Exploring `dotnet new react-typescript`

In the modern web development landscape, creating full - stack applications with seamless integration between the front - end and back - end is highly desired. The dotnet new react-typescript template provided by the .NET CLI offers a convenient way to bootstrap a new project that combines the power of .NET on the server - side and React with TypeScript on the client - side. This blog post will take you through the fundamental concepts, usage methods, common practices, and best practices of using the dotnet new react-typescript template.

Table of Contents

  1. Fundamental Concepts
  2. Usage Methods
  3. Common Practices
  4. Best Practices
  5. Conclusion
  6. References

Fundamental Concepts

.NET and ASP.NET Core

.NET is a free, open - source, cross - platform developer platform. ASP.NET Core is a high - performance, modular web framework built on top of .NET. It allows developers to build web applications, APIs, and microservices. When using dotnet new react-typescript, an ASP.NET Core application is created as the server - side component of the project.

React

React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It uses a component - based architecture, which means that the UI is broken down into small, reusable components. React makes it easy to manage the state of the application and efficiently update the DOM when the data changes.

TypeScript

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing to the language. It helps catch errors early in the development process and provides better code navigation and autocompletion in IDEs. When using dotnet new react-typescript, TypeScript is used to write the React components, enhancing the overall development experience.

Single - Page Application (SPA)

The dotnet new react-typescript template creates a Single - Page Application. In an SPA, the entire application is loaded in a single HTML page, and the content is updated dynamically without full page reloads. This provides a more seamless and responsive user experience.

Usage Methods

Prerequisites

Creating a New Project

Open your terminal or command prompt and run the following command to create a new project using the dotnet new react-typescript template:

dotnet new react-typescript -n MyReactTSProject
cd MyReactTSProject

The -n option specifies the name of the project.

Running the Application

To run the application, use the following command:

dotnet run

This will start the ASP.NET Core server and the React development server. Open your browser and navigate to https://localhost:5001 to see the application running.

Common Practices

Directory Structure

The project created by dotnet new react-typescript has a specific directory structure. The ClientApp directory contains the React application code, while the rest of the project is related to the ASP.NET Core server.

MyReactTSProject
├── ClientApp
│   ├── public
│   ├── src
│       ├── components
│       ├── pages
│       ├── App.tsx
│       ├── index.tsx
├── Controllers
├── Models
├── Program.cs
├── Startup.cs

API Calls

To make API calls from the React application to the ASP.NET Core server, you can use the fetch API or a library like axios. Here is an example of making a GET request using fetch:

// In a React component
import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';

const MyComponent: React.FC = () => {
    const [data, setData] = useState<any>(null);

    useEffect(() => {
        const fetchData = async () => {
            const response = await fetch('/api/sampleData');
            const json = await response.json();
            setData(json);
        };
        fetchData();
    }, []);

    return (
        <div>
            {data ? (
                <pre>{JSON.stringify(data, null, 2)}</pre>
            ) : (
                <p>Loading...</p>
            )}
        </div>
    );
};

export default MyComponent;

State Management

For larger applications, it is recommended to use a state management library like Redux or MobX. These libraries help manage the application state in a more predictable way.

Best Practices

Code Splitting

React supports code splitting, which allows you to load only the necessary code when it is needed. This can significantly improve the performance of your application. You can use React.lazy and Suspense to implement code splitting:

const LazyComponent = React.lazy(() => import('./LazyComponent'));

const MyApp: React.FC = () => {
    return (
        <div>
            <React.Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
                <LazyComponent />
            </React.Suspense>
        </div>
    );
};

Server - Side Rendering (SSR)

For better SEO and initial load performance, consider implementing server - side rendering. The dotnet new react-typescript template can be configured to support SSR. You can use libraries like ReactDOMServer to render React components on the server.

Testing

Write unit tests for both the React components and the ASP.NET Core controllers. For React, you can use testing libraries like Jest and React Testing Library. For ASP.NET Core, you can use xUnit or NUnit.

Conclusion

The dotnet new react-typescript template is a powerful tool for creating full - stack applications that combine the strengths of .NET, React, and TypeScript. By understanding the fundamental concepts, following the usage methods, adopting common practices, and implementing best practices, you can build high - quality, scalable, and maintainable applications. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, this template provides a solid foundation for your next web project.

References