I have a React Native component where I want to prevent the render() method from being called.
class A extends Component {
shouldComponentUpdate() {
return false;
}
render() {
return(...)
}
}
Returning false in shouldComponentUpdate should prevent render() from being called, but it doesn't. Is there something I'm doing wrong?
Indeed, it prevents a rerender but not the initial rendering. This is documented here.
Use shouldComponentUpdate() to let React know if a component’s output is not affected by the current change in state or props. The default behavior is to re-render on every state change, and in the vast majority of cases you should rely on the default behavior.
and
shouldComponentUpdate() is invoked before rendering when new props or state are being received. Defaults to true. This method is not called for the initial render or when forceUpdate() is used.
Hence, if you return false, then you only prevent a rerendering on state changes.
you can try use hooks useMemo or useCallback https://reactjs.org/docs/hooks-reference.html
to choose what you want to update
I am trying to implement shouldComponentUpdate method in a functional component.
Here is the original method (classfull component)
shouldComponentUpdate(nextProps, nextState) {
return (
this.state.isSelected || nextState.isSelected !== this.state.isSelected
);
}
But, with React memo it seems that I can only access prevProps and nextProps, not nextState.
memo(..., (prevProps, nextProps) => true);
How can I access nextState in a functional component to simulate the shouldComponentUpdate?
The purpose of react memo is to only check when props changes not state. If you try to do so, you are breaking the rule - the purpose of pure component functionality. What you want is to use the effect hook:
useState(()=>{
//...
}, [state that you want to check])
So, with this requirement, avoid using memo as it is not pure component. Component will render when state change, so there's no pure functionality.
While performing shouldComponentUpdate, you don't need to pass dependency array, just check the condition and then you make useEffect as being used as shouldComponentUpdate.
useState(()=>{
//check condition here and do logic
})
you can use this :
const Component = {....}
const handleMemoProps = (prevProps, nextProps) => {
return true or false
}
export default React.memo(Component, handleMemoProps)
When sending props to a PureComponent or a functional component, you can optimize performance by using props that don't change for every render, which will prevent the component from re-rendering.
When using class components this is simple:
class Component extends React.Component {
render() {
return <List createRows={this.createRows}/>;
}
createRows = () => this.props.data.map(dataToRow);
}
Given List being either a PureCompoment or a functional component, the createRows prop will never cause a re-render of List.
But if the Component is a functional component, this is no longer possible:
function Component(props) {
return <List createRows={createRows}/>;
function createRows() {
return props.data.map(dataToRow);
}
}
Since createRows is created every time Component renders, the prop will change, causing a re-render of List every time Component is re-rendered. This can cause a big loss in performance. Notice also that the createRows cannot be placed outside the functional component, since it is dependent on the data prop of List.
Now, with the introduction on Hooks, it is possible to hold the createRows in a useState hook:
function Component(props) {
const [ createRows ] = useState(() => () =>
props.data.map(dataToRow);
);
return <List createRows={createRows}/>;
}
Since the createRows is saved in a state hook, it will not change with each render, and no re-render of List will occour, like we want.
However, this seems more like a hack than a solution.
What is best practice for sending a function prop from a functional components to a child component, without causing unnecessary re-renders of the child component?
useCallback hook exists exactly to solve this problem. I advise you to carefully read the official guide to hooks, it pretty much answers all possible questions
function Component(props) {
const createRows = useCallback(() =>
props.data.map(dataToRow);
), []); // provide dependencies here
return <List createRows={createRows}/>;
}
This is the purpose of useCallback. You can find more details in some of my related answers below.
Trouble with simple example of React Hooks useCallback
What is the intension of using React's useCallback hook in place of useEffect?
React Hooks useCallback causes child to re-render
Why in the following pseudo-code example Child doesn't re-render when Container changes foo.bar?
Container {
handleEvent() {
this.props.foo.bar = 123
},
render() {
return <Child bar={this.props.foo.bar} />
}
Child {
render() {
return <div>{this.props.bar}</div>
}
}
Even if I call forceUpdate() after modifying the value in Container, Child still shows the old value.
Update the child to have the attribute 'key' equal to the name. The component will re-render every time the key changes.
Child {
render() {
return <div key={this.props.bar}>{this.props.bar}</div>
}
}
Because children do not rerender if the props of the parent change, but if its STATE changes :)
What you are showing is this:
https://facebook.github.io/react/tips/communicate-between-components.html
It will pass data from parent to child through props but there is no rerender logic there.
You need to set some state to the parent then rerender the child on parent change state.
