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A minimalJSON:API client andReact hooks for fetching, updating, and caching remote data.

• Declarative API queries and mutations
• JSON:API schema serialization + normalization
• Query caching + garbage collection
• Automatic refetching (stale-while-revalidate)
• SSR support

In short, to provide a similar client experience to usingReact +GraphQL.

TheJSON:API specification offers numerous benefits for writing and consuming REST API's, but at the expense of clients being required to manage complex schema serializations. There areseveral projects that provide goodJSON:API implementations,but none offer a seamless integration withReact without incorporating additional libraries and/or model abstractions.

Libraries likereact-query andSWR (both of which are fantastic, and obvious inspirations for this project) go a far way in bridging the gap when coupled with a serialization library likejson-api-normalizer. But both require a non-trivial amount of cache invalidation configuration, given resources can be returned from any number of endpoints.

• React 16.8 or later
• Browsers> 1%, not dead
• Consider polyfilling:
  • Promise
  • Fetch

• Installation
• Getting Started
• Queries
• Mutations
• Deleting
• Caching
• Manual Requests
• Server-Side Rendering
• API Reference
  • useQuery
  • useMutation
  • useIsFetching
  • useClient
  • ApiClient
  • ApiProvider
  • renderWithData

npm i --save jsonapi-react

To begin you'll need to create anApiClient instance and wrap your app with a provider.

import{ApiClient,ApiProvider}from'jsonapi-react'importschemafrom'./schema'constclient=newApiClient({url:'https://my-api.com',  schema,})constRoot=(<ApiProviderclient={client}><App/></ApiProvider>)ReactDOM.render(Root,document.getElementById('root'))

In order to accurately serialize mutations and track which resource types are associated with each request, theApiClient class requires a schema object that describes your API's resources and their relationships.

newApiClient({schema:{todos:{type:'todos',relationships:{user:{type:'users',}}},users:{type:'users',relationships:{todos:{type:'todos',}}}}})

You can also describe and customize how fields get deserialized. Field configuration is entirelyadditive, so any omitted fields are simply passed through unchanged.

constschema={todos:{type:'todos',fields:{title:'string',// shorthandstatus:{resolve:status=>{returnstatus.toUpperCase()},},created:{type:'date',// converts value to a Date objectreadOnly:true// removes field for mutations}},relationships:{user:{type:'users',}}},}

To make a query, call theuseQuery hook with thetype of resource you are fetching. The returned object will contain the query result, as well as information relating to the request.

import{useQuery}from'jsonapi-react'functionTodos(){const{ data, meta, error, isLoading, isFetching}=useQuery('todos')return(<div>      isLoading ? (<div>...loading</div>      ) : (        data.map(todo =>(<divkey={todo.id}>{todo.title}</div>        ))      )</div>)}

The argument simply gets converted to an API endpoint string, so the above is equivalent to doing

useQuery('/todos')

As syntactic sugar, you can also pass an array of URL segments.

useQuery(['todos',1])useQuery(['todos',1,'comments'])

To apply refinements such as filtering, pagination, or included resources, pass an object of URL query parameters as thelast value of the array. The object gets serialized to aJSON:API compatible query string usingqs.

useQuery(['todos',{filter:{complete:0,},include:['comments',],page:{number:1,size:20,},}])

If a query isn't ready to be requested yet, pass afalsey value to defer execution.

constid=nullconst{data:todos}=useQuery(id&&['users',id,'todos'])

The API response data gets automatically deserialized into a nested resource structure, meaning this...

{"data":{"id":"1","type":"todos","attributes":{"title":"Clean the kitchen!"},"relationships":{"user":{"data":{"type":"users","id":"2"}},},},"included":[{"id":2,"type":"users","attributes":{"name":"Steve"}}],}

Gets normalized to...

{id:"1",title:"Clean the kitchen!",user:{id:"2",name:"Steve"}}

To run a mutation, first call theuseMutation hook with a query key. The return value is a tuple that includes amutate function, and an object with information related to the request. Then call themutate function to execute the mutation, passing it the data to be submitted.

import{useMutation}from'jsonapi-react'functionAddTodo(){const[title,setTitle]=useState('')const[addTodo,{ isLoading, data, error, errors}]=useMutation('todos')consthandleSubmit=asynce=>{e.preventDefault()constresult=awaitaddTodo({ title})}return(<formonSubmit={handleSubmit}><inputtype="text"value={title}onChange={e=>setTitle(e.target.value)}/><buttontype="submit">Create Todo</button></form>)}

The mutation function expects anormalized resource object, and automatically handles serializing it. For example, this...

