React is commonly used in SharePoint Framework (SPFx) development for building client-side web parts and extensions. SPFx allows developers to create customizations for SharePoint Online and SharePoint on-premises environments using modern web technologies.
Here are some ways React is used in SPFx development:
Building Web Parts: React is often used to build interactive and dynamic web parts in SPFx. Developers can create reusable React components to handle various functionalities within the web part, such as displaying data from SharePoint lists, interacting with SharePoint APIs, and providing a user-friendly interface.
Component-based Architecture: React's component-based architecture aligns well with SPFx development principles. Developers can break down their user interfaces into smaller, manageable components, making the codebase easier to maintain and understand.
State Management: React's state management capabilities are beneficial in SPFx development for managing the state of components and handling user interactions. State can be used to control the visibility of elements, manage form inputs, and handle asynchronous data fetching.
React Hooks: With the introduction of React Hooks, developers can use state and other React features in functional components, simplifying the development process and promoting code reusability.
Integration with SharePoint REST APIs: React components in SPFx can easily integrate with SharePoint's REST APIs to fetch and manipulate data from SharePoint lists, libraries, and other resources. Developers can use React's lifecycle methods or hooks like useEffect to perform data fetching and updates.
UI Libraries and Frameworks: React works well with UI libraries and frameworks commonly used in SPFx development, such as Office UI Fabric React. These libraries provide pre-built components and styles that adhere to Microsoft's design guidelines, allowing developers to create consistent and visually appealing user interfaces.
Testing: React components in SPFx projects can be easily tested using testing libraries like Jest and Enzyme. Developers can write unit tests to ensure the functionality and behavior of their components, improving code quality and reliability.
Overall, React is a powerful and widely adopted framework for building modern, responsive, and interactive user interfaces in SPFx development. Its flexibility, component-based architecture, and rich ecosystem of tools and libraries make it a popular choice among developers working with SharePoint.