use-debounce

What is use-debounce?

The use-debounce package provides a collection of hooks and functions to debounce any fast-changing value in React applications. The main purpose is to limit the rate at which a function gets invoked. This is particularly useful for performance optimization in scenarios such as search input fields, where you might want to wait for a pause in typing before sending a request to a server.

What are use-debounce's main functionalities?

useDebounce

This hook allows you to debounce any fast-changing value. The first parameter is the value to debounce, and the second parameter is the delay in milliseconds.

import { useDebounce } from 'use-debounce';
const [value] = useDebounce(text, 1000);

useDebouncedCallback

This hook gives you a debounced function that you can call. It will only invoke the provided function after the specified delay has elapsed since the last call.

import { useDebouncedCallback } from 'use-debounce';
const [debouncedCallback] = useDebouncedCallback(
  () => {
    // function to be debounced
  },
  1000
);

useThrottledCallback

Similar to debouncing, throttling is another rate-limiting technique. This hook provides a throttled function that will only allow one execution per specified time frame.

import { useThrottledCallback } from 'use-debounce';
const [throttledCallback] = useThrottledCallback(
  () => {
    // function to be throttled
  },
  1000
);

Other packages similar to use-debounce

lodash.debounce

lodash.debounce is a method from the popular Lodash library. It provides debouncing functionality similar to use-debounce but is not a hook and does not have React-specific optimizations.

debounce

debounce is a minimalistic package that offers a debounce function. It is not tailored for React and does not provide hooks, but it can be used in any JavaScript application.

react-throttle

react-throttle offers components and hooks to throttle events or values in React applications. It is similar to use-debounce's throttling capabilities but focuses specifically on throttling rather than debouncing.

README

Features

• classic debounced callback
• value debouncing
• cancel, maxWait and memoization

Install

yarn add use-debounce
# or
npm i use-debounce --save

Demos

The simplest way to start playing around with use-debounce is with this CodeSandbox snippet: https://codesandbox.io/s/kx75xzyrq7

More complex example with searching for matching countries using debounced input: https://codesandbox.io/s/rr40wnropq (thanks to https://twitter.com/ZephDavies)

Changelog

https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md

Simple values debouncing

According to https://twitter.com/dan_abramov/status/1060729512227467264

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { useDebounce } from 'use-debounce';

export default function Input() {
  const [text, setText] = useState('Hello');
  const [value] = useDebounce(text, 1000);

  return (
    <div>
      <input
        defaultValue={'Hello'}
        onChange={(e) => {
          setText(e.target.value);
        }}
      />
      <p>Actual value: {text}</p>
      <p>Debounce value: {value}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

This hook compares prev and next value using shallow equal. It means, setting an object {} will trigger debounce timer. If you have to compare objects (https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce/issues/27#issuecomment-496828063), you can use useDebouncedCallback, that is explained below:

Debounced callbacks

Besides useDebounce for values you can debounce callbacks, that is the more commonly understood kind of debouncing. Example with Input (and react callbacks): https://codesandbox.io/s/x0jvqrwyq

import { useDebouncedCallback } from 'use-debounce';

function Input({ defaultValue }) {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(defaultValue);
  // Debounce callback
  const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(
    // function
    (value) => {
      setValue(value);
    },
    // delay in ms
    1000
  );

  // you should use `e => debounced.callback(e.target.value)` as react works with synthetic events
  return (
    <div>
      <input defaultValue={defaultValue} onChange={(e) => debounced.callback(e.target.value)} />
      <p>Debounced value: {value}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

Example with Scroll (and native event listeners): https://codesandbox.io/s/32yqlyo815

function ScrolledComponent() {
  // just a counter to show, that there are no any unnessesary updates
  const updatedCount = useRef(0);
  updatedCount.current++;

  const [position, setPosition] = useState(window.pageYOffset);

  // Debounce callback
  const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(
    // function
    () => {
      setPosition(window.pageYOffset);
    },
    // delay in ms
    800
  );

  useEffect(() => {
    const unsubscribe = subscribe(window, 'scroll', debounced.callback);
    return () => {
      unsubscribe();
    };
  }, []);

  return (
    <div style={{ height: 10000 }}>
      <div style={{ position: 'fixed', top: 0, left: 0 }}>
        <p>Debounced top position: {position}</p>
        <p>Component rerendered {updatedCount.current} times</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

Returned value from debounced.callback

Subsequent calls to the debounced function debounced.callback return the result of the last func invocation. Note, that if there are no previous invocations it's mean you will get undefined. You should check it in your code properly.

