Redux Thunk (Bite-size Article)
Tags: redux, react, beginners
Published: 2023-10-15 00:09:51

#Introduction

In this article, I will delve into the introduction and fundamental concepts of **Redux Thunk**. 

Also, I've written several articles in the past about Redux and state management. If you're interested in these, feel free to check through them as well.

- 
[Local State vs External State Management : Comparing State Management in React](https://dev.to/koshirok096/local-state-vs-external-state-management-comparing-state-management-in-react-29lo
)

- 
[Getting Started with Redux and Redux Toolkit: Exploring Syntax Differences (for Beginners)](https://dev.to/koshirok096/getting-started-with-redux-and-redux-toolkit-exploring-syntax-differences-for-beginners-265l
)

---


**Redux Thunk** is a library used for state management in React applications, particularly when combined with **Redux**. It serves as **middleware** to enable handling of **asynchronous operations** within the Redux store. Asynchronous operations can include tasks like API calls and fetching data asynchronously.

##Tip: What is Middleware?
**Middleware** is like a software middleman that helps different software parts talk to each other. It makes things run smoother, adds extra features, and simplifies complex stuff. It's commonly used in web development and distributed systems to make things work better and do more without messing with the main code.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1q7lptf28xu72c8uopyj.png)

#How Redux Thunk is used
To use Redux Thunk, you need to incorporate it as middleware when setting up the Redux store. This code is typically done at the entry point of your Redux application.

```jsx
import { createStore, applyMiddleware } from 'redux';
import thunk from 'redux-thunk';
import rootReducer from './reducers';

const store = createStore(rootReducer, applyMiddleware(thunk));
```

#Creating Asynchronous Actions
One of the primary advantages of using Redux Thunk is the ease with which you can create <u>asynchronous action creators</u>. Normally, action creators return plain objects, but with Redux Thunk, <u>you can return functions</u>.

```jsx
// Example of an asynchronous action creator
import { fetchData } from './myapi';

export const fetchUserData = () => {
  return async (dispatch) => {
    dispatch({ type: 'FETCH_USER_DATA_REQUEST' });

    try {
      const data = await fetchData(); // Asynchronously fetching data
      dispatch({ type: 'FETCH_USER_DATA_SUCCESS', payload: data });
    } catch (error) {
      dispatch({ type: 'FETCH_USER_DATA_FAILURE', error: error });
    }
  };
};
```
#Dispatching Asynchronous Actions
When dispatching an asynchronous action, Redux Thunk processes this function and waits until the asynchronous operation is complete. Afterward, it dispatches the appropriate actions based on success or failure.

```jsx
import { useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
import { fetchUserData } from './actions';

const MyComponent = () => {
  const dispatch = useDispatch();

  const handleFetchData = () => {
    dispatch(fetchUserData());
  };

  // ...rest of the component...
};
```

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/w8zkkn6x1yeh1rw1mk0q.png)

#Conclusion
By using Redux Thunk, you can update the Redux store's state with the results of asynchronous operations, making state management in your application more effective. Asynchronous operations are common in various scenarios, such as data fetching from APIs or data updates, making Redux Thunk a valuable tool for React application development.

This article is a compilation of my own learning journey, and I hope it proves beneficial to someone.

Thank you for reading!