DEV Community

Cover image for Inertia.js with Laravel and React: A Guide for Entry-Level Developers πŸš€
Harold Defree
Harold Defree

Posted on

2

Inertia.js with Laravel and React: A Guide for Entry-Level Developers πŸš€

Note: These tips come from hands-on experience building modern Laravel applications with Inertia.js and React. Let's make your full-stack development journey exciting!

1.Quick Setup

composer require inertiajs/inertia-laravel
php artisan inertia:middleware
npm install @inertiajs/react

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

2.Essential Configuration

// routes/web.php
Route::inertia('/', 'Home');

// app/Http/Middleware/HandleInertiaRequests.php
public function share(Request $request): array
{
    return [
        'auth' => [
            'user' => $request->user(),
        ],
        'flash' => [
            'message' => session('message')
        ],
    ];
}

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

3.Basic Components

// resources/js/Pages/Home.jsx
import { Head } from '@inertiajs/react'
import Layout from '@/Layouts/AppLayout'

export default function Home({ posts }) {
    return (
        <>
            <Head title="Home" />
            <Layout>
                {posts.map(post => (
                    <div key={post.id}>{post.title}</div>
                ))}
            </Layout>
        </>
    )
}

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

4.Form Handling

import { useForm } from '@inertiajs/react'

export default function CreatePost() {
    const { data, setData, post } = useForm({
        title: '',
        content: ''
    })

    const submit = (e) => {
        e.preventDefault()
        post('/posts')
    }

    return (
        <form onSubmit={submit}>
            <input 
                value={data.title}
                onChange={e => setData('title', e.target.value)}
            />
        </form>
    )
}

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

5.Data Management

// Controller
public function index()
{
    return Inertia::render('Posts/Index', [
        'posts' => Post::with('author')->paginate(10)
    ]);
}

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

6.Common Patterns

  • Shared layouts with React components
  • Authentication with Laravel Sanctum
  • Form validation using React hooks
  • File uploads with progress
  • Pagination with React components
  • Real-time search functionality

7.Pro Tips

  • Use TypeScript for better type safety
  • Implement loading states with React Suspense
  • Create reusable React components
  • Keep controllers thin
  • Use resource controllers

8.Debugging Tools

  • React DevTools
  • Laravel Debugbar
  • Browser Network Tab

9.Best Practices

// Component Organization
components/
  └── Common/
      β”œβ”€β”€ Button.jsx
      └── Input.jsx
layouts/
  └── App.jsx
pages/
  └── Posts/
      β”œβ”€β”€ Index.jsx
      └── Create.jsx

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

10.Performance Optimization

  • Code splitting with React.lazy()

  • Asset bundling with Vite

  • Lazy loading React components

  • Proper caching strategies

Learning Resources

-Official Inertia Documentation

  • Laravel Documentation
  • React Documentation
  • Laracasts Inertia Series

Do not forget

  • Live a Comment (let us speak)
  • Github

Remember: Inertia.js creates a seamless bridge between Laravel and React. Master both ecosystems to build powerful applications! πŸš€

SurveyJS custom survey software

JavaScript UI Libraries for Surveys and Forms

SurveyJS lets you build a JSON-based form management system that integrates with any backend, giving you full control over your data and no user limits. Includes support for custom question types, skip logic, integrated CCS editor, PDF export, real-time analytics & more.

Learn more

Top comments (0)

A Workflow Copilot. Tailored to You.

Pieces.app image

Our desktop app, with its intelligent copilot, streamlines coding by generating snippets, extracting code from screenshots, and accelerating problem-solving.

Read the docs