This could help.
https://facebook.github.io/react/tips/expose-component-functions.html
I had the same problem.
This is my solution, I'm not sure that is the good practice, tell me if not:
state = {
value: this.props.value
};
componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
if(prevProps.value !== this.props.value) {
this.setState({value: this.props.value});
}
}
UPD: Now you can do the same thing using React Hooks:
(only if component is a function)
const [value, setValue] = useState(propName);
// This will launch only if propName value has chaged.
useEffect(() => { setValue(propName) }, [propName]);
When create React components from functions and useState.
const [drawerState, setDrawerState] = useState(false);
const toggleDrawer = () => {
// attempting to trigger re-render
setDrawerState(!drawerState);
};
This does not work
<Drawer
drawerState={drawerState}
toggleDrawer={toggleDrawer}
/>
This does work (adding key)
<Drawer
drawerState={drawerState}
key={drawerState}
toggleDrawer={toggleDrawer}
/>
Obey immutability
Quite an old question but it's an evergreen problem and it doesn't get better if there are only wrong answers and workarounds.
The reason why the child object is not updating is not a missing key or a missing state, the reason is that you don't obey the principle of immutability.
It is the aim of react to make apps faster and more responsive and easier to maintain and so on but you have to follow some principles. React nodes are only rerendered if it is necessary, i.e. if they have updated. How does react know if a component has updated? Because it state has changed. Now don't mix this up with the setState hook. State is a concept and every component has its state. State is the look or behaviour of the component at a given point in time. If you have a static component you only have one state all the time and don't have to take care of it. If the component has to change somehow its state is changing.
Now react is very descriptive. The state of a component can be derived from some changing information and this information can be stored outside of the component or inside. If the information is stored inside than this is some information the component has to keep track itself and we normally use the hooks like setState to manage this information. If this information is stored outside of our component then it is stored inside of a different component and that one has to keep track of it, its theirs state. Now the other component can pass us their state thru the props.
That means react rerenders if our own managed state changes or if the information coming in via props changes. That is the natural behaviour and you don't have to transfer props data into your own state.
Now comes the very important point: how does react know when information has changed? Easy: is makes an comparison! Whenever you set some state or give react some information it has to consider, it compares the newly given information with the actually stored information and if they are not the same, react will rerender all dependencies of that information.
Not the same in that aspect means a javascript === operator.
Maybe you got the point already.
Let's look at this:
let a = 42;
let b = a;
console.log('is a the same as b?',a === b); // a and b are the same, right? --> true
a += 5; // now let's change a
console.log('is a still the same as b?',a === b); // --> false
We are creating an instance of a value, then create another instance, assign the value of the first instance to the second instance and then change the first instance.
Now let's look at the same flow with objects:
let a = { num: 42};
let b = a;
console.log('is a the same as b?',a === b); // a and b are the same, right? --> true
a.num += 5; // now let's change a
console.log('is a still the same as b?',a === b); // --> true
The difference this time is that an object actually is a pointer to a memory area and with the assertion of b=a you set b to the same pointer as a leading to exactly the same object.
Whatever you do in a can be accesed by your a pointer or your b pointer.
Your line:
this.props.foo.bar = 123
actually updates a value in the memory where "this" is pointing at.
React simply can't recognize such alterations by comparing the object references. You can change the contents of your object a thousand times and the reference will always stay the same and react won't do a rerender of the dependent components.
That is why you have to consider all variables in react as immutable. To make a detectable change you need a different reference and you only get that with a new object. So instead of changing your object you have to copy it to a new one and then you can change some values in it before you hand it over to react.
Look:
let a = {num: 42};
console.log('a looks like', a);
let b = {...a};
console.log('b looks like', b);
console.log('is a the same as b?', a === b); // --> false
The spread operator (the one with the three dots) or the map-function are common ways to copy data to a new object or array.
If you obey immutability all child nodes update with new props data.
Confirmed, adding a Key works. I went through the docs to try and understand why.
React wants to be efficient when creating child components. It won't render a new component if it's the same as another child, which makes the page load faster.
Adding a Key forces React to render a new component, thus resetting State for that new component.
https://reactjs.org/docs/reconciliation.html#recursing-on-children
According to React philosophy component can't change its props. they should be received from the parent and should be immutable. Only parent can change the props of its children.
nice explanation on state vs props
also, read this thread Why can't I update props in react.js?
You should use setState function. If not, state won't save your change, no matter how you use forceUpdate.
