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Last updated on Oct 30, 2023
Last updated on Oct 30, 2023
React Query is a powerful library that helps you manage state, synchronization, caching, and error handling in your React applications. It is a pre-configured data management library that gives you power and control over server-side state management, fetching and caching of data, and error handling in a simple and declarative way without affecting the global state of your application.
React Query v5 is the latest version of this library, which has been released recently. In this blog, we will discuss the new features and improvements in React Query v5, how to install it, and how to migrate from the previous version.
We will also compare React Query v5 with other state management libraries and discuss its use cases, best practices, tips and tricks, common issues and solutions, debugging techniques, performance optimization, caching strategies, data fetching strategies, infinite queries, breaking changes, custom context, custom logger, global callbacks, edge cases, garbage collection, structural sharing, error handling, and loading state.
React Query v5 comes with several new features and improvements, including:
React Query v5 has several features that make it a powerful and flexible library for state management and data fetching in your React applications. Some of the key features of React Query v5 include:
To install React Query v5, you can use npm or yarn. Here is the command to install React Query v5 using npm:
1npm install @tanstack/react-query@5.0.0 2
Here is the command to install React Query v5 using yarn:
1yarn add @tanstack/react-query@5.0.0 2
If you use React Query v4 or an earlier version, you must migrate to React Query v5 to take advantage of its new features and improvements. The migration process involves updating your code to use the new API and handling any breaking changes that may affect your application. You can find a detailed guide on how to migrate to React Query v5 in the official documentation.
React Query can be used with Next.js to fetch data on the server and client side. You can use the useQuery and useMutation hooks to fetch and mutate data in your Next.js application. You can also use the prefetchQuery function to prefetch data on the server and client side. You can find a detailed guide on how to use React Query with Next.js in the official documentation.
React Query can also be used with React Native to fetch data in your mobile application. You can use the useQuery and useMutation hooks to fetch and mutate data in your React Native application. You can also use the prefetchQuery function to prefetch data on the client side. You can find a detailed guide on using React Query with React Native in the official documentation.
React Query v5 requires React 18.0 or later. This is because it uses the new useSyncExternalStore hook, which is only available in React 18.0 and later. If you are using an earlier version of React, you must upgrade to React 18.0 or later to use React Query v5.
React Query and Redux are popular libraries for state management in React applications. While Redux is a more general-purpose library that can be used for any state management, React Query is specifically designed for data fetching and caching. If you are building an application that requires complex state management, you may want to use Redux. However, if you are building an application that requires data fetching and caching, React Query may be a better choice.
To add a React Query in React, you can use the useQuery hook. Here is an example of how to use the useQuery hook to fetch data:
1import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'; 2 3function App() { 4 const { data, isLoading, error } = useQuery('todos', fetchTodos); 5 6 if (isLoading) { 7 return <div>Loading...</div>; 8 } 9 10 if (error) { 11 return <div>Error: {error.message}</div>; 12 } 13 14 return ( 15 <ul> 16 {data.map((todo) => ( 17 <li key={todo.id}>{todo.title}</li> 18 ))} 19 </ul> 20 ); 21} 22
In this example, we use the useQuery hook to fetch a list of todos from the server. The useQuery hook takes two arguments: the query key and the query function. The query key is a unique identifier for the query, and the query function is a function that returns the data to be fetched.
TanStack Query is an open-source project by Tanner Linsey that provides a pre-configured data management library for React applications. It is designed to simplify state management, data fetching, and caching in your React applications.
TanStack Query is a fork of React Query v3, which Tanner Linsley created. It is a pre-configured data management library that provides a simple and declarative way to manage state, synchronization, caching, and error handling in your React applications. TanStack Query is designed to make the React Query async state manager available to frameworks beyond React, and it comes with a variety of new features. TanStack Query is available for React, Svelte, Solid, and Vue.
React Query v4 is now known as @tanstack/react-query, and it is the latest version of React Query. TanStack Query is a fork of React Query v3, and it has evolved into a separate library with its own set of features and improvements. While TanStack Query and React Query share many similarities, they are not the same library.
If you are looking for a powerful and flexible library for state management and data fetching in your React applications, TanStack Query and React Query are excellent choices. However, you should choose the library that best fits your needs and requirements.
React Query v5 is the latest version of the library and comes with several new features and breaking changes compared to React Query v4. Here are some of the main differences between the two versions:
To migrate from React Query v4 to v5, you must un-/install dependencies and change the imports. React Query v5 also has a codemod to help with the migration.
React Query v5 is a versatile library used in various use cases. Here are some of the main use cases for React Query v5:
By leveraging the features of React Query v5, developers can build performant and scalable React applications that are easy to maintain and test.
React Query v5 is a powerful library for managing server state in React applications, but it is not the only option available. Here are some of the main differences between React Query v5 and other popular state management libraries:
React Query v5 is a good choice for applications that need a simple and efficient way to manage server state without the overhead of a more complex state management library. However, if your application requires more advanced features or flexibility, you may consider using a different library, such as Redux or Apollo Client.
