React HN

This is a visual React tutorial. This tutorial should give you a feel for "growing" a React UI from small, modular parts. By the end of this tutorial, you will have built the HN front page in React.

Note: This tutorial covers React, Browserify, and CSS. It does not cover event handling (not needed for the HN front page), state (not needed for the HN front page), or Flux.

This tutorial has five parts:

Setup
NewsItem component
NewsHeader component
NewsList component
Display live data from the Hacker News API

Setup

Create the project directory structure.
```
mkdir -p hn/{build/js,css,html,img,js,json}
cd hn
```
Note: We will be building the project from scratch. The solution in this repo is meant primarily to be a reference.
Download the sample data into /json.
Download y18.gif and grayarrow2x.gif into /img.

Create /package.json.

{
  "name": "hn",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "private": true,
  "browserify": {
    "transform": [
      ["reactify"]
    ]
  }
}

Install Browserify, React, and tools.

# These dependencies are required for running the app.
npm install --save react jquery lodash moment

# These dependencies are required for building the app.
npm install --save-dev browserify watchify reactify

# These dependencies are globally installed command line tools.
npm install -g browserify watchify http-server

Display the title.
Add the domain.
Add the subtext.
Add the rank and vote.

Previous · Next

NewsItem Title

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsItem.js.

var $ = require('jquery');
var React = require('react');

var NewsItem = React.createClass({
  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsItem">
        <a className="newsItem-titleLink" href={this.props.item.url}>{this.props.item.title}</a>
      </div>
    );
  }
});

module.exports = NewsItem;

Note: You should be able to paste this code directly into your JS file.

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsItemTest.js.

var $ = require('jquery');
var NewsItem = require('./NewsItem');
var React = require('react');

$.ajax({
  url: '/json/items.json'
}).then(function (items) {
  // Log the data so we can inspect it in the developer console.
  console.log('items', items);
  // Use a fake rank for now.
  React.render(<NewsItem item={items[0]} rank={1}/>, $('#content')[0]);
});

Note: This lets us develop the NewsItem component in isolation, rather than requiring it to be hooked into the full app.

Create a new CSS file: /css/NewsItem.css. We are following Jacob Thornton's CSS style guide.

.newsItem {
  color: #828282;
  margin-top: 5px;
}

.newsItem-titleLink {
  color: black;
  font-size: 10pt;
  text-decoration: none;
}

Create a new CSS file: /css/app.css.

body {
  font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;
}

Create a new HTML file: /html/NewsItem.html.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>NewsItem</title>
    <link href="../css/NewsItem.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/app.css" rel="stylesheet">
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="content"></div>
    <script src="../build/js/NewsItemTest.js"></script>
  </body>
</html>

Start Watchify. This compiles your React (JSX) components into ordinary JavaScript.
```
watchify -v -o build/js/NewsItemTest.js js/NewsItemTest.js
```
Start the HTTP server.
```
http-server -p 8888
```
Visit http://localhost:8888/html/NewsItem.html. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsItem Domain

Update the JS.

// ...
var url = require('url');

var NewsItem = React.createClass({
  // ...

  getDomain: function () {
    return url.parse(this.props.item.url).hostname;
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsItem">
        ...
        <span className="newsItem-domain">
          ({this.getDomain()})
        </span>
      </div>
    );
  }

Note: This code should be added onto the existing code in /js/NewsItem.js.

Update the CSS.
```
.newsItem-domain {
  font-size: 8pt;
  margin-left: 5px;
}
```
Note: This code should be added onto the existing code in /css/NewsItem.css.
Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsItem Subtext

Update the JS. Note: We are factoring out the title part into its own method.

// ...
var moment = require('moment');

var NewsItem = React.createClass({
  // ...

  getCommentLink: function () {
    var commentText = 'discuss';
    if (this.props.item.kids && this.props.item.kids.length) {
      // This only counts top-level comments.
      // To get the full count, recursively get item details for this news item.
      commentText = this.props.item.kids.length + ' comments';
    }

    return (
      <a href={'https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=' + this.props.item.id}>{commentText}</a>
    );
  },

  getSubtext: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsItem-subtext">
        {this.props.item.score} points by <a href={'https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=' + this.props.item.by}>{this.props.item.by}</a> {moment.utc(this.props.item.time * 1000).fromNow()} | {this.getCommentLink()}
      </div>
    );
  },

  getTitle: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsItem-title">
        ...
      </div>
    );
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsItem">
        {this.getTitle()}
        {this.getSubtext()}
      </div>
    );
  }

Update the CSS.

