Upgrade React applications to latest versions, migrate from class components to hooks, and adopt concurrent features. Use when modernizing React codebases, migrating to React Hooks, or upgrading to latest React versions.
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npx tessl i github:Dicklesworthstone/pi_agent_rust --skill react-modernization93
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Master React version upgrades, class to hooks migration, concurrent features adoption, and codemods for automated transformation.
Breaking Changes by Version:
React 17:
React 18:
// Before: Class component
class Counter extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
count: 0,
name: "",
};
}
increment = () => {
this.setState({ count: this.state.count + 1 });
};
render() {
return (
<div>
<p>Count: {this.state.count}</p>
<button onClick={this.increment}>Increment</button>
</div>
);
}
}
// After: Functional component with hooks
function Counter() {
const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
const [name, setName] = useState("");
const increment = () => {
setCount(count + 1);
};
return (
<div>
<p>Count: {count}</p>
<button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>
</div>
);
}// Before: Lifecycle methods
class DataFetcher extends React.Component {
state = { data: null, loading: true };
componentDidMount() {
this.fetchData();
}
componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
if (prevProps.id !== this.props.id) {
this.fetchData();
}
}
componentWillUnmount() {
this.cancelRequest();
}
fetchData = async () => {
const data = await fetch(`/api/${this.props.id}`);
this.setState({ data, loading: false });
};
cancelRequest = () => {
// Cleanup
};
render() {
if (this.state.loading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
return <div>{this.state.data}</div>;
}
}
// After: useEffect hook
function DataFetcher({ id }) {
const [data, setData] = useState(null);
const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
useEffect(() => {
let cancelled = false;
const fetchData = async () => {
try {
const response = await fetch(`/api/${id}`);
const result = await response.json();
if (!cancelled) {
setData(result);
setLoading(false);
}
} catch (error) {
if (!cancelled) {
console.error(error);
}
}
};
fetchData();
// Cleanup function
return () => {
cancelled = true;
};
}, [id]); // Re-run when id changes
if (loading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
return <div>{data}</div>;
}// Before: Context consumer and HOC
const ThemeContext = React.createContext();
class ThemedButton extends React.Component {
static contextType = ThemeContext;
render() {
return (
<button style={{ background: this.context.theme }}>
{this.props.children}
</button>
);
}
}
// After: useContext hook
function ThemedButton({ children }) {
const { theme } = useContext(ThemeContext);
return <button style={{ background: theme }}>{children}</button>;
}
// Before: HOC for data fetching
function withUser(Component) {
return class extends React.Component {
state = { user: null };
componentDidMount() {
fetchUser().then((user) => this.setState({ user }));
}
render() {
return <Component {...this.props} user={this.state.user} />;
}
};
}
// After: Custom hook
function useUser() {
const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
useEffect(() => {
fetchUser().then(setUser);
}, []);
return user;
}
function UserProfile() {
const user = useUser();
if (!user) return <div>Loading...</div>;
return <div>{user.name}</div>;
}// Before: React 17
import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.getElementById("root"));
// After: React 18
import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
const root = createRoot(document.getElementById("root"));
root.render(<App />);// React 18: All updates are batched
function handleClick() {
setCount((c) => c + 1);
setFlag((f) => !f);
// Only one re-render (batched)
}
// Even in async:
setTimeout(() => {
setCount((c) => c + 1);
setFlag((f) => !f);
// Still batched in React 18!
