke doelen te bereiken. Samen verkennen en benutten we de eindeloze mogelijkheden die markten in constante verandering bieden. De springplank voor die visie is talent. Onze campus is onze broedplaats voor innovatie, die een omgeving creëert die talent de ruimte en stimulans geeft die het nodig heeft om te ontkiemen, te ontwikkelen en te floreren. Want werken aan de infinite opportunities van morgen, dat doen we vandaag.
| Coven of Wisdom Herentals
Go to page for Coven of Wisdom - Herentals - Winter `24 editionMastering Event-Driven Design
PLEASE RSVP SO THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD WE WILL NEED Are you and your team struggling with event-driven microservices? Join us for a meetup with Mehmet Akif Tütüncü, a senior software engineer, who has given multiple great talks so far and Allard Buijze founder of CTO and founder of AxonIQ, who built the fundaments of the Axon Framework. RSVP for an evening of learning, delicious food, and the fusion of creativity and tech! 🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Doors open to the public 18:15 – 🍕 Let’s eat 19:00 – 📢 Getting Your Axe On Event Sourcing with Axon Framework 20:00 – 🍹 Small break 20:15 – 📢 Event-Driven Microservices - Beyond the Fairy Tale 21:00 – 🙋♀️ drinks 22:00 – 🍻 See you next time? Details: Getting Your Axe On - Event Sourcing with Axon Framework In this presentation, we will explore the basics of event-driven architecture using Axon Framework. We'll start by explaining key concepts such as Event Sourcing and Command Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS), and how they can improve the scalability and maintainability of modern applications. You will learn what Axon Framework is, how it simplifies implementing these patterns, and see hands-on examples of setting up a project with Axon Framework and Spring Boot. Whether you are new to these concepts or looking to understand them more, this session will provide practical insights and tools to help you build resilient and efficient applications. Event-Driven Microservices - Beyond the Fairy Tale Our applications need to be faster, better, bigger, smarter, and more enjoyable to meet our demanding end-users needs. In recent years, the way we build, run, and operate our software has changed significantly. We use scalable platforms to deploy and manage our applications. Instead of big monolithic deployment applications, we now deploy small, functionally consistent components as microservices. Problem. Solved. Right? Unfortunately, for most of us, microservices, and especially their event-driven variants, do not deliver on the beautiful, fairy-tale-like promises that surround them.In this session, Allard will share a different take on microservices. We will see that not much has changed in how we build software, which is why so many “microservices projects” fail nowadays. What lessons can we learn from concepts like DDD, CQRS, and Event Sourcing to help manage the complexity of our systems? He will also show how message-driven communication allows us to focus on finding the boundaries of functionally cohesive components, which we can evolve into microservices should the need arise.
| Coven of Wisdom - Utrecht
Go to page for Mastering Event-Driven DesignThe Leadership Meetup
PLEASE RSVP SO THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD WE WILL NEED What distinguishes a software developer from a software team lead? As a team leader, you are responsible for people, their performance, and motivation. Your output is the output of your team. Whether you are a front-end or back-end developer, or any other discipline that wants to grow into the role of a tech lead, RSVP for an evening of learning, delicious food, and the fusion of leadership and tech! 🚀 18:00 – 🚪 Doors open to the public 18:15 – 🍕 Let’s eat 19:00 – 📢 First round of Talks 19:45 – 🍹 Small break 20:00 – 📢 Second round of Talks 20:45 – 🙋♀️ drinks 21:00 – 🍻 See you next time? First Round of Talks: Pixel Perfect and Perfectly Insane: About That Time My Brain Just Switched Off Remy Parzinski, Design System Lead at Logius Learn from Remy how you can care for yourself because we all need to. Second Round of Talks: Becoming a LeadDev at your client; How to Fail at Large (or How to Do Slightly Better) Arno Koehler Engineering Manager @ iO What are the things that will help you become a lead engineer? Building Team Culture (Tales of trust and positivity) Michel Blankenstein Engineering Manager @ iO & Head of Technology @ Zorggenoot How do you create a culture at your company or team? RSVP now to secure your spot, and let's explore the fascinating world of design systems together!
| Coven of Wisdom - Amsterdam
Go to page for The Leadership Meetup