How to name your React Component: Conventions

Have you ever struggled to understand someone else’s React Components due to confusing or inconsistent naming conventions?

When developing a large React project with hundreds or even thousands of components, clear and consistent naming conventions become essential for readability, maintainability, and teamwork.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of naming conventions for React Components and provide specific examples of how they can impact development. We’ll also discuss some of the most common naming conventions used in React, and provide best practices for choosing appropriate names for your components. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of how to name your React Components for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Naming Conventions: A set of rules and guidelines used to standardize the naming of variables. functions, and other programming constructs. It helps make the code more readable, maintainable, and reusable.

1. PascalCase for React Components

PascalCase is a naming convention where each word in a compound word is capitalized, in this example, FirstName and LastName are both capitalized using PascalCase. This makes it clear that these are compound words and not separate variables.

Pascal Case: Variable names

Naming React Components should follow the same convention, in this example we declare a component called MyComponent using PascalCase:

React Component using Pascal Case

2. Avoid Abbreviations, use full words

When naming a component it is important to avoid abbreviations and instead use the full words that accurately describe the component's purpose.

Abbreviations can be confusing for others who may not be familiar with the project or the context in which the component is being used.

Do:

Do: Avoid Abbreviations

Don’t:

Don’t: Use abbreviations

3. A single file per Component

One of the best practices I adhere to daily is using a simple file-per-component structure, where each component is defined in its own separate file. This helps keep the codebase organized and makes it easier to locate specific components when working on larger projects.

An example folder structure:

One component per file folder structure

4. Prefix High-Order Components with “with”

When using Higher-Order Components (HOCs) in React, it’s a common convention to prefix the name of the HOC with the word “with”. This helps make it clear that the component is a HOC and makes the code more readable and maintainable.

Here are some code snippets that demonstrate the use of the “with” prefix for HOCs:

HOC

In these examples, the names of the HOCs are prefixed with “with” (i.e. withAuth and withToggle). This makes it clear that these are HOCs and helps make the code more readable and understandable.

By following this convention, you can make your HOCs more consistent and easier to work with, both for yourself and for other developers who may be working with your code.

In React development, naming conventions play a critical role in creating code that is easy to read, maintain, and reuse. By following best practices such as using PascalCase for component names, avoiding abbreviations, and using a simple file-per-component structure, you can create code that is more organized, readable, and efficient. Additionally, by prefixing Higher-Order Component names with “with”, you can make your code more consistent and easier to understand. By following these naming conventions and best practices, you can create React Components that are clear, concise, and easy to work with, making your development process more efficient and effective.