Managing API Calls with Custom Axios Hook in React

Learn how to efficiently use a custom Axios hook in React to prevent unnecessary API calls and handle state effectively.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/72337946/ asked by the user 'confusedWarrior' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14912334/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/72338071/ provided by the user 'Robin Zigmond' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/8475054/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Component keeps making api calls with custom axios hook

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/licensing
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Managing API Calls with Custom Axios Hook in React: A Comprehensive Guide

In modern web applications, efficient data fetching is crucial for performance and user experience. One common challenge developers face is managing API calls, especially when using custom hooks with libraries like Axios in React. In this post, we’ll explore a practical scenario where a component makes multiple API requests and how to optimize it to prevent unnecessary calls.

The Problem: Multiple API Calls

In our example, we have a Dashboard component that renders various widgets by fetching data from different APIs. Here's a quick overview of the component structure:

A Dashboard component that fetches data from three different APIs: Students, Courses, and Fees.

The component utilizes a custom hook called useAxios for fetching data.

The issue arises because the Dashboard component continuously re-renders, leading to repeated API calls. When this happens, the response from the API logs undefined, even though we have the necessary configurations in place. Let's break down the root cause of the issue.

Analyzing the Use of the Custom Hook

The useAxios hook is designed to handle API requests like so:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why Is This Causing Multiple Re-renders?

The problem stems from how JavaScript handles object references. When we pass an object literal as an argument to useAxios, a new reference is created every time the component renders. This makes React think that the dependency (axiosParams) has changed, which subsequently triggers the useEffect to run again, sending another request.

Fixing the Undefined Response Issue

Interestingly, the undefined response was initially due to a missing authorization token, which once corrected, no longer logged undefined. However, the repeated API calls persisted even after fixing that issue.

The Solution: Extracting Axios Parameters

To stop the unnecessary re-renders and the associated API calls, we can modify how we pass parameters to the useAxios hook:

1. Declare Parameters Outside the Component

By moving the Axios parameter objects outside the component, we ensure that they are not recreated on each render. This maintains a consistent reference. Here's how you can implement it:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

2. Utilize the Constants Inside the Component

Once we have the constants declared, we can use them in our component as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

With these changes:

Each useAxios call references the same object, preventing unnecessary API requests.

Your component will behave more predictably and efficiently.

Conclusion

Managing API calls effectively is vital for building responsive and performant web applications. By understanding how JavaScript handles object references and optimizing our use of custom hooks, we can prevent issues like unnecessary re-renders and multiple API calls.

This guide encourages you to further explore efficient data fetching techniques in React, and how modifications to custom hooks can significantly enhance your applications' performance. Don’t hesitate to experiment and adapt these methods to your project requirements!

With the right approach, you can make your components not only functional but also efficient and robust.

Happy coding!

Видео Managing API Calls with Custom Axios Hook in React канала vlogize