⚛️ React: Hooks vs. Render Props vs. Higher-Order Components 👨‍🔬

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The next content material was sourced from the Better Coding Academy style guide.

When deciding between hooks, render props and higher-order parts, at all times go together with hooks wherever attainable.

// #1 - finest
const MyComponent = () => {
  const mousePosition = useMouse();

  // mousePosition.x, mousePosition.y
}

// #2 - not nearly as good
const MyComponent = () => {
  return (
    <Mouse>
      {({ x, y }) => {
        // ...
      }}
    </Mouse>
  )
}

// #3 - dangerous
const MyComponent = ({ x, y }) => {
  // ...
}

export default withMouse(MyComponent);

Why? Properly, let’s begin with higher-order parts (HOCs).

Why are higher-order parts dangerous?

Larger order parts are dangerous for 2 predominant causes:

1. They take up a hard and fast prop title, presumably eradicating different props. For instance, think about for above instance #Three we wish to embrace an x and y prop on the element:

   <MyComponent x="some worth" y="another worth" />
   

   Each of those values might be overwritten by the values coming from the upper order element. This problem may come up if you want to use a number of larger order parts:

   export default withMouse(withPage(MyComponent)); // if withMouse and withPage set the identical props, there might be clashing points
   

2. They don’t clearly establish the supply of your information. withMouse(MyComponent) doesn’t let you know which props are being included onto the element (if any), therefore growing the period of time spent debugging and fixing up the code.

Okay then, now let us take a look at render props. As a result of render props provide you with information inside a perform parameter, you may freely rename it nonetheless you want. For instance:

<Mouse>
  {({ x, y }) => (
    <Web page>
      {({ x: pageX, y: pageY }) => {
        // ^ large mind
      }}
    </Web page>
  )}
</Mouse>

Okay, effectively what about render props?

Nonetheless, render props nonetheless have their very own points:

1. They do not mean you can use their information outdoors of the return assertion. With the instance above, you may’t use the x and y values in any state variables, useEffect hooks, or some other features inside your element, as a result of it is solely accessible inside the return assertion.

2. They get nested… actually rapidly. Think about we have now three render prop parts inside a given element:

   const MyComponent = () => {
     return (
       <Mouse>
         {({ x, y }) => (
           <Web page>
             {({ x: pageX, y: pageY }) => (
               <Connection>
                 {({ api }) => {
                   // yikes
                 }}
               </Connection>
             )}
           </Web page>
         )}
       </Mouse>
     )
   };
   

So now, onto the ultimate (and finest) answer!

How hooks resolve all of those points!

Hooks deal with all the above points.

1. Hooks haven’t any mounted prop names – you may rename nonetheless you want:

   const { x, y } = useMouse();
   const { x: pageX, y: pageY } = usePage();
   

2. Hooks clearly establish the supply of the info – within the instance above, it is clear that x and y come from useMouse, and pageX and pageY come from usePage.

3. Hooks mean you can entry information outdoors of the return assertion. For instance, you are able to do stuff like:

   const { x: pageX, y: pageY } = usePage();
   
   useEffect(() => {
     // this runs every time pageX or pageY adjustments
   }, [pageX, pageY]);
   

4. Hooks do not get nested in any respect. With the above render prop monstrosity rewritten utilizing hooks, the code would look one thing like:

   const { x, y } = useMouse();
   const { x: pageX, y: pageY } = usePage();
   const { api } = useConnection();
   

   Three traces of lovely code.

Hope you guys loved this comparability between three architectural patterns inside React! You should definitely follow me on YouTube for tons of free, full-length React, JavaScript, Node.js and basic internet growth tutorials.

Glad coding!