{id:"1",title:"Clean the kitchen!",user:{id:"1",name:"Steve",}}

Gets serialized to...

{"data":{"id":"1","type":"todos","attributes":{"title":"Clean the kitchen!"},"relationships":{"user":{"data":{"type":"users","id":"1"}}}}}

jsonapi-react doesn't currently provide a hook for deleting resources, because there's typically not much local state management associated with the action. Instead, deleting resources is supported through amanual request on theclient instance.

jsonapi-react implements astale-while-revalidate in-memory caching strategy that ensures queries are deduped across the application and only executed when needed. Caching is disabled by default, but can be configured both globally, and/or per query instance.

Caching behavior is determined by two configuration values:

• cacheTime - The number of seconds the response should be cached from the time it is received.
• staleTime - The number of seconds until the response becomes stale. If a cached query that has become stale is requested, the cached response is returned, and the query is refetched in the background. The refetched response is delivered to any active query instances, and re-cached for future requests.

To assign default caching rules for the whole application, configure the client instance.

constclient=newApiClient({cacheTime:5*60,staleTime:60,})

To override the global caching rules, pass a configuration object touseQuery.

useQuery('todos',{cacheTime:5*60,staleTime:60,})

When performing mutations, there's a good chance one or more cached queries should get invalidated, and potentially refetched immediately.

Since the JSON:API schema allows us to determine which resources (including relationships) were updated, the following steps are automatically taken after successful mutations:

• Any cached results that contain resources with atype that matches either the mutated resource, or its included relationships, are invalidated and refetched for active query instances.
• If a query for the mutated resource is cached, and the query URL matches the mutation URL (i.e. the responses can be assumed analogous), the cache is updated with the mutation result and delivered to active instances. If the URL's don't match (e.g. one used refinements), then the cache is invalidated and the query refetched for active instances.

To override which resource types get invalidated as part of a mutation, theuseMutation hook accepts ainvalidate option.

const[mutation]=useMutation(['todos',1],{invalidate:['todos','comments']})

To prevent any invalidation from taking place, pass false to theinvalidate option.

const[mutation]=useMutation(['todos',1],{invalidate:false})

Manual API requests can be performed through the client instance, which can be obtained with theuseClient hook

import{useClient}from'jsonapi-react'functionTodos(){constclient=useClient()}

The client instance is also included in the object returned from theuseQuery anduseMutation hooks.

functionTodos(){const{ client}=useQuery('todos')}functionEditTodo(){const[mutate,{ client}]=useMutation('todos')}

The client request methods have a similar signature as the hooks, and return the same response structure.

#Queriesconst{ data, error}=awaitclient.fetch(['todos',1])#Mutationsconst{ data, error, errors}=awaitclient.mutate(['todos',1],{title:'New Title'})#Deletionsconst{ error}=awaitclient.delete(['todos',1])

Full SSR support is included out of the box, and requires a small amount of extra configuration on the server.

import{ApiProvider,ApiClient,renderWithData}from'jsonapi-react'constapp=newExpress()app.use(async(req,res)=>{constclient=newApiClient({ssrMode:true,url:'https://my-api.com',    schema,})constRoot=(<ApiProviderclient={client}><App/></ApiProvider>)const[content,initialState]=awaitrenderWithData(Root,client)consthtml=<Htmlcontent={content}state={initialState}/>res.status(200)res.send(`<!doctype html>\n${ReactDOM.renderToStaticMarkup(html)}`)res.end()})

The above example assumes that theHtml component exposes theinitialState for client rehydration.