.newsItem-subtext {
  font-size: 7pt;
}

.newsItem-subtext > a {
  color: #828282;
  text-decoration: none;
}

.newsItem-subtext > a:hover {
  text-decoration: underline;
}

Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsItem Rank and Vote

Update the JS.

var NewsItem = React.createClass({
 // ...

 getRank: function () {
   return (
     <div className="newsItem-rank">
       {this.props.rank}.
     </div>
   );
 },

 getVote: function () {
   return (
     <div className="newsItem-vote">
       <a href={'https://news.ycombinator.com/vote?for=' + this.props.item.id + '&dir=up&whence=news'}>
         <img src="../img/grayarrow2x.gif" width="10"/>
       </a>
     </div>
   );
 },

 render: function () {
   return (
     <div className="newsItem">
       {this.getRank()}
       {this.getVote()}
       <div className="newsItem-itemText">
         {this.getTitle()}
         {this.getSubtext()}
       </div>
     </div>
   );
 }

Update the CSS.

.newsItem {
  /* ... */
  align-items: baseline;
  display: flex;  
}

.newsItem-itemText {
  flex-grow: 1;
}

.newsItem-rank {
  flex-basis: 25px;
  font-size: 10pt;
  text-align: right;
}

.newsItem-vote {
  flex-basis: 15px;
  text-align: center;
}

Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

You have now implemented an HN news item in React.

Previous · Next

Previous · Next

NewsHeader Logo and Title

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsHeader.js.

var $ = require('jquery');
var React = require('react');

var NewsHeader = React.createClass({
  getLogo: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader-logo">
        <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com"><img src="../img/y18.gif"/></a>
      </div>
    );
  },

  getTitle: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader-title">
        <a className="newsHeader-textLink" href="https://news.ycombinator.com">Hacker News</a>
      </div>
    );
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader">
        {this.getLogo()}
        {this.getTitle()}
      </div>
    );
  }
});

module.exports = NewsHeader;

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsHeaderTest.js.

var $ = require('jquery');
var NewsHeader = require('./NewsHeader');
var React = require('react');

React.render(<NewsHeader/>, $('#content')[0]);

Create a new CSS file: /css/NewsHeader.css.

.newsHeader {
  align-items: center;
  background: #ff6600;
  color: black;
  display: flex;
  font-size: 10pt;
  padding: 2px;
}

.newsHeader-logo {
  border: 1px solid white;
  flex-basis: 18px;
  height: 18px;
}

.newsHeader-textLink {
  color: black;
  text-decoration: none;
}

.newsHeader-title {
  font-weight: bold;
  margin-left: 4px;
}

Create a new HTML file: /html/NewsHeader.html.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>NewsHeader</title>
    <link href="../css/NewsHeader.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/app.css" rel="stylesheet">
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="content"></div>
    <script src="../build/js/NewsHeaderTest.js"></script>
  </body>
</html>

Start Watchify.

watchify -v -o build/js/NewsHeaderTest.js js/NewsHeaderTest.js

Start the HTTP server if necessary.
```
http-server -p 8888
```
Visit http://localhost:8888/html/NewsHeader.html. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsHeader Nav

Update the JS.

// ...
var _ = require('lodash');

var NewsHeader = React.createClass({
  // ...

  getNav: function () {
    var navLinks = [
      {
        name: 'new',
        url: 'newest'
      },
      {
        name: 'comments',
        url: 'newcomments'
      },
      {
        name: 'show',
        url: 'show'
      },
      {
        name: 'ask',
        url: 'ask'
      },
      {
        name: 'jobs',
        url: 'jobs'
      },
      {
        name: 'submit',
        url: 'submit'
      }
    ];

    return (
      <div className="newsHeader-nav">
        {_(navLinks).map(function (navLink) {
          return (
            <a key={navLink.url} className="newsHeader-navLink newsHeader-textLink" href={'https://news.ycombinator.com/' + navLink.url}>
              {navLink.name}
            </a>
          );
        }).value()}
      </div>
    );
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader">
        ...
        {this.getNav()}
      </div>
    );
  }

Update the CSS.

.newsHeader-nav {
  flex-grow: 1;
  margin-left: 10px;
}

.newsHeader-navLink:not(:first-child)::before {
  content: ' | ';
}

Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsHeader Login

Update the JS.

var NewsHeader = React.createClass({
  // ...

  getLogin: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader-login">
        <a className="newsHeader-textLink" href="https://news.ycombinator.com/login?whence=news">login</a>
      </div>
    );
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsHeader">
        ...
        {this.getLogin()}
      </div>
    );
  }

Update the CSS.

.newsHeader-login {
  margin-right: 5px;
}

Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

You have now implemented the HN header in React.