}, 1000);
// Opt out if needed
import { flushSync } from "react-dom";
flushSync(() => {
setCount((c) => c + 1);
});
// Re-render happens here
setFlag((f) => !f);
// Another re-renderimport { useState, useTransition } from "react";
function SearchResults() {
const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
const [results, setResults] = useState([]);
const [isPending, startTransition] = useTransition();
const handleChange = (e) => {
// Urgent: Update input immediately
setQuery(e.target.value);
// Non-urgent: Update results (can be interrupted)
startTransition(() => {
setResults(searchResults(e.target.value));
});
};
return (
<>
<input value={query} onChange={handleChange} />
{isPending && <Spinner />}
<Results data={results} />
</>
);
}import { Suspense } from "react";
// Resource-based data fetching (with React 18)
const resource = fetchProfileData();
function ProfilePage() {
return (
<Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
<ProfileDetails />
<Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
<ProfileTimeline />
</Suspense>
</Suspense>
);
}
function ProfileDetails() {
// This will suspend if data not ready
const user = resource.user.read();
return <h1>{user.name}</h1>;
}
function ProfileTimeline() {
const posts = resource.posts.read();
return <Timeline posts={posts} />;
}# Rename unsafe lifecycle methods
npx jscodeshift -t https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reactjs/react-codemod/master/transforms/rename-unsafe-lifecycles.js src/
# Update React imports (React 17+)
npx jscodeshift -t https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reactjs/react-codemod/master/transforms/update-react-imports.js src/
# Add error boundaries
npx jscodeshift -t https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reactjs/react-codemod/master/transforms/error-boundaries.js src/
# For TypeScript files
npx jscodeshift -t https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reactjs/react-codemod/master/transforms/rename-unsafe-lifecycles.js --parser=tsx src/
# Dry run to preview changes
npx jscodeshift -t https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reactjs/react-codemod/master/transforms/rename-unsafe-lifecycles.js --dry --print src/
# Class to Hooks (third-party)
npx codemod react/hooks/convert-class-to-function src/// custom-codemod.js
module.exports = function (file, api) {
const j = api.jscodeshift;
const root = j(file.source);
// Find setState calls
root
.find(j.CallExpression, {
callee: {
type: "MemberExpression",
property: { name: "setState" },
},
})
.forEach((path) => {
// Transform to useState
// ... transformation logic
});
return root.toSource();
};
// Run: jscodeshift -t custom-codemod.js src/function ExpensiveComponent({ items, filter }) {
// Memoize expensive calculation
const filteredItems = useMemo(() => {
return items.filter((item) => item.category === filter);
}, [items, filter]);
// Memoize callback to prevent child re-renders
const handleClick = useCallback((id) => {
console.log("Clicked:", id);
}, []); // No dependencies, never changes
return <List items={filteredItems} onClick={handleClick} />;
}
// Child component with memo
const List = React.memo(({ items, onClick }) => {
return items.map((item) => (
<Item key={item.id} item={item} onClick={onClick} />
));
});import { lazy, Suspense } from "react";
// Lazy load components
const Dashboard = lazy(() => import("./Dashboard"));
const Settings = lazy(() => import("./Settings"));
function App() {
return (
<Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
<Routes>
<Route path="/dashboard" element={<Dashboard />} />
<Route path="/settings" element={<Settings />} />
</Routes>
</Suspense>
);
}// Before: JavaScript
function Button({ onClick, children }) {
return <button onClick={onClick}>{children}</button>;
}
// After: TypeScript
interface ButtonProps {
onClick: () => void;
children: React.ReactNode;
}
function Button({ onClick, children }: ButtonProps) {
return <button onClick={onClick}>{children}</button>;
}
// Generic components
interface ListProps<T> {
items: T[];
renderItem: (item: T) => React.ReactNode;
}
function List<T>({ items, renderItem }: ListProps<T>) {
return <>{items.map(renderItem)}</>;
}### Pre-Migration
- [ ] Update dependencies incrementally (not all at once)
- [ ] Review breaking changes in release notes
- [ ] Set up testing suite
- [ ] Create feature branch
### Class → Hooks Migration
- [ ] Identify class components to migrate
- [ ] Start with leaf components (no children)
- [ ] Convert state to useState
- [ ] Convert lifecycle to useEffect
- [ ] Convert context to useContext
- [ ] Extract custom hooks
- [ ] Test thoroughly
### React 18 Upgrade
- [ ] Update to React 17 first (if needed)
- [ ] Update react and react-dom to 18
- [ ] Update @types/react if using TypeScript
- [ ] Change to createRoot API
- [ ] Test with StrictMode (double invocation)
- [ ] Address concurrent rendering issues
- [ ] Adopt Suspense/Transitions where beneficial
### Performance
- [ ] Identify performance bottlenecks
- [ ] Add React.memo where appropriate
- [ ] Use useMemo/useCallback for expensive operations
- [ ] Implement code splitting
- [ ] Optimize re-renders
### Testing
- [ ] Update test utilities (React Testing Library)
- [ ] Test with React 18 features
- [ ] Check for warnings in console
- [ ] Performance testingff0cf5f
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