Top npm Packages for React

ReactJS, often referred to as React is a popular JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building user interfaces. It emphasizes a component-based architecture, where UIs are built using reusable components. It has a vast range of libraries which helps it to become more powerful. In this article, we’ll see about the top npm packages for React development, along with installation instructions and usage examples.

There are several npm packages for react which are as follows:

React Router

React Router is a popular routing library for React applications, enabling navigation among different views or components based on the URL. It allows developers to define routes and render corresponding components based on the current URL, providing a seamless user experience similar to traditional multi-page applications.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm i react-router

Syntax:

<Router>
  <Route path="/" exact component={Home} />
  <Route path="/about" component={About} />
  <Route path="/contact" component={Contact} />
</Router>

Redux

Redux is a predictable state container for JavaScript applications, commonly used with React for managing application state. It helps in maintaining a centralized store for the entire application's state, making it easier to manage and access data across components.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm i redux

Syntax:

import { createStore } from 'redux';

const store = createStore(rootReducer);
function Root() {
  return (
    <Provider store={store}>
      <App />
    </Provider>
  );
}

Axios

Axios is a promise-based HTTP client for making AJAX requests in the browser and Node.js. It simplifies the process of sending asynchronous HTTP requests and handling responses, offering features like request and response interceptors, and automatic JSON parsing.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm i axios

Syntax:

axios.get('/api/data')
  .then(response => console.log(response.data))
  .catch(error => console.error(error));

Styled-Components

Styled-components is a CSS-in-JS library for styling React components using tagged template literals. It allows developers to write CSS directly within JavaScript files, encapsulating styles within components for improved readability, maintainability, and reusability.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm i styled-component

Syntax:

const Button = styled.button`
  background-color: #4CAF50;
  color: white;
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 4px;
  cursor: pointer;

  &:hover {
    background-color: #45a049;
  }
`;

Material-UI

Material-UI is a popular React UI framework providing pre-built components following Google's Material Design guidelines. It offers a wide range of customizable components for building responsive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, including buttons, inputs, dialogs, and more.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm i @mui/material

Syntax:

<Button variant="contained" color="primary">Submit</Button>

Formik

Formik is a form management library for React, simplifying the process of building and validating forms. It provides utilities for handling form state, validation, and submission, reducing boilerplate code and offering a declarative approach to form handling.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm I formik

Syntax:

<Formik
  initialValues={{ username: '', password: '' }}
  onSubmit={(values, actions) => {
    // Handle form submission
  }}
>
  <Form>
    <Field type="text" name="username" />
    <Field type="password" name="password" />
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
  </Form>
</Formik>

React-Icons

React-icons is a library of popular icons packaged as React components, allowing easy integration of icons into React applications. It provides a vast collection of icons from various icon libraries, such as Font Awesome, Material Design, and more, enabling developers to enhance the visual appeal of their applications.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm I react-icons

Syntax:

import { FaHeart } from 'react-icons/fa';
<FaHeart/>

React Helmet

React Helmet is a library for managing the document head of React applications, enabling dynamic changes to metadata and tags. It allows developers to set document title, meta tags, and other attributes within React components, improving SEO and enabling better control over the application's presentation.

To install it in the project run the following command:

npm I react-helmet

Syntax:

<Helmet>
  <title>My Page</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Description of my page" />
</Helmet>