Immutability in React with Immer
Blog post from LogRocket
JavaScript is a versatile, multi-paradigm programming language that allows for various styles such as object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming. The adoption of functional programming has become more prevalent among developers, especially with the growing use of React, which emphasizes the importance of immutability—a concept where data objects are not directly modified but rather copied to create new versions. This approach enhances readability, maintainability, and reduces side effects in applications. In React, immutability is crucial for state management, ensuring components re-render correctly when state changes occur. Libraries like Redux and Immer facilitate handling immutable states; Redux uses pure functions known as reducers to manage state changes without mutations, while Immer simplifies the process by offering a "copy-on-write" mechanism. Immer can be integrated with both React class components and Hooks, providing an easy-to-use solution for managing immutable state, thereby improving code readability and maintainability. Additionally, Immer's compatibility with plain JavaScript makes it a versatile tool for building more robust and error-resistant applications.