Previous · Next

NewsList

Display the header and items.
Add the more link.

Previous · Next

NewsList Header and Items

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsList.js.

var _ = require('lodash');
var NewsHeader = require('./NewsHeader');
var NewsItem = require('./NewsItem');
var React = require('react');

var NewsList = React.createClass({
  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsList">
        <NewsHeader/>
        <div className="newsList-newsItems">
          {_(this.props.items).map(function (item, index) {
            return <NewsItem key={item.id} item={item} rank={index + 1}/>;
          }.bind(this)).value()}
        </div>
      </div>
    );
  }
});

module.exports = NewsList;

Create a new JS file: /js/NewsListTest.js.

var $ = require('jquery');
var NewsList = require('./NewsList');
var React = require('react');

$.ajax({
  url: '/json/items.json'
}).then(function (items) {
  React.render(<NewsList items={items}/>, $('#content')[0]);
});

Create a new CSS file: /css/NewsList.css.

.newsList {
  background: #f6f6ef;
  margin-left: auto;
  margin-right: auto;
  width: 85%;
}

Create a new HTML file: /html/NewsList.html.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>NewsList</title>
    <link href="../css/NewsHeader.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/NewsItem.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/NewsList.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/app.css" rel="stylesheet">
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="content"></div>
    <script src="../build/js/NewsListTest.js"></script>
  </body>
</html>

Start Watchify.

watchify -v -o build/js/NewsListTest.js js/NewsListTest.js

Start the HTTP server if necessary.
```
http-server -p 8888
```
Visit http://localhost:8888/html/NewsList.html. You should see the following.

Previous · Next

NewsList More

Update the JS.

var NewsList = React.createClass({
  // ...

  getMore: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsList-more">
        <a className="newsList-moreLink" href="https://news.ycombinator.com/news?p=2">More</a>
      </div>
    );
  },

  render: function () {
    return (
      <div className="newsList">
        ...
        {this.getMore()}
      </div>
    );
  }

Update the CSS.

.newsList-more {
  margin-left: 40px; /* matches NewsItem rank and vote */
  margin-top: 10px;
  padding-bottom: 10px;
}

.newsList-moreLink {
  color: black;
  font-size: 10pt;
  text-decoration: none;
}

Refresh the browser. You should see the following.

You have now implemented the HN item list in React.

Previous · Next

Hacker News API

Create a new JS file: /js/app.js.

var _ = require('lodash');
var $ = require('jquery');
var NewsList = require('./NewsList');
var React = require('react');

// Get the top item ids
$.ajax({
  url: 'https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0/topstories.json',
  dataType: 'json'
}).then(function (stories) {
  // Get the item details in parallel
  var detailDeferreds = _(stories.slice(0, 30)).map(function (itemId) {
    return $.ajax({
      url: 'https://hacker-news.firebaseio.com/v0/item/' + itemId + '.json',
      dataType: 'json'
    });
  }).value();
  return $.when.apply($, detailDeferreds);
}).then(function () {
  // Extract the response JSON
  var items = _(arguments).map(function (argument) {
    return argument[0];
  }).value();

  // Render the items
  React.render(<NewsList items={items}/>, $('#content')[0]);
});

Create a new HTML file: /html/app.html.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Hacker News</title>
    <link href="../css/NewsHeader.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/NewsItem.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/NewsList.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="../css/app.css" rel="stylesheet">
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="content"></div>
    <script src="../build/js/app.js"></script>
  </body>
</html>

Start Watchify.

watchify -v -o build/js/app.js js/app.js

Start the HTTP server if necessary.
```
http-server -p 8888
```
Visit http://localhost:8888/html/app.html.

You have now implemented the HN front page in React.

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React HN

Setup

NewsItem

NewsItem Title

NewsItem Domain

NewsItem Subtext

NewsItem Rank and Vote

NewsHeader

NewsHeader Logo and Title

NewsHeader Nav

NewsHeader Login

NewsList

NewsList Header and Items

NewsList More

Hacker News API

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Contributors 3

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Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 85 Commits
css		css
html		html
img		img
js		js
json		json
sketch		sketch
.gitignore		.gitignore
MaintainerInfo.md		MaintainerInfo.md
README.md		README.md
package.json		package.json

mking/react-hn

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React HN

Setup

NewsItem

NewsItem Title

NewsItem Domain

NewsItem Subtext

NewsItem Rank and Vote

NewsHeader

NewsHeader Logo and Title

NewsHeader Nav

NewsHeader Login

NewsList

NewsList Header and Items

NewsList More

Hacker News API

About

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Packages 0

Contributors 3

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