What does the New Version of React 16.8 with React Hook have for you?
The wait for the new version of React is finally over with the launch of React 16.8 which includes the much-anticipated feature of ‘Hook’ in it. The first mention of the ‘hook’ feature was in React 16.7-Alpha, in 2018 and its stable release is recently available in 2019 with the release of React 16.8.
React Hook is available for its stable implementation in React DOM server, React Shallow Renderer, React DOM and React Test Renderer. React Hook is also supported by the DevTools and it is also compatible with the latest versions of TypeScript and Flow and its updates.
Developers can obtain the maximum benefits of Hook using a new lint rule known as the ‘eslint-plugin-react-hooks’ as it helps in adopting best practices that are compatible with Hook. This new lint rule would already be present in the Create React App by default.
Let us explore what React Hook is and what are its features along with other additional functionalities introduced in React 16.8.
What is React Hook?
Hooks are functions that allow the app developers to use React State and the life cycle characteristics related to it using the function components. The developers can use the React 16.8’s features without writing a class in the coding of the app.
Hook enables reusing the React components, splitting of the related React components and using React without classes.
React Hook helps in simplifying and reducing many of the developer’s tasks. It provides a perfect blend of the state and life-cycle events and makes it a very lucid process by including only those features which are needed.
React Hook provides one of the most widely known UI libraries where the team of React Native Developers are continuously adding new functionalities and characteristics to it. React Hook enables sharing stateful logic between the components, helps in optimising performance without completely rewriting and provides stateful function components.
What are the features of React Hook and React 16.8?
- React 16.8 provides several features that complement the functionality of React Hook. These features include State object, References, Content and Lifecycle events like the ComponentDidUpdate and ComponentWillUpdate.
- With the inclusion of a new API known as ‘ReactTestUtils.act()’ in React Hook’s stable release, the behaviour during the test would match precisely with what happens in the browser. For this, you need to wrap your code rendering trigger its updates into ct() calls.
- React 16.8 has an improved useReducer Hook API Initialization for the developers.
- It has synchronous support with the addition of thenables to React.lazy().
- Hooks are in Strict Mode (DEV-only) which renders the components twice like the class behaviour.
- Returning of different hooks on successive renders will provide a warning to the developers.
- In the new release of React 16.8, the useImperativeMethods is renamed as useImperativeHandle.
- Object.is algorithm is available for comparing useState and useReducer values.
- While using React Hook, you can code side by side with the existing code which uses classes. You do not have to rewrite all the codes of your currently existing applications on Hook at one go.
- Hook enables the coders to write the components of the code in a simpler way and provide excellent user experience.
- Codes have functional based components in Hook as compared to its previous versions that have class-based components. It considerably reduces bytes from the bundle size. Hence, the code implementation will be short, simple and efficient.
- You can share the Logic for state creation as well as the state updates due to the decoupling of Logic using Hook.
React has a good reputation among the developers as it regularly introduces new features for the developers in its app development platform. Hence, it offers a better and customised app building platform than Angular. React is continuously updating its features to increase the comfort and convenience of the developers. However, Hook comes with its own set of limitations which should not be neglected. You can use Hook only in the React Function Components and in custom hooks.
The use of React Hook in the latest React 16.8 update provides a cleaner and simple code. React Hook enables the developers to build an app with minimal codes. React Hook is going to set a new bar for smooth end-user experience and take code stability to another level.
What do we have for you?
Nisarg is the Business Development Manager at Nimblechapps, a top mobile game development company and has been with the organisation since its inception in 2014. He likes to update his knowledge on changing trends in technology and marketing and pens his thoughts regarding the same on various blogs and LinkedIn.