How to Listen to AsyncStorage Changes in Real-Time in React Native

Learn how to effectively manage authentication flow in React Native by listening to changes in AsyncStorage without needing to refresh the app.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/69063894/ asked by the user 'othmane-be' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/16835363/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/69064181/ provided by the user 'Muhammed Yasir MT' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14981336/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Listening to AsyncStorage Changes in Real-Time with React Native

Building an authentication system in React Native can be tricky, especially when it comes to listening for changes in the user authentication state. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to refresh the app manually to see the updated screen after a user logs in or out? If you’re using AsyncStorage along with Redux and React Navigation, you’re not alone. This guide will guide you on how to effectively implement real-time rendering of conditional screens within your application without the need for manual refreshes.

The Problem: Conditional Screen Rendering

In our scenario, the goal is to show the Sign screen when the user is not authenticated, and the UserUI screen when the user has successfully logged in. The issue arises from the fact that the application does not automatically reflect a change in authentication state due to AsyncStorage. Specifically, after authenticating, the state isAuthenticated is not updated until a manual refresh of the app is performed. This is a common issue and can be solved with the right approach.

Understanding the Solution

Here’s how you can implement a seamless authentication flow that checks user authentication status in real-time:

Step 1: Use Redux for State Management

Make sure you are utilizing Redux to manage the authentication state. You may have this part already, where you dispatch authentication actions. This allows you to centralize and effectively access the authentication status from anywhere in your app.

Step 2: Utilize Redux Persist

To ensure that the user data remains intact even after the app is closed, integrating Redux Persist could be beneficial. This library saves your Redux state in local storage, enabling you to access the data when the app is reopened.

Install redux-persist:

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Configure it in your Redux store setup.

Step 3: Select the Proper Screen Based on Authentication State

Instead of retrieving the authenticated state directly from AsyncStorage, we can leverage Redux’s state management. Here is a simple restructuring of how your component should look.

App.js

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AppNavigation.js

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Step 4: Implementing the Sign-In Logic

Make sure your sign-in action updates both the Redux state and asynchronous storage properly. Here’s an improved version of your sign-in action using async/await for better error handling and cleaner code.

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Step 5: Reacting to Redux State Changes

Instead of directly managing state changes using local storage, react to the Redux state by subscribing to it, which could introduce performance issues. Use the useSelector hook in conjunction with your components to obtain real-time updates directly from Redux.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can achieve a responsive authentication flow in your React Native app that does not require manual refresh. The application will seamlessly navigate users between the Sign screen and the User UI based on their authentication status. As you implement this solution, consider refining it further, perhaps by adding additional features or enhancing user experience. If you encounter any challenges or find a better solution, sharing your experiences can help others in the community!

Keep coding and happy developing!

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