StaticRouterProvider in React Router

React Router, a prominent library for handling routing in React applications, includes a vital component known as StaticRouterProvider.

This article aims to shed light on the functionality and importance of StaticRouterProvider, particularly in scenarios involving server-side rendering (SSR) with React applications.

Table of Content

  • Understanding StaticRouterProvider
  • Features of StaticRouterProvider
  • Steps to implement StaticRouterProvider
  • Example of StaticRouterProvider
  • Conclusion

Understanding StaticRouterProvider:

Type Declaration with Syntax:

StaticRouterProvider is typically imported from react-router-dom.

Syntax:

import { StaticRouterProvider } from 'react-router-dom';

Context:

  • StaticRouterProvider operates within the context of server-side rendering in React applications.
  • It facilitates the rendering of React components on the server and the transmission of HTML to the client.

Router Integration:

  • As part of React Router, StaticRouterProvider seamlessly integrates with routing logic on the server.
  • It ensures that routing functionalities remain consistent across client and server environments.

Hydration:

  • StaticRouterProvider plays a crucial role in hydration, where the server-rendered HTML is converted into a fully interactive React application on the client-side.
  • It ensures that client-side navigation and interactions align with the server-rendered content.

Features of StaticRouterProvider:

StaticRouterProvider offers several key features essential for server-side rendering:

  • Seamless integration with React Router for handling routing logic on the server.
  • Facilitation of rendering React components on the server and transmitting HTML to the client.
  • Ensuring consistent navigation behavior across client and server environments.
  • Support for passing routing context to components for enhanced customization.
  • Compatibility with various server-side rendering frameworks and environments.

Steps to implement StaticRouterProvider:

Step 1: Create a new React JS project using the following command

npx create-react-app <<Project_Name>>

Step 2: Change to the project directory.

cd <<Project_Name>>

The updated dependencies in package.json will look like this:

"dependencies": {
"react": "^18.2.0",
"react-dom": "^18.2.0",
"react-router-dom": "^6.22.3",
"react-scripts": "5.0.1",
"web-vitals": "^2.1.4"
},

Example of StaticRouterProvider

Code Example: This example demonstrates how StaticRouterProvider is used on the server side to render React components dynamically based on the requested URL.

Javascript
const express = require('express');
const React = require('react');
const ReactDOMServer = require('react-dom/server');
const { StaticRouter,
    BrowserRouter,
    Route,
    Switch } = require('react-router-dom');

const server = express();

server.use(express.static('build'));

const Home = () => <div>Home Page</div>;
const About = () => <div>About Page</div>;

server.get('*', (req, res) => {
    const context = {};
    const serverApp = ReactDOMServer.renderToString(
        <StaticRouter location={req.url} context={context}>
            <BrowserRouter>
                <Switch>
                    <Route path="/" exact component={Home} />
                    <Route path="/about" component={About} />
                </Switch>
            </BrowserRouter>
        </StaticRouter>
    );

    if (context.url) {
        res.redirect(context.url);
    } else {
        res.status(200).send(`
      <!DOCTYPE html>
      <html>
        <head>
          <title>React SSR Example</title>
        </head>
        <body>
          <div id="root">${serverApp}</div>
          <script src="/bundle.js"></script>
        </body>
      </html>
    `);
    }
});

server.listen(8000, () => {
    console.log('Server is listening on port 8000');
});

Output:


Conclusion:

StaticRouterProvider plays a pivotal role in React Router, particularly for applications requiring server-side rendering. By understanding its features and practical implementation, developers can leverage StaticRouterProvider to enhance the performance and user experience of their React applications. Whether building a simple website or a complex web application, StaticRouterProvider remains indispensable for achieving server-side rendering with React Router.



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