Container {
handleEvent= () => { // use arrow function
//this.props.foo.bar = 123
//You should use setState to set value like this:
this.setState({foo: {bar: 123}});
};
render() {
return <Child bar={this.state.foo.bar} />
}
Child {
render() {
return <div>{this.props.bar}</div>
}
}
}
Your code seems not valid. I can not test this code.
You must have used dynamic component.
In this code snippet we are rendering child component multiple time and also passing key.
If we render a component dynamically multiple time then React doesn't render that component until it's key gets changed.
If we change checked by using setState method. It won't be reflected in Child component until we change its key. We have to save that on child's state and then change it to render child accordingly.
class Parent extends Component {
state = {
checked: true
}
render() {
return (
<div className="parent">
{
[1, 2, 3].map(
n => <div key={n}>
<Child isChecked={this.state.checked} />
</div>
)
}
</div>
);
}
}
My case involved having multiple properties on the props object, and the need to re-render the Child on changing any of them.
The solutions offered above were working, yet adding a key to each an every one of them became tedious and dirty (imagine having 15...). If anyone is facing this - you might find it useful to stringify the props object:
<Child
key={JSON.stringify(props)}
/>
This way every change on each one of the properties on props triggers a re-render of the Child component.
Hope that helped someone.
I have the same issue's re-rendering object props, if the props is an object JSON.stringify(obj) and set it as a key for Functional Components. Setting just an id on key for react hooks doesn't work for me. It's weird that to update the component's you have to include all the object properties on the key and concatenate it there.
function Child(props) {
const [thing, setThing] = useState(props.something)
return (
<>
<div>{thing.a}</div>
<div>{thing.b}</div>
</>
)
}
...
function Caller() {
const thing = [{a: 1, b: 2}, {a: 3, b: 4}]
thing.map(t => (
<Child key={JSON.stringify(t)} something={thing} />
))
}
Now anytime the thing object changes it's values on runtime, Child component will re-render it correctly.
You should probably make the Child as functional component if it does not maintain any state and simply renders the props and then call it from the parent. Alternative to this is that you can use hooks with the functional component (useState) which will cause stateless component to re-render.
Also you should not alter the propas as they are immutable. Maintain state of the component.
Child = ({bar}) => (bar);
export default function DataTable({ col, row }) {
const [datatable, setDatatable] = React.useState({});
useEffect(() => {
setDatatable({
columns: col,
rows: row,
});
/// do any thing else
}, [row]);
return (
<MDBDataTableV5
hover
entriesOptions={[5, 20, 25]}
entries={5}
pagesAmount={4}
data={datatable}
/>
);
}
this example use useEffect to change state when props change.
I was encountering the same problem.
I had a Tooltip component that was receiving showTooltip prop, that I was updating on Parent component based on an if condition, it was getting updated in Parent component but Tooltip component was not rendering.
const Parent = () => {
let showTooltip = false;
if(....){ showTooltip = true; }
return(
<Tooltip showTooltip={showTooltip}></Tooltip>
)
}
The mistake I was doing is to declare showTooltip as a let.
I realized what I was doing wrong I was violating the principles of how rendering works, Replacing it with hooks did the job.
const [showTooltip, setShowTooltip] = React.useState<boolean>(false);
define changed props in mapStateToProps of connect method in child component.
function mapStateToProps(state) {
return {
chanelList: state.messaging.chanelList,
};
}
export default connect(mapStateToProps)(ChannelItem);
In my case, channelList's channel is updated so I added chanelList in mapStateToProps
In my case I was updating a loading state that was passed down to a component. Within the Button the props.loading was coming through as expected (switching from false to true) but the ternary that showed a spinner wasn't updating.
I tried adding a key, adding a state that updated with useEffect() etc but none of the other answers worked.
What worked for me was changing this:
setLoading(true);
handleOtherCPUHeavyCode();
To this:
setLoading(true);
setTimeout(() => { handleOtherCPUHeavyCode() }, 1)
I assume it's because the process in handleOtherCPUHeavyCode is pretty heavy and intensive so the app freezes for a second or so. Adding the 1ms timeout allows the loading boolean to update and then the heavy code function can do it's work.
You can use componentWillReceiveProps:
componentWillReceiveProps({bar}) {
this.setState({...this.state, bar})
}
Credit to Josh Lunsford
Considering the rendering limitations with props and the gains we have with states, if you use reaction hooks, there are a few tricks you can use. For example, you can convert props to state manually using useEffect. It probably shouldn't be the best practice, but it helps in theses cases.
import { isEqual } from 'lodash';
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
export const MyComponent = (props: { users: [] }) => {
const [usersState, setUsersState] = useState([]);
useEffect(() => {
if (!isEqual(props.users, usersState)) {
setUsersState(props.users);
}
}, [props.users]);
<OtherComponent users={usersState} />;
};
I want my component know if some library is already loaded. To know that from any context i connect it to the "library" reducer of my store to my component.
