Quick Summary
React is an open-source Javascript UI library framework mainly used for web application development. Facebook designed it and is considered one of the most preferred frameworks for front-end developers worldwide. This blog will guide you on how to upgrade to React 18 and React 18 features. But first, let’s begin with a brief introduction to React 18.
Table Of Contents
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Introduction To React 18
React 18 is the latest version of the Reactjs framework. React 18 got released in March 2022 as Release Candidate ( RC ). The React 18 release has provided concurrent renderers and updates without major changes. Application built on previous React versions can now slowly upgrade to React 18 to improve their performance with React 18 features. Now let’s understand how to upgrade to React 18.
How To Upgrade To React 18?
- To Install the new version of React 18 RC ( Release Candidate ), use the @rc tag.
Follow the below reference for more understanding:
| npm install react@rc react-dom@rc |
If you are using Yarn, follow the below step:
| yarn add react@rc react-dom@rc |
- Once you start the installation process of the new version, you will find this error:
| ReactDOM.render is no longer supported in React 18. Use createRoot instead. Until you switch to the new API, your app will behave as if it’s running React 17. |
To get a proper solution for this error, you can check out Github.
Latest Features Of React 18
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Concurrent Rendering
Concurrent rendering is one of the major features of React 18. Previous Concurrent rendering was known as Concurrent mode. So now, whenever you try to render things with ReactDOM.createRoot Concurrent renderer will play an important role.
To enable Concurrent Rendering Mode, follow the below step:
| ReactDOM.createRoot(rootNode).render(<App />); |
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Root API
Root API has worked as a pointer in the data structure in older versions of React. Root API is mainly used to track render trees in the previous version. React 18 will place two Root APIs, such as Legacy root API and ReactDOM.createRoot, to improve the application performance.
Older version of Root API
| import React from ‘react’;
import ReactDOM from ‘react-dom; import App from ‘App’; ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.getElementById(‘root’)); |
Latest version of Root API
| import ReactDOM from ‘react-dom’;
import App from ‘App’; const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById(‘root’)); root.render(<App />); |
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Strict Result or Effect Mode
This React 18 new feature will provide a sure shot strict effect mode which will automatically improve DX and the development process of web applications.
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If you want to understand more about React 18 then do check out this video:
React 18 is FINALLY Here! ⚡
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Automatic Batching
Batching is a process where React multiple state tuning renders into one for efficient performance. In React 18, this process gets automated that’s the reason it is known as automatic batching for the consistent process.
Example:
| const App = () => {
const [color, setColor] = useState(0); const [count, setCount] = useState(0); const handleClick = () => { setColor((count) => count + 1); // No re-render yet setCount((count) => count + 1); // No re-render yet // Re-render (updates batched) } return ( <div> <button onClick={handleClick}>Next</button> <span style={{ color: color % 2 === 0 ? “blue” : “black” }}>{`${count} ${color % 2 === 0 ? ‘Even’:’Odd’}`}</span> </div> ); } |
- Support Drop For Internet Explorer
Latest version of React 18 has dropped the support for internet explorer. Therefore the application running on internet explorer won’t support React.
It gets difficult for React 18 to provide continuous support because of its latest feature for concurrent rendering, and many others require micro task queues.
Conclusion
React has taken a great initiative after releasing React 18 to provide a great performance experience to its users. The above blog has adequate knowledge of React 18. If you want to upgrade your product to a new version, contact the best Reactjs development company available in the market.
FAQs
Question 1 – What are the two ways that data gets handled in React?
Answer – State and Props are the two common ways that handle the data in React.
Question 2 – What are the features of React?
Answer – The most important features React brings as a web app development framework are JSX, Components, Virtual DOM, Faster Performance, Flexibility, and many others.
Question 3 – What are the new features in React 18?
Answer – React 18 is a newly launched version of React, and the key React 18 features are New Suspense SSR, Automatic batching, API Root, etc.
Question 4 – What is startTransition in React?
Answer – startTransition is a new API of React 18 that allows applications to stay user-friendly, responsive, and interactive.
Question 5 – What is the future of React?
Answer – According to Statista, React is under the top 20 most preferred frameworks for development. It will remain in demand in the coming years because of its scalability and simplicity.
Author Bio:
Chandresh Patel is a CEO, Agile coach and founder of Bacancy Technology. His truly entrepreneurial spirit, skillful expertise and extensive knowledge in the Agile software development services has helped the organization to achieve new heights of success. Chandresh is fronting the organization into global markets in a systematic, innovative and collaborative way to fulfill custom software development needs and provide optimum quality services.
