Introduced with React 16.8, React Hooks became a widely used feature in no time. After all, it aimed to make developers’ lives easier. It allowsprogrammers to leverage state and other React features. But without any need to write a class. It saves time and effort.
In the past, developers required switching between function and class components for optimizing React. But Hooks solved this issue. Today, you can use function components to build React projects effortlessly with Hooks. Before you hire React developer in India, let us explore top React Hooks to consider in2022.
We will discuss Hooks that professionals have neglected, yet they are powerful and result-driven tools. If you are a React developer, you can use these Hooks in your upcoming project. Hence, enjoy hassle-free React app development. But what is React Hook in the first place?
- What is React Hook?
Hooks in React are a newly added feature. These make working with React hassle-free because they come with simpler code. As a result, developers can incorporate similar features in React apps at a fast pace. In addition to this, you can use these Hooks to implement state and lifecycle features without writing a class.
- useImperativeHandleHook
React uses unidirectional data flow to pass data from parent to child components. Hence, the parent components cannot grab information in the child component. But in some cases, developers might need parent components to fetch data directly from the child components. That is where the useImperativeHandleHook comes into the picture. It can help React developers to make the value, state, or function of child components accessible to the parent components using ref.
But it does not mean the child components will no longer be private. Well, this Hook enables parent components to access properties you decide. To know more about this Hook, the following are some use cases.
- It ensures a bidirectional flow of data and logic without using state management libraries like Redux. Such libraries can complicate the process.
- You can also use the useImperativeHandleHook to define the state in the parent components. Otherwise, it would cause the parent and child components to re-render with each click of the modal button. Therefore, use useImperativeH and leandforwardRef to store model state.
- useDebugValueHook
Unlike useImperativeHandle, useDebugValue Hook boosts the developer’s experience. Both on-site and freelance React developers can use this Hook to log information in React DevTools easily. However, developers can use it, along with a custom Hook.
It is an in-built Hook that developers use to gather more information about the internal logic. Usually, this information is related to a custom Hook inside the React DevTools. Besides this, useDebugValueHook displays additional information that comes with optional formatting. Developers can implement React DevTools as a browser extension or a standalone app.
For example, if you want to create a simple custom Hook, you may return to the first state in DevTools. On the other hand, building a complex custom Hook requires several components. They enable tracking the values that belong to states when debugging. Thus, developers leverage this Hook for displaying values in custom Hooks.
However, this Hook has a fair share of limitations. Given the Rules of Hooks, developers cannot use useDebugValue for conditional and nested data.
- useLayoutEffectHook
Another useful React Hook is useLayoutEffect. It works similar to the useEffectHook, which means developers can conduct side effects. These are setting up subscriptions, API calls, and manual DOM manipulations. However, itdoes not work asynchronously like useEffectHook.
React fires useLayoutEffect and useEffectafter performing DOM loading. But the former Hook works synchronously. It means useLayoutEffect is called before the browser displays updates to users. Contrary to this, useEffect is called once the browser displays the updates.
In addition to this, the Hook has several practical use cases. As mentioned already, it fires synchronously after all DOM updates. You can use useLayoutEffect to read and alter the DOM layout. Whether you want to get the scroll position, add animations, or other styles, useLayoutEffect is ideal. You need to be careful using it. After all, your users cannot see anything until you run this Hook to make a DOM update.
In closing
There are many Hooks in React that improve the experience of users and developers. But these React Hooks are the ones underrated, even though they play a crucial role in app development. Of course, these Hooks are not necessary at all projects. With these, developers can overcome common challenges and make their lives easier. When you hire ReactJs developers, they must be familiar with React Hooks to resolve certain edge cases.
If you are searching for a reliable development company for your project, get in touch with SoftProdigy. We house a team of skilled on-site and freelance React developers in India committed to delivering quality services.
FAQs
- When were Hooks introduced in React?
The first time Hooks came into the picture was in February 2019 with React 16.8. These functions were added to make React development faster and more convenient.
- Why do we need Hooks in React?
Hooks are considered the best thing that happened for React. These are special functions enabling developers to implement similar functionalities faster and effortlessly. Besides this, they access React state and lifecycles without having to write a class.
- How many Hooks do React have?
React has ten in-built Hooks that were introduced in React 16.8. However, the most basic Hooks are useState (), useContext(), useEffect (), and useReducer ().
- How are Hooks better than classes?
React Hooks are better than classes in several ways. For example, they allow developers to access local state and other features. The great thing is they do not involve writing a class.
- When should developers avoid using Hooks?
Developers should avoid using Hooks within conditions, loops, and nested functions. In such cases, Hooks can lead to unwanted bugs.