How to Dynamically Update Button Styles in React with useState

Learn how to change button styles dynamically in React when clicked, resolving issues with similar values using the `useState` hook.
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How to Dynamically Update Button Styles in React with useState

If you’re a React developer, you might have faced situations where you need to update the style of a button dynamically based on user interaction. A common scenario involves using the useState hook to manage button states when they're clicked. However, challenges can arise, especially when dealing with similar values or multiple objects.

In this guide, we will address how to update a button's style effectively each time it’s clicked, with a focus on avoiding issues that stem from having multiple objects with similar values.

The Problem

Imagine you have a list of buttons generated from data fetched via an Apollo Client query. You’d like each button to reflect its selected state when clicked. The challenge is when you click one button, both buttons with similar values change styles at the same time. This is due to the useState logic not being able to differentiate between them correctly.

You have a state object that looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Issue

When a button is clicked, you set the state based on the button's value and its identifier (index). The button's style is conditionally rendered based on whether thisButtomSelected matches the button’s value and index:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The problem arises because two buttons can have the same value, leading to unintended styling changes. The onClick function currently looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This approach returns values in the form of strings, which can create confusion regarding numeric comparisons.

The Solution

The solution to this problem involves making a small adjustment to the onClick handler. By ensuring that you convert the value to an integer using parseInt, you create a correct comparison when selecting the button. Here’s the revised code for the onClick function:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breakdown of the Changes

Using parseInt: This ensures that the value of thisVal is treated as a number rather than a string which allows for proper numeric comparisons.

Maintaining thisIndex: The index remains a string, as it is used primarily as an identifier and does not require conversion.

Reactivity: The useEffect hook will log the updated thisButtomSelected state, allowing you to verify the selection.

Final Implementation

Here's how the final button rendering code looks:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By implementing these changes in your React component, you should be able to successfully update the style of buttons based on user interactions without the issue of multiple buttons with similar values being affected simultaneously. The key takeaway is ensuring you work with the appropriate data types when managing state with useState. Happy coding!