Checking for App Updates and Releases in React

Keeping Your React App Up-to-Date: A Step-by-Step Approach

As a developer, one of the challenges I’ve faced is ensuring that users of my React application always interact with the latest version. This becomes particularly important when users keep a tab open to the site for days or even weeks. During this time, if updates are made to how the app interacts with APIs, users might miss these changes and inadvertently lose data due to outdated interactions. For instance, if an API endpoint changes or a new validation rule is added, users with an outdated version of the app might submit data that no longer conforms to the updated requirements, leading to errors or data loss. To address this issue, I’ve implemented a custom React hook that checks for updates by monitoring the ETag of the main HTML file and prompts users to refresh the app if changes are detected. In this article, I will walk you through creating this hook and integrating it into your React app.

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Understanding the Problem

When users keep a tab open for an extended period, they might not immediately see updates to your app. This can lead to inconsistencies and potential issues if the user interacts with outdated content. To address this, we need a way to detect when the app has been updated and notify the user to refresh their browser.

Creating the Custom Hook

To implement this functionality, we will create a custom React hook. This hook will periodically check the ETag of the main HTML file to determine if any updates have been made. If an update is detected, it will prompt the user to refresh the app.

Here’s how you can create this hook:

TypeScript

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

const useCheckAppUpdates = () => {
  const [etag, setEtag] = useState(null);
  const [shouldRefresh, setShouldRefresh] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    const fetchETag = async () => {
      try {
        const response = await fetch(window.location.href, {
          method: 'HEAD', // Use HEAD to get headers without downloading the full page
        });

        if (response.ok) {
          const currentEtag = response.headers.get('ETag');
          if (etag !== currentEtag) {
            setEtag(currentEtag);
            setShouldRefresh(true);
          }
        }
      } catch (error) {
        console.error('Error fetching ETag:', error);
      }
    };

    fetchETag(); // Initial fetch

    // Periodically check for changes
    const intervalId = setInterval(fetchETag, 60000); // Check every minute

    return () => clearInterval(intervalId);
  }, [etag]);

  const refreshApp = () => {
    window.location.reload();
  };

  return { shouldRefresh, refreshApp };
};

export default useCheckAppUpdates;

Using the Hook in Your App

Now that we have created the hook, we can integrate it into our React app. This involves importing the hook and using its returned values to conditionally render a refresh prompt.

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Here’s how you can use the hook:

TypeScript

import React from 'react';
import useCheckAppUpdates from './useCheckAppUpdates';

const App = () => {
  const { shouldRefresh, refreshApp } = useCheckAppUpdates();

  if (shouldRefresh) {
    return (
      <div>
        <p>An update is available. Please refresh the app.</p>
        <button onClick={refreshApp}>Refresh Now</button>
      </div>
    );
  }

  // Your normal app content here
  return <div>Your App Content</div>;
};

export default App;

Choosing a Suitable Hook Name

When naming your hook, it’s essential to choose a name that clearly communicates its purpose. Some suitable options include useCheckAppUpdates, useDetectBuildChanges, or useMonitorAppVersion. These names help other developers understand the hook’s functionality at a glance.

Steps to Implement the Solution

To implement this solution in your React app, follow these steps:

Create the Custom Hook: Start by creating a new JavaScript file for your hook. In this file, define the useCheckAppUpdates hook as shown above. This hook will handle fetching the ETag and determining if an update is available.
Integrate the Hook into Your App: Import the useCheckAppUpdates hook into your main app component. Use the shouldRefresh and refreshApp values returned by the hook to conditionally render a refresh prompt.
Customize the Refresh Prompt: You can customize the refresh prompt to fit your app’s design and user experience. This might involve changing the text or adding additional visual cues.
Test the Implementation: Once you’ve integrated the hook, test it by making changes to your app and verifying that the refresh prompt appears as expected.

Conclusion

Implementing a custom React hook to check for app updates and prompt users to refresh is a straightforward yet effective way to ensure your users always have the latest version of your app. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily integrate this functionality into your existing React projects. This approach not only enhances the user experience but also helps maintain consistency across different user sessions. With this solution in place, you can confidently deploy updates knowing that your users will always see the latest changes.