How to Handle RTK-Query Request Cancellations in React

Have you ever experienced stale data or race conditions in your React app when users interact quickly — like typing fast into a search box? This is where request cancellation becomes essential, especially if you're using RTK-Query for data fetching.

Recently, I worked on a feature that involved live search suggestions. Everything worked well until I noticed that the UI sometimes showed results from older, slower responses instead of the latest user input. After digging around, I realized the fix was simpler than expected: handle cancellations properly using useLazyQuery.

The Problem: Stale Data from Previous Requests

When you're making rapid API calls — like in autocomplete, filters, or live search — older requests may return after newer ones. RTK-Query will still fulfill those old requests unless you actively cancel them.

This leads to weird and confusing bugs for users where the UI briefly shows the wrong state.

The Solution: Use useLazyQuery with Abort Handling

Instead of firing the query as soon as the component renders, useLazyQuery gives you more control. Here’s how I implemented it:

const [trigger, result] = api.useLazySearchQuery();

const controllerRef = useRef();

const handleSearch = (input) => {
  if (controllerRef.current) {
    controllerRef.current.abort();
  }

  controllerRef.current = new AbortController();

  trigger(input, {
    signal: controllerRef.current.signal,
  });
};

This way, every time handleSearch is triggered (say, on input change), the previous request is canceled using AbortController.

Bonus: Debounce It!

To avoid firing a request on every keystroke, wrap handleSearch in a debounce:

const debouncedSearch = useCallback(debounce(handleSearch, 300), []);

What You Get

• Fewer unnecessary requests.
• No more UI flickering due to old results.
• Cleaner, more controlled data fetching.

Wrapping Up

Effectively managing request cancellations with RTK-Query helps ensure that your app remains responsive and avoids displaying stale data. By leveraging useLazyQuery and handling cancellations appropriately, you can keep your data fetching logic clean and efficient.

For more info, dive into the RTK-Query API documentation.

That’s all for today! 😊

Let me know your thoughts or favorite tips in the comments. Thanks for reading!

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Keep Coding!