How to Display an Error Message for API Failures in React

Learn how to effectively display error messages in your React application when API calls fail using simple code modifications.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/70853479/ asked by the user 'peace fighter' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/18030602/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/70853775/ provided by the user 'hazimdikenli' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/125032/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Display an Error Message for API Failures in React

When working with APIs in a React application, one of the most important aspects of user experience is being able to inform users when something goes wrong. If the API fails or returns an error, displaying a proper error message is essential. This guide will discuss how to effectively manage and display error messages when your API is not responding as expected.

Understanding the Problem

You may have a component that fetches data from an API, and in scenarios where the API is down or there's a network error, your application should notify users. A simple yet clear error message can guide users and help you troubleshoot issues quickly.

Let’s break down the task of adding error handling to your API call, focusing on a functional component.

Implementing Error Handling in Your API Call

To ensure that users are informed when something goes wrong during an API call, follow these steps:

Step 1: Set Up State for Error Message

First, you'll need to create a state variable to hold the error message. This will allow React to re-render your component when an error occurs.

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Step 2: Modify the API Call

In your API fetching function, you should catch any errors that occur during the request and set the error message accordingly. Here's how you can modify your existing API function:

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Step 3: Render the Error Message

To display the error message to the user, you will create a rendering function that returns a JSX element when an error exists. Here’s how to do it:

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Step 4: Combine Everything in Your Component

Finally, you can combine the error message rendering function alongside your table component in your main return statement like this:

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Final Code Example

Putting it all together, the complete code for your functional component will look like this:

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Conclusion

Integrating error handling into your React components is crucial for providing an excellent user experience. It helps maintain transparency between the application and the user by informing them about issues that arise. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be able to effectively display error messages when API calls fail, enhancing the clarity and robustness of your application.

Now, you can implement this solution in your project and provide users with the feedback they need in case of any errors. Happy coding!

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