How to Dynamically Add New Property While Looping Through an Array in ReactJS

A detailed guide on how to dynamically incorporate new properties such as emoji counts in a React component using the map method alongside data from Firebase.
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How to Dynamically Add New Property While Looping Through an Array in ReactJS

In the world of React development, efficiently managing and displaying data is crucial to building dynamic applications. One common challenge developers face is the need to combine static data with dynamic data from external sources like databases. In this guide, we'll explore how to dynamically add an emoji count from Firebase to each item in an array of emojis while using the map function in React.

Understanding the Problem

Imagine you have a collection of emojis represented in a constant array. These emojis are visual representations stored as SVG components, and you want to display them in a component while showing the count of reactions from users that you've retrieved from a Firebase database. Here’s how the emojis might be structured:

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

In addition to this static data, you have a dynamic array containing counts of user reactions:

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

You need to combine these two pieces of data so that when you render the emojis, the corresponding count from reactions appears next to each emoji.

The Solution

We can tackle this problem by using React’s map function to iterate over DEFAULT_EMOJI_OPTIONS and check for each emoji's count in the reactions array. Let’s break down the steps to implement this solution.

Step 1: Create the Basic Component Structure

Begin by setting up a functional component that will handle the display of emojis and their associated counts. Within this component, you will loop through DEFAULT_EMOJI_OPTIONS and include logic to find the matching count from reactions.

Step 2: Implement the Loop with Conditional Logic

Here’s the modified code for your EmojiSection component where we include the emoji count dynamically:

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

Understanding the Code

Mapping Over the Array: We use the map function to iterate over the DEFAULT_EMOJI_OPTIONS array.

Finding Counts: For each emoji, we look for a matching reaction in the reactions array using find(). If a match is found, we display the count for that emoji. The optional chaining operator (?.) is used to safely access count, preventing errors if no match is found.

Step 3: Updating Counts on Click (Optional)

If you want your application to also update the counts based on user interactions (e.g. clicking an emoji), you can manage this using React Hooks. Here’s how you could expand the previous implementation to include click handling:

Setting Up State Management

First, you'll need to import and use useState:

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

Then, set up your component to maintain user reactions as state:

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

You'll also need a way to handle clicks to update the state:

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

The full implementation can get complex, especially with Firebase, but this provides a solid foundation for your interactive component.

Conclusion

Dynamically adding new properties to your components while working with data from external sources like Firebase can significantly enhance the functionality of your React applications. By using the map function efficiently and managing state with React Hooks, you can create a rich and engaging user experience.

With the approach outlined in this post, you can now confidently display emoji counts next to each emoji in your React component. Feel free to expand on this concept and integrate additional features such as real-time updates and more intricate user interactions. Happy coding!