What are the best practices for creating custom hooks in React?

What are the best practices for creating custom hooks in React?

When creating custom hooks in React, it's important to follow a few best practices. First, ensure that your hook name starts with 'use' to follow React's conventions. Second, keep your hooks focused and reusable by limiting their responsibilities. Third, manage state and side effects properly using built-in hooks like useState and useEffect.

Can you give me an example of a custom hook?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a custom hook that manages a counter:

import { useState } from 'react';

function useCounter(initialValue = 0) {
    const [count, setCount] = useState(initialValue);
    const increment = () => setCount(c => c + 1);
    const decrement = () => setCount(c => c - 1);
    return { count, increment, decrement };
}

You can use this hook in your components to manage a counter state.

What should I avoid when creating custom hooks?

Avoid using custom hooks inside loops, conditions, or nested functions, as this can lead to unpredictable behavior. Also, don't forget to handle cleanup in your hooks if you're using side effects.

How do I test custom hooks?

You can test custom hooks using libraries like React Testing Library or Enzyme. Create a test component that uses your hook and then assert the expected behavior.