Migrating a UI Component from Dojo.js to React.js

#react #dojojs #frontend #migration

Introduction

Web development is an ever-evolving field, and staying current with the latest technologies is crucial. As React.js gains widespread popularity for its component-based architecture, migrating UI components from Dojo.js to React.js has become a necessary step for many developers.

In this article, we will walk you through the process of migrating a UI component, specifically a table, from Dojo.js to React.js. We'll pay special attention to the styling aspect, providing before-and-after examples for the table component.

Step 1: Understanding the Dojo.js Component

Before diving into the migration process, let's get acquainted with the Dojo.js table component we'll be working with. In our Dojo.js codebase, we have a table that displays data. Here's a simplified representation of how the table might look:

// Dojo.js Component
// ...

// Example inline styling in Dojo.js
const tableStyle = "border-collapse: collapse;";
const cellStyle = "border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 8px;";

function renderTable() {
  const tableNode = document.getElementById("dojo-table");

  // Create the table element
  const table = document.createElement("table");
  table.style = tableStyle;

  // Create table rows and cells
  data.forEach(function (item) {
    const row = document.createElement("tr");

    ["name", "age", "location"].forEach(function (field) {
      const cell = document.createElement("td");
      cell.style = cellStyle;
      cell.textContent = item[field];
      row.appendChild(cell);
    });

    table.appendChild(row);
  });

  tableNode.appendChild(table);
}

// ...

Step 2: Setting Up Your React Project

To begin the migration process, you need to set up a new React project. You can achieve this by using Create React App or your preferred React project setup method.

Step 3: Creating the React Table Component

In React, we'll create a new component to replace our Dojo.js table. Here's the equivalent React component:

// React.js Component
import React from "react";

function ReactTable({ data }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <table className="react-table">
        <thead>
          <tr>
            <th>Name</th>
            <th>Age</th>
            <th>Location</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          {data.map((item, index) => (
            <tr key={index}>
              <td>{item.name}</td>
              <td>{item.age}</td>
              <td>{item.location}</td>
            </tr>
          ))}
        </tbody>
      </table>
    </div>
  );
}

export default ReactTable;

Step 4: Migrating Styling

In our Dojo.js example, styling is primarily done using inline styles, which can make the code harder to maintain and style consistency challenging to achieve. Here's a snippet of the inline styling applied to the Dojo.js table:

// Example inline styling in Dojo.js
const tableStyle = "border-collapse: collapse;";
const cellStyle = "border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 8px;";

In the React.js example, we take a different approach by using CSS Modules for styling. Here's how the React component integrates styling:

// React.js Component with CSS Modules
import React from "react";
import styles from "./ReactTable.module.css"; // Importing CSS Module

function ReactTable({ data }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <table className={styles["react-table"]}>
        <thead>
          <tr>
            <th>Name</th>
            <th>Age</th>
            <th>Location</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          {data.map((item, index) => (
            <tr key={index}>
              <td>{item.name}</td>
              <td>{item.age}</td>
              <td>{item.location}</td>
            </tr>
          ))}
        </tbody>
      </table>
    </div>
  );
}

export default ReactTable;

Step 5: Integration

To integrate the React table component into your project, import it and use it within your desired React component. Pass the necessary data as props, as shown earlier.

Conclusion

Migrating a UI component from Dojo.js to React.js is a comprehensive process that involves not only code but also styling. By adopting CSS Modules in React, we can achieve more maintainable and organized styling, making it easier to manage and enhance the user interface.

With this migration, we not only embrace React's component-based architecture but also improve the maintainability and scalability of our codebase. The before-and-after styling examples illustrate the transition from inline styles to a more structured and modular styling approach.

Remember that migration may require some effort, but it positions your project to benefit from React's component-based development and the broader React ecosystem. As you continue to migrate other components, you'll create a more cohesive and modern web application.