<script>window.__APP_STATE__=JSON.stringify(state)</script>

On the client side you'll then need to hydrate the client instance.

constclient=newApiClient({url:'https://my-api.com',,})client.hydrate(window.__APP_STATE__)

To prevent specific queries from being fetched during SSR, theuseQuery hook accepts assr option.

constresult=useQuery('todos',{ssr:false})

• queryArg: String | [String, Int, Params: Object] | falsey
  • A string, or array of strings/integers.
  • Array may contain a query parameter object as the last value.
  • Iffalsey, the query will not be executed.
• config: Object
  • cacheTime: Int | null:
    • The number of seconds to cache the query.
    • Defaults to client configuration value.
  • staleTime: Int | null
    • The number of seconds until the query becomes stale.
    • Defaults to client configuration value.
  • ssr: Boolean
    • Set tofalse to disable server-side rendering of query.
    • Defaults to context value.
  • client: ApiClient
    • An optional separate client instance.
    • Defaults to context provided instance.

• data: Object | Array | undefined
  • The normalized (deserialized) result from a successful request.
• meta: Object | undefined
  • Ameta object returned from a successful request, if present.
• links: Object | undefined
  • Alinks object returned from a successful request, if present.
• error: Object | undefined
  • A request error, if thrown or returned from the server.
• refetch: Function
  • A function to manually refetch the query.
• setData: Function(Object | Array)
  • A function to manually update the local state of thedata value.
• client: ApiClient
  • The client instance being used by the hook.

• queryArg: String | [String, Int, Params: Object]
  • A string, or array of strings/integers.
  • Array may contain a query parameter object as the last value.
• config: Object
  • invalidate: String | Array
    • One or more resource types to whose cache entries should be invalidated.
  • method: String
    • The request method to use. Defaults toPOST when creating a resource, andPATCH when updating.
  • client: ApiClient
    • An optional separate client instance.
    • Defaults to context provided instance.

• mutate: Function(Object | Array)
  • The mutation function you call with resource data to execute the mutation.
  • Returns a promise that resolves to the result of the mutation.
• data: Object | Array | undefined
  • The normalized (deserialized) result from a successful request.
• meta: Object | undefined
  • Ameta object returned from a successful request, if present.
• links: Object | undefined
  • Alinks object returned from a successful request, if present.
• error: Object | undefined
  • A request error, if thrown or returned from the server.
• errors: Array | undefined
  • Validation errors returned from the server.
• isLoading: Boolean
  • Indicates whether the mutation is currently being submitted.
• client: ApiClient
  • The client instance being used by the hook.

• isFetching: Boolean
  • Returnstrue if any query in the application is fetching.

• client: ApiClient
  • The client instance on the current context.

• url: String
  • The full URL of the remote API.
• mediaType: String
  • The media type to use in request headers.
  • Defaults toapplication/vnd.api+json.
• cacheTime: Int | Null:
  • The number of seconds to cache the query.
  • Defaults to0.
• staleTime: Int | null
  • The number of seconds until the query becomes stale.
  • Defaults tonull.
• headers: Object
  • Default headers to include on every request.
• ssrMode: Boolean
  • Set totrue when running in a server environment.
  • Defaults to result oftypeof window === 'undefined'.
• formatError: Function(error)
  • A function that formats a response error object.
• formatErrors: Function(errors)
  • A function that formats a validation error objects.
• fetch: Function(url, options)
  • Fetch implementation - defaults to the globalfetch.
• fetchOptions: Object
  • Default options to use when callingfetch.
  • SeeMDN for available options.

• fetch(queryKey: String | [String, Int, Params: Object], [config]: Object)
  • Submits a query request.
• mutate(queryKey: String | [String, Int, Params: Object], data: Object | Array, [config]: Object)
  • Submits a mutation request.
• delete(queryKey: String | [String, Int, Params: Object], [config]: Object)
  • Submits a delete request.
• clearCache()
  • Clears all cached requests.
• addHeader(key: String, value: String)
  • Adds a default header to all requests.
• removeHeader(key: String)
  • Removes a default header.
• isFetching()
  • Returnstrue if a query is being fetched by the client.
• subscribe(callback: Function)
  • Subscribes an event listener to client requests.
  • Returns a unsubscribe function.
• hydrate(state: Array)
  • Hydrates a client instance with state after SSR.

• client: ApiClient
  • The API client instance that should be used by the application.

• element: Object
  • The root React element of the application.
• client: ApiClient
  • The client instance used during rendering.

• content: String
  • The rendered application string.
• initialState: Array
  • The extracted client state.