ReactJs

Entity Management in React with Custom Allowed Action Hooks

Entity Management in React with Custom Allowed Action Hooks

Custom hooks in React offer a powerful pattern for abstracting complex logic away from components, leading to cleaner and more maintainable codebases. The useModelActions hook is a prime example of this pattern, providing a clear and concise way to determine the availability of actions for a particular model. However, this concept isn't limited to models alone; it can be extended to any entity within an application, such as payments, users, or documents.

The pattern of allowed actions Hook

The core idea behind custom action hooks like useModelActions or a hypothetical usePaymentActions is to encapsulate the logic that dictates what operations can be performed on an entity at any given time. These hooks return an object with boolean properties that indicate whether actions such as create, delete, or edit are permissible.

Here's how we might define a usePaymentActions hook:

export const usePaymentActions = (payment, user) => {
  const canCreate = user.isAdmin && payment.isActive;
  const canDelete = payment.status === 'completed';
  const canEdit = /* some condition */;

  return { canCreate, canDelete, canEdit };
}

Usage examples across different Entities

Let's look at how these hooks can be utilized in various contexts:

  • Payments: For a payment processing system, the usePaymentActions hook could manage actions based on the payment status, user permissions, or available funds.
const paymentAllowedActions = usePaymentActions(payment);

return <div>
	{paymentAllowedActions.canCreate && <button>Create new payment</button>}
	{paymentAllowedActions.canDelete && <button>Delete payment payment</button>}
	{paymentAllowedActions.canEdit && <button>Edit payment payment</button>}
</div>
  • User Profiles: A useUserActions hook could manage user-related actions based on the user's role, profile completeness, or account status.
const userAllowedActions = useUserActions(user);

return <div>
	{userAllowedActions.canEditProfile && <button>Edit profile</button>}
	{userAllowedActions.canDeactivateAccount && <button>Delete account</button>}
</div>

Advantages of custom action Hooks

  • Enhanced Readability: By grouping related conditions within a single hook, developers can quickly understand the capabilities and restrictions associated with an entity.

  • Centralized Logic: Action-related conditions are maintained in one place, making updates and maintenance easier.

  • Scalability: As an application grows, these hooks can evolve to handle additional actions or more complex conditions without cluttering component logic.

  • Reusability & Composition: Hooks can be composed together, allowing for shared logic between different entities where applicable.

In conclusion, the pattern exemplified by useModelActions serves as a blueprint for creating similar hooks tailored to other entities. This approach not only simplifies the logic within components but also promotes a more organized and scalable codebase.

Whether you're dealing with models, payments, or any other data types, custom action hooks can be a game-changer in developing intuitive and efficient React applications.

A blog for self-taught engineers

Сommunity is filled with like-minded individuals who are passionate about learning and growing as engineers.