React Native AJAX Requests: A Step-by-Step Guide

Mastering AJAX Requests in React Native: A Comprehensive Guide

As a React Native developer, you’re likely no stranger to making AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) requests to communicate with web servers. In this article, we’ll delve into the various ways to handle AJAX requests in React Native, including inbuilt APIs, third-party libraries, and caching libraries.

Ways to Make AJAX Requests in React Native

Before we dive into the implementation details, let’s identify the possible ways to make AJAX requests in React Native:

• Inbuilt Fetch API: A modern successor to the XMLHttpRequest API, offering a promise-based interface for sending AJAX requests.
• Inbuilt XMLHttpRequest API: The oldest standard API for sending AJAX requests, providing a traditional event-based approach.
• Axios: A popular open-source HTTP client library that works on browser environments and Node.js.
• Alternative AJAX libraries: Such as SuperAgent and Wretch, which offer promise-based APIs and plugin systems.
• AJAX with caching libraries: Like TanStack Query, which provides data loading and error statuses, query deduplication, and caching capabilities.

A React Native AJAX Tutorial

To demonstrate the various approaches, we’ll create a full-stack mobile app that lists book details. We’ll start by creating a simple RESTful API using Express.js, then consume it using the inbuilt Fetch API, Axios, and alternative AJAX libraries.

Creating a RESTful Backend

First, create a new directory and Node.js project, then install Express.js:
bash
npm install express

Create a new file named server.js and add the following code:
“`javascript
const express = require(‘express’);
const app = express();

app.get(‘/books’, (req, res) => {
res.json([
{ id: 1, title: ‘Book 1’ },
{ id: 2, title: ‘Book 2’ },
]);
});

app.listen(5000, () => {
console.log(‘Server started on port 5000’);
});

Start the server with:
bash
node server.js
“`
Creating the App Frontend

Create a new React Native project:
bash
npx react-native init Bookstore

Replace the App.js content with the following code:
“`javascript
import React, { useState, useEffect } from ‘react’;
import { FlatList, Text, View } from ‘react-native’;

const App = ()