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    Redux: React Counter Example
    2m 18s

Redux: React Counter Example

Dan Abramov
InstructorDan Abramov
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Published 8 years ago
Updated 3 years ago

Before you use the React Redux bindings, learn how to create a complete simple application with just React and Redux.

[00:00] In the simplest counter example, I update the document body manually any time this tool state changes. But, of course, this approach does not scale to complex applications. Instead of manually updating the DOM, I'm going to use React.

[00:17] I'm adding to script the [inaudible] corresponding to React and react-dom packages and a root dev to render to. Now I can call the ReactDOM.render with my root component. The render function is called any time this store state changes, so I can safely pass the current state of this store as a prop to my root component.

[00:39] Since this state is held inside the Redux store, the counter component can be a simple function, which is a supported way of declaring components since React 14.

[00:51] I want to add, decrement, and increment buttons to the component, but I don't want to hard-code the Redux dependency into the component. So I just add on increment and on decrement props as callbacks. In my render method, I pass the callbacks that call store.dispatch with appropriate actions. Now the application state is updated when I click the buttons.

[01:21] Let's recap how this application works. The counter component is what I call a dump component. It does not contain any business logic. It only specifies how the current application state transforms into renderable output and how the callbacks, passed via props, are bound to the event handlers.

[01:45] When we render a counter, we specify that its value should be taken from the Redux store current state. When the user presses "increment" or "decrement," we dispatch corresponding action to the Redux store. Our reducer specifies how the next state is calculated based on the current state and the action being dispatched.

[02:07] Finally, we subscribe to the Redux store, so our render function runs anytime the state changes, so the counter gets the current state.

Steve Schwarz
Steve Schwarz
~ 8 years ago

I can't find any description/explanation of this variant of arrow func syntax: ({ value, onIncrement, onDecrement }) =>

What does putting braces around the arguments signify?

Joel Hooks
Joel Hooks
~ 8 years ago

That will "destructure" the argument. Instead of receiving the full object this function will be passed its properties of the respective names.

It's a super useful es6 feature. See more here: https://egghead.io/lessons/ecmascript-6-destructuring-assignment

Dana White
Dana White
~ 8 years ago

Is creating const's the preferred way to declare components as opposed to creating classes that extend React.Component? Or was this shorthand approach written for the purposes of the tutorial?

Dan Abramov
Dan Abramovinstructor
~ 8 years ago

Let’s first clarify that const is not the point here. It only enforces that this binding is not reassigned later, but we could’ve used let (or ES5 var) just as fine when declaring a functional component. In fact

const Counter = ({ value}) => <div>{value}</div>;

is pretty much the same as

function Counter({ value }) {
  return <div>{value}</div>;
}

Now, when should you use functional components instead of classes? I’d say every time it’s possible. Support for them was added in React 0.14 so most examples in the wild don’t use them yet, but it’s usually a better pattern. Functional components match React’s conceptual model more closely. Use classes when you need this.state or lifecycle hooks like componentDidMount, but in most cases, use functional components for simplicity.

Steven
Steven
~ 7 years ago

Hi :) Thanks for this course, it's very helpful ! I have one qestion, not about Redux... but more by curiosity !

Can you explain why in JSBin this kind of synthax can be written : => (

<div> <h1>{value}</h1> <button onClick={onIncrement}>+</button> <button onClick={onDecrement}>-</button> </div> );

There are no ' or " or ` ... at the first glance i thought "it's a great new feature of ES6 ... no need to put any symbols for templating..." But i tried, and it's crash.. of course...

Thanks for your time !

Jesse
Jesse
~ 7 years ago

I would like to see an answer for this as well. Steven did you ever get it it working outside of pastebin?

Lars-m
Lars-m
~ 7 years ago

Hi Steven It is perfectly legal ES6 + React. The counter method receives the props and, using ES6 Object Destructuring Assignment, (see video refered by joel) fetches the three properties of interest.

This rewrite of the Counter method might make it a bit clearer?

const Counter = (props) => { 
  let {value,onIncrement, onDecrement} = props;
  return (
  <div>
    <h1>{value}</h1>
    <button onClick={onIncrement}>+</button>
    <button onClick={onDecrement}>-</button>
  </div>
  )
}```
Guillermo Timón
Guillermo Timón
~ 7 years ago

Hi, I am not a React developer, but a quick search I found this. Hope it helps you https://facebook.github.io/react/docs/react-without-jsx.html

Janis
Janis
~ 5 years ago

The files don't work for me and display blank. How do I set up the environment to make the files work outside Plunker, please?

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