React Query is a powerful library that simplifies data fetching and state management in React applications. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of React Query v5:
Following these tips and tricks, you can make the most of React Query v5 and build performant and scalable React applications.
React Query v5 is a powerful library for managing state in React applications. However, like any library, it can have its issues and challenges. In this section, we will discuss some common issues developers face while using React Query v5 and their solutions.
One of the most common issues with React Query v5 is caching not working as expected. This can happen when the cache is not properly configured or when the data is not being updated in the cache. To solve this issue, you can try the following solutions:
Another common issue with React Query v5 is error handling. When an error occurs, it can be difficult to handle it properly and display the error message to the user. To solve this issue, you can try the following solutions:
React Query v5 can be a performance bottleneck if not used properly. This can happen when too many queries are being made or when the data is not being properly cached. To solve this issue, you can try the following solutions:
Debugging React Query v5 can be a challenging task, especially when dealing with complex applications. In this section, we will discuss some debugging techniques that can help you identify and solve issues with React Query v5.
React Query v5 comes with a set of DevTools that can help you debug your application. You can use the DevTools to inspect the cache, view the query status, and monitor the network requests. To use the DevTools, you must install the React Query DevTools extension for your browser.
The queryCache is a global cache that stores all the data fetched by React Query v5. You can use the queryCache to inspect the cache, invalidate the cache, and manually refetch the data. To use the queryCache, you need to import it from the react-query package.
The useIsFetching hook can help you monitor the number of queries currently being fetched. You can use this hook to display a loading spinner or a progress bar to the user. To use the useIsFetching hook, you need to import it from the react-query package.
React Query v5 provides several ways to optimize performance. Here are some tips to optimize the performance of your React Query v5 application:
React Query v5 provides several caching strategies that you can use to customize the caching behaviour of your application. Here are some of the caching strategies provided by React Query v5:
React Query v5 provides several data fetching strategies that you can use to optimize your data fetching. Here are some of the data fetching strategies that you can use with React Query v5:
You can use these data fetching strategies with React Query v5 by using the appropriate hooks and functions provided by the library.
React Query v5 introduces a new feature called "Infinite Queries" that allows you to fetch paginated data in an infinite loop. This feature is useful when you have a large dataset that needs to be fetched in chunks. With infinite queries, you can fetch the first chunk of data and then fetch the next chunk when the user scrolls down to the end of the first chunk.
To use infinite queries, you must create a new query using the useInfiniteQuery hook. This hook takes a queryFn function that returns a promise that resolves to the next chunk of data. The queryFn function receives an object that contains the current page number and the previous page's data.
1const fetchPosts = async ({ pageParam = 0 }) => { 2 const response = await fetch(`/api/posts?page=${pageParam}`); 3 const data = await response.json(); 4 return data; 5}; 6 7const { data, fetchNextPage, hasNextPage, isFetchingNextPage } = useInfiniteQuery( 8 'posts', 9 fetchPosts, 10 { 11 getNextPageParam: (lastPage, allPages) => lastPage.nextPage, 12 } 13); 14
In the example above, the fetchPosts function fetches the next page of posts and returns it. The useInfiniteQuery hook takes the fetchPosts function and returns an object that contains the current page's data, a function to fetch the next page, a boolean that indicates whether there is a next page and a boolean that indicates whether the next page is currently being fetched.
To fetch the next page, you can call the fetchNextPage function. This function will call the fetchPosts function with the current page number and add the new data to the existing data. If there is no next page, the fetchNextPage function will do nothing.
1<button onClick={() => fetchNextPage()} disabled={!hasNextPage || isFetchingNextPage}> 2 {isFetchingNextPage ? 'Loading more...' : hasNextPage ? 'Load More' : 'Nothing more to load'} 3</button> 4
In the example above, the fetchNextPage function is called when the user clicks the "Load More" button. The button is disabled when there is no next page, or the next page is being fetched.
React Query v5 allows you to create a custom context that can be used to share data between queries. This feature is useful when data needs to be shared across multiple queries, such as authentication tokens or user preferences.
To create a custom context, you need to create a new QueryClient instance and pass it a Provider component that wraps your app.
1import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from 'react-query'; 2 3const queryClient = new QueryClient({ 4 defaultOptions: { 5 queries: { 6 useErrorBoundary: true, 7 retry: 3, 8 retryDelay: 1000, 9 staleTime: 60000, 10 cacheTime: 600000, 11 }, 12 }, 13}); 14 15function App() { 16 return ( 17 <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}> 18 <MyContext.Provider value={{ token: 'abc123' }}> 19 <MyApp /> 20 </MyContext.Provider> 21 </QueryClientProvider> 22 ); 23} 24
In the example above, a new QueryClient instance is created with default query options. The QueryClientProvider component is used to make the queryClient available to all child components that use the useQuery or useMutation hooks. The MyContext.Provider component is used to provide a custom context that contains an authentication token.
To use the custom context in a query, you must pass a context object to the useQuery or useMutation hook.
