AbortController in Fetch API with React

When working with API calls in React, we often need to handle scenarios where requests must be canceled, whether due to fast component changes or multiple concurrent requests that end up being unnecessary. This is where AbortController comes in!

It allows you to cancel requests made with fetch(), improving performance and preventing issues like memory leaks when users navigate quickly between different components.

Here's a basic example of how to use it with React and TypeScript:

import { useEffect } from 'react';

const useFetchData = (url: string) => {
  useEffect(() => {
    const controller = new AbortController();
    const signal = controller.signal;

    const fetchData = async () => {
      try {
        const response = await fetch(url, { signal });
        if (!response.ok) throw new Error('Request failed');
        const data = await response.json();
        console.log(data);
      } catch (error) {
        if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
          console.log('Request canceled');
        } else {
          console.error('Error:', error);
        }
      }
    };

    fetchData();

    return () => {
      controller.abort(); // Cancels the request when the component unmounts
    };
  }, [url]);
};        

Tips:

1. Always use AbortController in asynchronous requests that may be interrupted, especially in components that make fetches during short lifecycle phases.
2. It helps prevent unwanted errors when users quickly switch between pages or when multiple requests are made simultaneously.
3. As shown in the example above, You can easily integrate it into custom hooks.

This small adjustment can greatly affect your app's performance and code maintenance!

#React #TypeScript #WebDevelopment #JavaScript #APIs #Frontend