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react-hooks

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Deep expertise in React hooks patterns including custom hooks, composition, optimization, and testing strategies.

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How to use this skill

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Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter/blob/HEAD/library/specializations/web-development/skills/react-hooks/SKILL.md

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React Hooks Skill

Expert assistance for implementing React hooks with advanced patterns, composition strategies, and performance optimization.

Capabilities

  • Design and implement custom hooks with proper abstractions
  • Compose hooks for complex state and side effect management
  • Optimize hook performance with memoization patterns
  • Implement hooks for data fetching, subscriptions, and local storage
  • Test custom hooks with React Testing Library
  • Apply hooks rules and best practices

Usage

Invoke this skill when you need to:

  • Create custom hooks for reusable logic
  • Optimize existing hooks for performance
  • Implement complex state logic with useReducer
  • Build data fetching hooks with caching
  • Create form handling hooks

Inputs

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
hookNamestringYesName of the hook (use prefix)
purposestringYesWhat the hook should accomplish
parametersarrayNoInput parameters for the hook
returnTypestringNoExpected return value structure
dependenciesarrayNoExternal dependencies needed

Configuration Example

{
  "hookName": "useDebounce",
  "purpose": "Debounce a value with configurable delay",
  "parameters": [
    { "name": "value", "type": "T" },
    { "name": "delay", "type": "number" }
  ],
  "returnType": "T"
}

Hook Patterns

State Management Hooks

// useReducer for complex state
function useToggle(initialValue = false) {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(initialValue);
  const toggle = useCallback(() => setValue(v => !v), []);
  const setTrue = useCallback(() => setValue(true), []);
  const setFalse = useCallback(() => setValue(false), []);
  return { value, toggle, setTrue, setFalse };
}

Effect Hooks

// useEffect with cleanup
function useEventListener<K extends keyof WindowEventMap>(
  eventName: K,
  handler: (event: WindowEventMap[K]) => void,
  element: Window | HTMLElement = window
) {
  const savedHandler = useRef(handler);

  useEffect(() => {
    savedHandler.current = handler;
  }, [handler]);

  useEffect(() => {
    const eventListener = (event: WindowEventMap[K]) => savedHandler.current(event);
    element.addEventListener(eventName, eventListener);
    return () => element.removeEventListener(eventName, eventListener);
  }, [eventName, element]);
}

Data Fetching Hooks

function useFetch<T>(url: string, options?: RequestInit) {
  const [data, setData] = useState<T | null>(null);
  const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  useEffect(() => {
    const abortController = new AbortController();

    const fetchData = async () => {
      try {
        setLoading(true);
        const response = await fetch(url, {
          ...options,
          signal: abortController.signal,
        });
        if (!response.ok) throw new Error(response.statusText);
        const json = await response.json();
        setData(json);
      } catch (err) {
        if (err instanceof Error && err.name !== 'AbortError') {
          setError(err);
        }
      } finally {
        setLoading(false);
      }
    };

    fetchData();
    return () => abortController.abort();
  }, [url]);

  return { data, error, loading };
}

Best Practices

  • Always follow the Rules of Hooks
  • Use the exhaustive-deps ESLint rule
  • Memoize callbacks passed to child components
  • Return stable references when possible
  • Handle cleanup in useEffect properly
  • Use refs for values that shouldn't trigger re-renders

Target Processes

  • react-application-development
  • custom-hooks-library
  • state-management-setup
  • performance-optimization
  • frontend-testing