React – the right way to pass form element state to sibling/parent elements?

One common challenge in React is how to pass the state of a form element to sibling or parent components. This can be particularly useful when you need to update the state or perform actions based on the form input in other parts of your application. In this blog post, we will explore two different solutions to achieve this.

Solution 1: Using Callback Functions

One way to pass form element state to sibling or parent components is by using callback functions. This involves defining a callback function in the parent component and passing it down to the child component as a prop. The child component can then call this callback function with the updated form element state as an argument.

Here’s an example:

{`// Parent Component
class ParentComponent extends React.Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      formElementState: ''
    };
  }
  
  handleFormElementChange = (value) => {
    this.setState({ formElementState: value });
  }
  
  render() {
    return (
      

        
        Form Element State: {this.state.formElementState}
      
    );
  }
}

// Child Component
class ChildComponent extends React.Component {
  handleInputChange = (event) => {
    const value = event.target.value;
    this.props.onFormElementChange(value);
  }
  
  render() {
    return (
      
    );
  }
}`}

In this example, the parent component (ParentComponent) defines a callback function called handleFormElementChange. This function updates the state of the form element. The child component (ChildComponent) renders an input element and calls the callback function with the updated value whenever the input value changes.

Solution 2: Using React Context

Another solution to pass form element state to sibling or parent components is by using React Context. React Context provides a way to share data between components without passing props through every level of the component tree.

Here’s an example:

{`// Create a new context
const FormElementContext = React.createContext();

// Parent Component
class ParentComponent extends React.Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      formElementState: ''
    };
  }
  
  handleFormElementChange = (value) => {
    this.setState({ formElementState: value });
  }
  
  render() {
    return (
      
        
        Form Element State: {this.state.formElementState}
      
    );
  }
}

// Child Component
class ChildComponent extends React.Component {
  render() {
    return (
      
        {formElementState => (
           this.context.handleFormElementChange(event.target.value)} />
        )}
      
    );
  }
}`}

In this example, we create a new context called FormElementContext using React.createContext(). The parent component (ParentComponent) provides the form element state value to the context using the FormElementContext.Provider component. The child component (ChildComponent) consumes the form element state value from the context using the FormElementContext.Consumer component. The input element in the child component is then connected to the form element state using the context value.

Both of these solutions provide a way to pass form element state to sibling or parent components in React. The choice between them depends on the complexity and requirements of your application. Callback functions are simpler and more straightforward, while React Context offers more flexibility and scalability.

By using these techniques, you can effectively manage form element state and ensure that it is accessible to other components in your React application.

That’s it for this blog post! We hope you found it helpful in understanding the right way to pass form element state to sibling or parent elements in React.

Happy coding!