using Fomik hook `useField` and `react-data-table-component` causes infinite loop

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05-10-2024

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Unraveling the Infinite Loop: useField and react-data-table-component Conflicts

Problem: When using Formik's useField hook in conjunction with react-data-table-component, an infinite loop can occur, causing your application to crash. This frustrating issue stems from the way each library interacts with data and how these interactions clash.

Scenario:

Imagine you're building a form where users can edit multiple rows of data within a table. You decide to use react-data-table-component for its flexibility and Formik for its robust form handling capabilities. However, when you try to integrate useField to manage the values of editable table cells, your application gets stuck in an infinite loop.

Code Example:

import React from 'react';
import { Formik, Form, Field, useField } from 'formik';
import DataTable from 'react-data-table-component';

const MyForm = () => {
  const initialValues = {
    items: [
      { id: 1, name: 'Item 1' },
      { id: 2, name: 'Item 2' },
    ],
  };

  return (
    <Formik initialValues={initialValues} onSubmit={values => console.log(values)}>
      <Form>
        <DataTable
          columns={[
            {
              name: 'Name',
              selector: row => row.name,
              cell: row => (
                <Field name={`items.${row.id}.name`} type="text" />
              ),
            },
          ]}
          data={initialValues.items}
        />
        <button type="submit">Submit</button>
      </Form>
    </Formik>
  );
};

export default MyForm;

Analysis:

The issue arises because:

• react-data-table-component re-renders whenever the data changes.
• useField re-renders whenever the field value changes.

When react-data-table-component re-renders, it triggers a re-render of the useField component due to the changing name prop passed to the Field component. This, in turn, updates the field value, causing react-data-table-component to re-render again, creating an infinite loop.

Solution:

There are two main approaches to avoid this issue:

1. Use useFormikContext instead of useField:

   By accessing the values and handleChange functions directly from useFormikContext, you can control the data update manually.

   import React from 'react';
   import { Formik, Form, useFormikContext } from 'formik';
   import DataTable from 'react-data-table-component';
   
   const MyForm = () => {
     const initialValues = {
       items: [
         { id: 1, name: 'Item 1' },
         { id: 2, name: 'Item 2' },
       ],
     };
   
     return (
       <Formik initialValues={initialValues} onSubmit={values => console.log(values)}>
         <Form>
           <DataTable
             columns={[
               {
                 name: 'Name',
                 selector: row => row.name,
                 cell: row => (
                   <input
                     type="text"
                     value={values.items[row.id - 1].name}
                     onChange={e => {
                       const { value } = e.target;
                       handleChange({
                         target: { name: `items.${row.id}.name`, value },
                       });
                     }}
                   />
                 ),
               },
             ]}
             data={initialValues.items}
           />
           <button type="submit">Submit</button>
         </Form>
       </Formik>
     );
   };
   
   export default MyForm;
   

2. Control the react-data-table-component re-renders:

   By using the key prop on each row and shouldComponentUpdate (for class components) or React.memo (for functional components) to implement a custom comparison function for react-data-table-component, you can prevent unnecessary re-renders.

   import React, { memo } from 'react';
   import { Formik, Form, Field, useField } from 'formik';
   import DataTable from 'react-data-table-component';
   
   const EditableRow = memo(({ row, values, handleChange }) => {
     const [fieldName] = useField(`items.${row.id}.name`);
     return (
       <input
         type="text"
         name={fieldName.name}
         value={values.items[row.id - 1].name}
         onChange={e => {
           handleChange({ target: { name: fieldName.name, value: e.target.value } });
         }}
       />
     );
   });
   
   const MyForm = () => {
     const initialValues = {
       items: [
         { id: 1, name: 'Item 1' },
         { id: 2, name: 'Item 2' },
       ],
     };
   
     return (
       <Formik initialValues={initialValues} onSubmit={values => console.log(values)}>
         <Form>
           <DataTable
             columns={[
               {
                 name: 'Name',
                 selector: row => row.name,
                 cell: row => (
                   <EditableRow row={row} values={values} handleChange={handleChange} />
                 ),
               },
             ]}
             data={initialValues.items}
             key={(row) => row.id} // Prevent table re-render on every cell update
           />
           <button type="submit">Submit</button>
         </Form>
       </Formik>
     );
   };
   
   export default MyForm;
   

Additional Notes:

• Be cautious when using useField within react-data-table-component. Always prioritize preventing unnecessary re-renders.
• Consider using controlled components for all inputs within your table to maintain consistency and predictability.
• Always test your code thoroughly to ensure that the solution you choose works effectively and doesn't introduce any unintended side effects.

Remember: This is a common issue encountered when working with data manipulation libraries, and understanding the core principles of state management and re-renders is crucial for creating efficient and stable applications.