1const { data } = useQuery('todos', fetchTodos, { 2 context: { token: 'abc123' }, 3}); 4
In the example above, the context object is used to pass an authentication token to the fetchTodos function. The fetchTodos function can then use the token to authenticate the request.
React Query v5 comes with some breaking changes you must be aware of. Here are some of the most important ones:
One of the new features in React Query v5 is the const query function. This function allows you to create a query only executed once and then cached for the application's lifetime. This is useful for data that doesn't change frequently and doesn't need to be refetched on every render.
To create a const query, you need to pass the const option to the useQuery hook:
1const { data } = useQuery('myQuery', fetchMyData, { const: true }); 2
Another new feature in React Query v5 is the ability to share the same instance of the QueryClient across multiple components. This can be useful if you have multiple components that need to share the same data.
To share the same instance of the QueryClient, you need to create the instance in a parent component and pass it down to the child components using the QueryClientProvider:
1const queryClient = new QueryClient(); 2 3function App() { 4 return ( 5 <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}> 6 <Component1 /> 7 <Component2 /> 8 </QueryClientProvider> 9 ); 10} 11
React Query v5 also introduces a new defaultValue option for queries. This option allows you to specify a default value for a query that is used until the actual data is fetched.
To use the defaultValue option, you simply need to pass it as a property to the useQuery hook:
1const { data } = useQuery('myQuery', fetchMyData, { defaultValue: [] }); 2
React Query v5 introduces a new concept of inactive queries. Inactive queries are queries that are not currently being used by any component. These queries are automatically garbage collected after a certain time to free up memory.
To mark a query as inactive, you need to remove it from the QueryClient:
1queryClient.removeQueries('myQuery'); 2
React Query v5 has introduced a new garbage collection feature that helps to manage the memory usage of the cache. This feature is especially useful when dealing with large amounts of data or when the cache is used for a long time. Garbage collection is the process of freeing up memory that is no longer needed by the application. In React Query v5, garbage collection is done automatically by default, but you can manually trigger it if needed.
To enable automatic garbage collection, you can set the gcInterval option when creating a new QueryClient instance. This option specifies the interval (in milliseconds) at which garbage collection should be performed. By default, the gcInterval is set to 60 * 1000 (1 minute). You can also set the gcLimit option to specify the maximum number of queries stored in the cache before garbage collection is triggered. By default, the gcLimit is set to Infinity.
1import { QueryClient } from 'react-query'; 2 3const queryClient = new QueryClient({ 4 defaultOptions: { 5 queries: { 6 gcInterval: 5 * 60 * 1000, // 5 minutes 7 gcLimit: 50, // maximum of 50 queries 8 }, 9 }, 10}); 11
When garbage collection is triggered, React Query v5 will remove inactive queries from the cache. An inactive query is a query that has not been used for a certain amount of time. By default, the inactive time is set to 5 60 1000 (5 minutes), but you can also set it to a different value using the staleTime option when creating a new query.
1import { useQuery } from 'react-query'; 2 3function MyComponent() { 4 const { data } = useQuery('myQuery', fetchMyData, { 5 staleTime: 10 * 60 * 1000, // 10 minutes 6 }); 7 8 // ... 9} 10
By setting the staleTime option to a higher value, you can keep the query data in the cache for a longer time, which can improve the performance of your application. However, you should also be careful not to set the staleTime to a value that is too high, as this can cause the cache to use too much memory.
Overall, the garbage collection feature in React Query v5 helps to improve the performance and memory usage of your application by automatically removing inactive queries from the cache. By setting the gcInterval, gcLimit, and staleTime options, you can customize the behaviour of the garbage collection feature to suit your specific needs.
React Query v5 provides robust error-handling mechanisms to help developers handle errors gracefully. When a query fails, React Query v5 provides a status property that can be used to determine the query's status. The status property can have one of the following values:
In addition to the status property, React Query v5 also provides an error property that contains the error object if the query has failed. Developers can use this property to display error messages to users or to handle errors in other ways.
React Query v5 also provides a retry function that can be used to retry a failed query. The retry function takes an optional options object that can be used to customize the retry behavior. For example, developers can use the retryDelay option to specify a delay between retries.
React Query v5 provides a isLoading property that can be used to determine if a query is currently loading. This property can display loading spinners or other indicators to users while the query is loading.
In addition to the isLoading property, React Query v5 also provides a isFetching property that can be used to determine if a query is currently fetching data. This property can display real-time updates to users while the query fetches data.
In this blog post, we have explored the new features and improvements in React Query v5. We have discussed how to use React Query with Next.js and React Native, and compared React Query v5 with other state management libraries. We have also discussed best practices, tips and tricks, common issues and solutions, debugging techniques, performance optimization, caching strategies, data fetching strategies, infinite queries, breaking changes, custom context, custom logger, global callbacks, edge cases, garbage collection, structural sharing, error handling, and loading state.
React Query v5 is a powerful and flexible library that can help developers build fast and responsive applications. By following the best practices and tips discussed in this blog post, developers can take full advantage of the features and capabilities of React Query v5.
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