I also pass it a configuration object this.props.dataObject from the parent where the component has been called. Like this:
class GoogleButton extends Component {
render() {
if (this.props.libraries.google) {
return <a id='sharePost' className='google_icon'></a>
} else {
return null
}
}
componentDidUpdate() {
gapi.interactivepost.render('sharePost', this.props.dataObject)
}
}
function mapStateToProps(state) {
return { libraries: state.libraries }
}
export default connect(mapStateToProps)(GoogleButton)
The reducer that handles the libraries state is like this:
let newState = {...state}
newState[action.libraryName] = action.state
return newState
When I change the library state componentDidUpdate works. The problem is when i change the prop inherited by the parent this.props.dataObject. In that case is where componentDidUpdate wont fire. If i remove the connect from the component it works as espected. I'm missing something here?
Most likely some of your props are mutated outside the component.
For example, you might be rendering your component like this:
class Parent extends Component {
constructor() {
super()
this.state = { libraries: {} }
}
handleClick() {
// MUTATION!
this.state.libraries.google = true
// Normally this forces to update component anyway,
// but React Redux will assume you never mutate
// for performance reasons.
this.setState({ libraries: this.state.libraries })
}
render() {
return (
<div onClick={() => this.handleClick()}>
<GoogleButton libraries={this.state.libraries} />
</div>
)
}
}
Because Redux apps deal with immutable data, connect() uses shallow equality check for its props to avoid unnecessary re-renders. However, this won’t work if you use mutation in your app.
You have two options:
Don’t Mutate Anything
This is the best option. For example, instead of something like
handleClick() {
this.state.libraries.google = true
this.setState({ libraries: this.state.libraries })
}
you can write
handleClick() {
this.setState({
libraries: {
...this.state.libraries,
google: true
}
})
}
This way we are creating a new object so connect() wouldn’t ignore the changed reference. (I’m using the object spread syntax in this snippet.)
Disable Performance Optimizations
A worse alternative is to completely disable performance optimizations made by connect(). Then your props would update even if you mutate them in the parent, but your app will be slower. To do this, replace
export default connect(mapStateToProps)(GoogleButton)
with
export default connect(mapStateToProps, null, null, { pure: false })(GoogleButton)
Don’t do this unless absolutely necessary.
I solved it. I'm not 100% sure that this is accurate, but I will explain. If im wrong with something, please correct me.
I keep thinking about the shallow equality check that Dan said in his answer. The problem was there.
I was passing down an object from the parent and the nested elements of that object were the ones that changed. The object remain the same. So with the shallow equality check that connect brings the component will never update.
My solution was in the parent use Object.assign({}, dataObject) when I pass down the prop so I make another different object. Now shallow equality check could compare it and determinate that the props have changed and there before update the component.
i had same problem and i used object.assign for create new state but i use combineReducer and it cause multi level state ,in my case i pass whole state as props to component so shallow equality check can not detect my state change so componentDidUpdate didnot call,it is important to pass state in level it change when using combine reducer
in my case i pass it like this
const MapStateToProps=(state)=>{
return {
reportConfig:state.ReportReducer
}
};
and my state tree is like this
{
ReportReducer: {
reportConfig: {
reportDateFilter: 'this week',
reportType: null,
reportShopId: null,
updateShop: true
}
}
}
and in my reducer and return it like this as ReportReducer
export default combineReducers({reportConfig});
and my root reducer is like this
const rootReducer =combineReducers({ReportReducer});
const store = createStore(rootReducer ,{},enhancer);
Another option that you can use is to make a deep copy of the inherit prop this.props.dataObject on the child component, this in order for the componentDidUpdate to 'catch' the updated prop, you could use:
dataObject={JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(valueToPass))}
Use this where you are passing the prop from the parent component, this works for me in a similar problem (This applies when you don't have any function inside the prop).
I had this exact same problem with Components I used from an external library.
So I didn't had the option to modify the inherited property.
I only needed a part of the inherited property object (will use dataObject for simplicity). Solved it by adding it to the mapStateToProps function:
function mapStateToProps(state, ownProps) {
return { libraries: state.libraries, neededValue: ownProps.dataObject.value }
}
By which a shallow compare is enough to notice a value change. So use this.props.neededValue iso this.props.dataObject.value in the render() function.