Example:

it('Subsequent calls to the debounced function `debounced.callback` return the result of the last func invocation.', () => {
  const callback = jest.fn(() => 42);

  let callbackCache;
  function Component() {
    const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(callback, 1000);
    callbackCache = debounced.callback;
    return null;
  }
  Enzyme.mount(<Component />);

  const result = callbackCache();
  expect(callback.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
  expect(result).toBeUndefined();

  act(() => {
    jest.runAllTimers();
  });
  expect(callback.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
  const subsequentResult = callbackCache();

  expect(callback.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
  expect(subsequentResult).toBe(42);
});

Advanced usage

Cancel, maxWait and memoization

1. Both useDebounce and useDebouncedCallback works with maxWait option. This params describes the maximum time func is allowed to be delayed before it's invoked.
2. You can cancel debounce cycle, by calling cancel callback

The full example you can see here https://codesandbox.io/s/4wvmp1xlw4

import React, { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
import { useDebouncedCallback } from 'use-debounce';

function Input({ defaultValue }) {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(defaultValue);
  const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(
    (value) => {
      setValue(value);
    },
    500,
    // The maximum time func is allowed to be delayed before it's invoked:
    { maxWait: 2000 }
  );

  // you should use `e => debounced.callback(e.target.value)` as react works with synthetic events
  return (
    <div>
      <input defaultValue={defaultValue} onChange={(e) => debounced.callback(e.target.value)} />
      <p>Debounced value: {value}</p>
      <button onClick={debounced.cancel}>Cancel Debounce cycle</button>
    </div>
  );
}

const rootElement = document.getElementById('root');
ReactDOM.render(<Input defaultValue="Hello world" />, rootElement);

Flush method

useDebouncedCallback has flush method. It allows to call the callback manually if it hasn't fired yet. This method is handy to use when the user takes an action that would cause the component to unmount, but you need to execute the callback.

import React, { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
import { useDebouncedCallback } from 'use-debounce';

function InputWhichFetchesSomeData({ defaultValue, asyncFetchData }) {
  const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(
    (value) => {
      asyncFetchData;
    },
    500,
    { maxWait: 2000 }
  );

  // When the component goes to be unmounted, we will fetch data if the input has changed.
  useEffect(
    () => () => {
      debounced.flush();
    },
    [debounced]
  );

  return <input defaultValue={defaultValue} onChange={(e) => debounced.callback(e.target.value)} />;
}

Pending method

pending method shows whether component has pending callbacks. Works for both useDebounce and useDebouncedCallback:

function Component({ text }) {
  const debounced = useDebouncedCallback(useCallback(() => {}, []), 500);

  expect(debounced.pending()).toBeFalsy();
  debounced.callback();
  expect(debounced.pending()).toBeTruthy();
  debounced.flush();
  expect(debounced.pending()).toBeFalsy();

  return <span>{text}</span>;
}

leading/trailing calls

Both useDebounce and useDebouncedCallback work with the leading and trailing options. leading param will execute the function once immediately when called. Subsequent calls will be debounced until the timeout expires. trailing option controls whenever to call the callback after timeout again.

For more information on how leading debounce calls work see: https://lodash.com/docs/#debounce

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { useDebounce } from 'use-debounce';

export default function Input() {
  const [text, setText] = useState('Hello');
  const [value] = useDebounce(text, 1000, { leading: true });

  // value is updated immediately when text changes the first time,
  // but all subsequent changes are debounced.
  return (
    <div>
      <input
        defaultValue={'Hello'}
        onChange={(e) => {
          setText(e.target.value);
        }}
      />
      <p>Actual value: {text}</p>
      <p>Debounce value: {value}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

Options:

You can provide additional options as a third argument to both useDebounce and useDebouncedCallback:

option	default	Description	Example
maxWait	-	Describes the maximum time func is allowed to be delayed before it's invoked	https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce#cancel-maxwait-and-memoization
leading	-	This param will execute the function once immediately when called. Subsequent calls will be debounced until the timeout expires.	https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce#leading-calls
trailing	true	This param executes the function after timeout.	https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce#leading-calls
equalityFn	(prev, next) => prev === next	Comparator function which shows if timeout should be started

useThrottledCallback

You are able to use throttled callback with this library also (starting 5.2.0 version). For this purpose use:

import useThrottledCallback from 'use-debounce/useThrottledCallback';

or

import { useThrottledCallback } from 'use-debounce';

Several examples:

1. Avoid excessively updating the position while scrolling.

   const scrollHandler = useThrottledCallback(updatePosition, 100);
   window.addEventListener('scroll', scrollHandler);
   

2. Invoke renewToken when the click event is fired, but not more than once every 5 minutes.

   const throttled = useThrottledCallback(renewToken, 300000, { 'trailing': false })
   <button onClick={throttled}>click</button>
   

All the params for useThrottledCallback are the same as for useDebouncedCallback except maxWait option. As it's not needed for throttle callbacks.

Special thanks:

@tryggvigy — for managing lots of new features of the library like trailing and leading params, throttle callback, etc;

@omgovich — for reducing bundle size.

Changelog

5.2.1

• prevent having ininite setTimeout setup when component gets unmounted https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce/issues/97
• function type works correctly with useDebounce now. https://github.com/xnimorz/use-debounce/pull/95 Thanks to @csu-feizao