Inside the World of React: Server Components, Unidirectional Data Flow, and Frameworks - JSJ 617
Jan 23, 2024
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Sam Selikoff, founder of Build UI, Inc., discusses React server components, RPC resurgence, and integrating design and components. They also touch on mental health conversations, personal experiences, and the pitfalls of fragmented media subscriptions.
React server components enable one-way data flow and co-locate code for maintainable applications.
React's component model combines HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for efficient and organized UI development.
React's server actions simplify network communication and offer improved developer experience.
Deep dives
Server Actions and Components in React
Server actions and server components in React bring the concept of one-way data flow across the network. It enables the data flowing from React server components down into client components as props and events bubbling up from client components to server-side operations. This new architecture allows for the co-location of code that changes together, providing a more maintainable and organized structure for applications. While there may be concerns with versioning and compatibility, frameworks like Next and Remix offer solutions to overcome these challenges. The goal is to utilize these powerful components within appropriate boundaries, maintaining security and adhering to best practices.
Boundaries and Encapsulation in React
React's component model challenges the traditional separation of concerns in front-end development. By allowing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to be combined in a single file, React enables the co-location of code that is related to a specific component's functionality. This approach provides a more efficient and organized way of developing UI components, utilizing the Component as an abstraction that defines responsibilities based on actual concerns. While there may be concerns about mixing different expertise within teams, frameworks like Remix help establish boundaries and enforce conventions to ensure code maintainability and collaboration.
Ergonomics and Advantages of Server Actions
React's server actions and server components offer improved developer experience and simplify network communication. In contrast to traditional fetch calls, server actions handle serializing and deserializing arguments, provide type information, and offer error handling. This streamlines the development process and reduces the potential for errors. Server actions also bring the functionality inside the component boundary, enabling a more modular and encapsulated approach. Although concerns about versioning and compatibility may arise, frameworks like React and Next provide solutions to address these challenges, making it easier to leverage the benefits of server actions in React development.
Server components and server actions: Bundling server-side logic in front-end components
Server components and server actions allow for bundling server-side logic with front-end components. This means that dependencies, such as the server-side API calls, are bundled together with the front-end code. This bundling allows for easier deployment and runtime interaction between the front-end and server-side components. It can be particularly useful for integrating with external services, like Stripe, where both client-side and server-side components are required for a full integration. The goal is to encapsulate server-side code within the component boundary, making it easier to use and reducing the need for developers to handle low-level details.
Concerns about endpoint proliferation and the potential solution
One concern raised is the proliferation of APIs and endpoints that can occur with the ease of creating server-side components. The worry is that organizations may create numerous APIs without proper management or consideration of their impact. This can lead to unused or forgotten endpoints, impacting the overall stability and security of the system. To address this concern, the speaker suggests that frameworks and libraries should impose conventions and guidelines to guide developers in creating APIs responsibly. Just as Ruby on Rails provided guidelines for structuring web applications, frameworks for server components and actions can help establish healthy practices for managing API endpoints and ensure efficient usage of resources.
Sam Selikoff is the founder of Build UI, Inc. They unpack a myriad of discussions surrounding JavaScript and its applications. They delve into topics such as RPC resurgence, React server components, and the challenges and solutions around integrating design and components. A variety of technical concepts, tools, and frameworks, including Tailwind, Redux, and Remix, are also explored. Additionally, the episode touches upon important mental health conversations, personal experiences, and the pitfalls of fragmented media subscriptions. Sponsors
