Unlock the Power of Hover Events in React
Limitations of Native CSS :hover Selector
When it comes to achieving a basic hover event in React, using the native CSS :hover selector seems like a straightforward solution. However, this approach comes with two significant limitations. Firstly, you can’t make changes or alter the actual :hover selector through JavaScript. Secondly, you can’t use it to show other components on hover. In this article, we’ll explore two alternative ways to overcome these limitations in React.
Understanding Events in React
Before we dive into creating hover events, let’s take a quick look at how React handles events. React supports an array of SyntheticEvent types, including Mouse Events, which are essential for creating hover effects. Unlike vanilla JavaScript, React’s event handlers are named using the camel-case convention, and you cannot return false to prevent a default behavior. Instead, you must explicitly call preventDefault. Additionally, your event handlers receive instances of the SyntheticEvent.
Creating Hover Events using SyntheticEvent
One way to create hover events in React is by using two event handlers supported by SyntheticEvent: onMouseEnter and onMouseLeave. We’ll demonstrate how to create a tooltip, a UI element whose content is shown when a user hovers over a webpage element.
Setting Up the Project
To get started, set up a React project using Create React App. Delete the contents of App.js and index.css, and create two folders inside the src folder: css and component. Within the css folder, create a new file called Tooltip.css, and within the component folder, create a new file called Tooltip.js.
Writing the Code
In Tooltip.js, we’ll write the code for the main tooltip functionality. We’ll import React, useState from React, and the css file we created earlier. Then, we’ll set up a timer to determine the time interval between when the tooltip is shown and when it is hidden, set up state using useState, write functions to show and hide the tooltip, and return JSX that contains a single-parent HTML element and its children.
Styling the Tooltip
Switch to the Tooltip.css file and write the necessary styles. Then, switch to index.css and add some basic styling. Now, when you hover your mouse over the text “Hover your mouse here,” the tooltip appears. When you move your mouse away from the text, the tooltip disappears.
Creating Hover Events using React Hover
Another way to create hover events in React is by using an npm library called React Hover. This library allows you to turn anything into a “hoverable” object. To get started, install React Hover using npm. Then, create two files in your component folder: TriggerComponent.js and HoverComponent.js.
Implementing React Hover
In TriggerComponent.js, we’ll write the code for the trigger component. In HoverComponent.js, we’ll write the code for the hover component. Then, in App.js, we’ll use these components to create a hover effect.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored two alternative ways to create hover events in React. By using SyntheticEvent or React Hover, you can overcome the limitations of the native CSS :hover selector and create more complex hover effects in your React applications.