Guide to React Router Query Params

React Router is a fundamental library in the React ecosystem, used for handling navigation and URL management in React apps. Query parameters, part of the URL following a '?', are a key aspect of this, allowing for state to be encoded in the URL in a readable and navigable format.

What are query params in React Router?

Query parameters are a flexible way to pass data through URLs. In React Router, these parameters can significantly enhance navigation and state management by allowing users to bookmark or share URLs with specific states.

Accessing query params

To access query parameters, you can use the useLocation hook from React Router. This hook returns the location object, which contains information about the current URL, including query parameters.

import { useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';

function useQuery() {
  return new URLSearchParams(useLocation().search);
}

How to read a query param

Once you have the query parameters, you can read individual parameters using the get method.

const query = useQuery();
const value = query.get('paramName'); // Replace 'paramName' with the name of your query param

How to update query params

React Router does not directly handle updating query parameters. To update them, you use the useHistory hook to modify the URL.

import { useHistory } from 'react-router-dom';

function setQueryParam(key, value) {
  const history = useHistory();
  const queryParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
  queryParams.set(key, value);
  history.push(`?${queryParams.toString()}`);
}

How to remove a query param

To remove a query parameter, you can use a similar approach as updating, but instead use the delete method.

function removeQueryParam(key) {
  const history = useHistory();
  const queryParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
  queryParams.delete(key);
  history.push(`?${queryParams.toString()}`);
}

Handle query params with Basedash

While React Router manages client-side routing, for handling data-intensive applications with complex state management, integrating a tool like Basedash can be beneficial. Basedash provides a platform to manage database data, build admin panels, and share SQL queries, which can complement the client-side capabilities of React Router. Learn more at Basedash.

How to get the most of query params

• Keep URLs readable: Use concise and meaningful names for query parameters.
• Serialize complex data: For passing complex data, consider serializing the data into a string format.
• Remember URL length limits: Be aware of URL length limits, as URLs with too many parameters may not work in some browsers.