Introduction to React JS Architecture
React JS is a front-end, open-source, and component-based JavaScript library. Web developers use the components of React JS to design and develop modular UI (user interface) with components displaying data in real time.
The architecture of React JS refers to a set of components employed to develop the user interface of software applications, such as forms, buttons, API services, and more. Developers use React JS architecture to design user interfaces with the help of the JavaScript framework.
If you are a budding app developer wanting to carve yourself a niche in computer science and information technology, then you must understand the React JS architecture. From delving deep into React JS’s codebase to understanding the intricate concepts of the architecture, the Full Stack Software Development Bootcamp offered at upGrad is an excellent option to master the basics.
Read on to learn more about React JS and its library of UI components.
Why is React JS Architecture Important?
React JS architecture is significant for web development for the following reasons:
- React JS architecture enables the reuse of codebase and simplification of maintenance of web applications.
- React architecture allows the web developer to build more components, making code expansion easy and convenient.
- It enables the maintenance of global state variables using a state management library like Redux.
- It makes unit testing highly convenient.
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Key Components of React JS Architecture
Primarily, there are two categories of components in the React JS architecture, as mentioned below:
- Functional components:
Functional components of React JS architecture include JavaScript functions.
- Class components:
Class components pass data among themselves and can be created by using JavaScript ES6 classes.
Virtual DOM in React JS Architecture
DOM (Document Object Model) structurally represents a web page as objects and nodes. The virtual DOM of the React JS architecture is an object-based replication of the actual DOM. Web developers use virtual DOM to enable the actual DOM to execute nominal DOM operations while re-rendering the user interface.
Component Architecture in React JS
The component architecture of React JS is a representation of a portion of the UI of a web application. The React component renders the UI and updates it whenever there is a change in the internal state. It also monitors the events related to the web application’s UI.
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State Management in React Architecture
The state represents the dynamic values of React JS components at any instant in time. The architecture of React JS provides a simple and user-friendly API for state management of React JS components. Whenever there is a change in the component’s state, the component re-renders itself by invoking the render () function with the changed state.
Redux Architecture and Its Integration with React JS
Redux architecture is a standalone library that can be integrated with React JS to create web application UI. When integrated with React JS, the Redux library helps supervise and update the web application’s state using actions.
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How to Implement React JS Architecture in Your Project?
The implementation of React JS architecture in a project takes place in a sequence of steps as described below:
- Navigation of a directory structure
Every React JS project comprises a source folder that stores all the essential folders and files. The React folder structure that forms a part of the source folder is listed below:
- Assets folder
- Components folder
- Views folder
- Services folder
- Utils folder
- Hooks folder
- Store folder
- App.js file
- Index.js file
- Index.css file
2. Use the common modules
A module refers to a bundle of reusable groups of classes, functions, and components of software development. In React JS, standard modules include customised hooks, custom components, utility functions, constants, and business logic. Using the standard modules helps create open, shared, and reusable structures across the software application.
3. Include custom components in the React JS folder
You can create an input folder in the React JS project’s source folder to add custom components. The input folder shall have an Input.js file to store the custom component codes. In addition, there will be an Input.css file to store the styles and an Input.test.js file to store the test cases in the input folder.
4. Creation of customised hooks
Creating custom hooks with React architecture patterns helps diminish code complexities. The custom hook is a function beginning with the keyword “use” and assists in calling other hooks.
5. Using absolute imports
Add the necessary support for importing modules to the React JS application using absolute paths. Further, you can add a rule to the jsconfig.json file in the root folder to prevent confusion regarding folder paths.
6. Opening a source session replay
A session replay refers to the direct replaying of the changes in the state of the DOM every second in someone else’s browser at a later time. Using OpenReplay is recommended, a session replay open-source and fully functional tool. The tool helps reproduce a software application’s UI during the session replay.
7. Separation of the business logic from the UI
Create a custom hook using React architecture patterns to separate the business logic from the UI structure. Such a separation improves the quality of the codebase and makes maintenance of the UI components more convenient.
8. Use the utils directory
Using the helper functions in the utils directory helps comply with the clean coding standards.
9. Avoid the creation of a singular context for every component
Using the React Context method helps transmit data across components without passing props among the components.
App development requires the sequential implementation of the steps mentioned above. To learn to develop web applications, you must understand the detailed aspects of the React JS architecture. Aspiring web developers can pursue a course in Master of Science in Computer Science from LJMU to learn more about React JS and its architecture.
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Best Practices for Implementing React Architecture
Web developers may follow the React folder structure best practices and guidelines given below to build an optimised and scalable React JS application:
- Avoid excessive use of nested directories and files.
- Maintain logical consistency while naming the components of your React JS project application. Random naming of the components, especially if you have hundreds of components in your project, may cause confusion later in development.
- Avoid randomly moving the files from one location to another, especially if you are part of a team of software developers.
- If you are dealing with a massive volume of asynchronous code, you may use Redux-saga to manage the code and other side effects efficiently.
- Using separate reducers is recommended to separate features, with each reducer exporting action creator and selector components.
Future of React JS Architecture
Constant developments and evolutions constitute the present and future of React architecture. The upcoming React JS features to be launched soon are summarised below:
Concurrent Mode:
The concurrent mode of React Native new architecture will allow web applications to be fast, efficient, and more responsive. This mode will also make it easier for web developers to create more dynamic and complex applications.
Improved rendering on the server side:
The improvement in rendering on the server side will make web developers use React Native new architecture to develop more optimised and faster applications.
Hooks API:
The Hooks API feature of React Native new architecture shall allow web developers to create functional components and handle side effects and state management more efficiently. This feature will also improve the flexibility and simplicity of React architecture.
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Wrapping up
React JS architecture is a boon for web developers. Web developers use the reusable components of React JS to endow more adaptability, control, and flexibility in their software projects. React JS is highly suitable for front-end web development. If you want to delve deep into the theories and concepts of React JS architecture, then you can enrol in the Executive PG Programme in Full Stack Development from IIITB, offered at upGrad.
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