useInfiniteQuery with TanStack Query and JSON:API: Conquering the Paginated Beast

Are you tired of struggling with infinite loading and pagination using TanStack Query and JSON:API? Do you find yourself stuck in an endless loop of errors and frustration? Fear not, dear developer, for today we shall embark on a journey to tame the beast of pagination and uncover the secrets of `useInfiniteQuery`.

The Problem: Paginated Data and the Limits of `useQuery`

When working with large datasets, pagination is essential to prevent overwhelming the user and the server. However, this introduces a new challenge: how to efficiently load and manage paginated data. TanStack Query’s `useQuery` hook is a powerful tool for fetching and caching data, but it falls short when dealing with infinite scrolling and pagination.

Imagine having to fetch data in chunks, keeping track of the current page, and managing the loading state. It’s a recipe for disaster, and that’s where `useInfiniteQuery` comes in – specifically designed to handle paginated data and infinite scrolling.

Understanding `useInfiniteQuery` and Its Parameters

`useInfiniteQuery` is a hook provided by TanStack Query that allows you to fetch and manage paginated data with ease. It takes three essential parameters:

• key: A unique key to identify the query
• fn: A function that fetches the data for the current page
• options: An object that customizes the behavior of `useInfiniteQuery`

import { useInfiniteQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';

const {
  data,
  error,
  fetchNextPage,
  hasNextPage,
  isFetching,
  isFetchingNextPage,
  status,
} = useInfiniteQuery(
  ['infiniteData', pageIndex], // key
  async ({ pageParam = 1 }) => { // fn
    const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data', {
      params: { page: pageParam },
    });
    return res.json();
  },
  { // options
    getNextPageParam: (lastPage) => lastPage.nextPage || undefined,
  }
);

Customizing `useInfiniteQuery` with Options

The `options` object allows you to tailor `useInfiniteQuery` to your specific needs. Here are some essential options to get you started:

Integrating with JSON:API and TanStack Query

Now that we’ve covered the basics of `useInfiniteQuery`, let’s integrate it with JSON:API and TanStack Query. JSON:API provides a standardized way of interacting with APIs, making it an excellent choice for paginated data.

We’ll use the following JSON:API endpoint to fetch paginated data:

GET https://api.example.com/data

The response will contain the following structure:

{
  "data": [...],
  "meta": {
    "total-pages": 5,
    "current-page": 1,
    "next-page": 2
  }
}

Now, let’s create a custom hook that fetches paginated data using `useInfiniteQuery` and JSON:API:

import { useInfiniteQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';

const useInfiniteData = () => {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  return useInfiniteQuery(
    ['infiniteData'],
    async ({ pageParam = 1 }) => {
      const res = await fetch(`https://api.example.com/data?page=${pageParam}`);
      const { data, meta } = await res.json();

      return { data, nextPage: meta.nextPage };
    },
    {
      getNextPageParam: (lastPage) => lastPage.nextPage || undefined,
    }
  );
};

Loading More Data with `fetchNextPage`

Now that we’ve set up our custom hook, let’s explore how to load more data using `fetchNextPage`.

`fetchNextPage` is a function returned by `useInfiniteQuery` that allows you to fetch the next page of data. You can call it when the user reaches the end of the current page or when a specific event occurs:

const {
  data,
  fetchNextPage,
  hasNextPage,
} = useInfiniteData();

const handleLoadMore = async () => {
  if (hasNextPage) {
    await fetchNextPage();
  }
};

Handling Errors and Loading States

Error handling and loading states are crucial when dealing with paginated data. `useInfiniteQuery` provides several properties to help you manage these states:

• error: The error object if the query fails
• isFetching: A boolean indicating if the query is fetching data
• isFetchingNextPage: A boolean indicating if the query is fetching the next page
• status: The current status of the query (idle, loading, success, error)

Here’s an example of how you can use these properties to handle errors and loading states:

if (error) {
  return 
Error: {error.message}
;
}

if (isFetching) {
  return 
Loading...
;
}

return (
  

    {data.map((item) => (
      
{item.name}
    ))}
    {hasNextPage && (
      Load More
    )}
  
);

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve conquered the beast of pagination using TanStack Query’s `useInfiniteQuery` and JSON:API. We’ve covered the basics of `useInfiniteQuery`, its parameters, and options. We’ve also integrated it with JSON:API and created a custom hook to fetch paginated data.

By following this guide, you should be able to implement infinite scrolling and pagination in your application with ease. Remember to customize `useInfiniteQuery` to your specific needs, handle errors and loading states, and load more data with `fetchNextPage`.

Happy coding, and may the pagination force be with you!

Frequently Asked Question

Stuck with useInfiniteQuery and TanStack Query? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some frequently asked questions to help you troubleshoot your JSON:API issues.