myHotTake

Tag: component efficiency

  • How Does Tennis Perfect Your React Component Performance?

    Hey there! If you find this story helpful or fun, feel free to give it a like or share it with a friend who loves both tech and tennis!


    I’m standing on a tennis court, racket in hand, determined to perfect my serve. Each time I toss the ball and swing, I’m practicing precision, timing, and energy conservation. But, just like optimizing my tennis serve, I need to optimize the rendering performance of my React components to ensure a smooth and efficient application.

    In the world of React, every component render is like a tennis serve. Just as I don’t want to expend unnecessary energy by repeating the same serve techniques that are already perfect, I don’t want my React components to re-render unnecessarily. To achieve this, I use strategies akin to perfecting my tennis technique.

    First, I focus on using React’s memo function. It’s like practicing my swing until it’s muscle memory, ensuring that my components only re-render when their input props change. This way, I’m not wasting energy on repetitive serves that don’t need adjustment.

    Next, I dive into using the useCallback and useMemo hooks. These are like my mental focus exercises before a serve, ensuring that my functions and values only change when absolutely necessary. It’s about preserving energy and maintaining peak performance by avoiding redundant recalculations.

    Then, I organize my components smartly, much like arranging my tennis training drills. By breaking my application into smaller, more manageable components, I ensure that when one part of the game needs recalibration, it doesn’t disrupt the entire performance.

    Finally, I keep a keen eye on the React DevTools, like a coach watching my form closely. This tool helps me spot unnecessary renders, just as a coach would point out inefficiencies in my serve, allowing me to refine my technique continuously.


    As I continue my tennis practice, I realize that each successful serve mirrors how I manage my React components’ performance with JavaScript. Here’s how I translate those smooth swings into efficient code:

    1. Using React.memo: Just like refining my serve to avoid unnecessary energy expenditure, I use React.memo to prevent unnecessary re-renders.
       import React from 'react';
    
       const TennisServe = React.memo(({ technique }) => {
         console.log('Component re-rendered!');
         return <div>{technique}</div>;
       });
    
       // This component will only re-render if 'technique' prop changes.

    By wrapping my component in React.memo, I ensure it only re-renders when its props change, just like only adjusting my serve when needed.

    1. Implementing useCallback: This hook is like the precision of my serving technique, making sure my function references remain stable unless their dependencies change.
       import React, { useCallback } from 'react';
    
       const TennisCoach = ({ onServe }) => {
         const handleServe = useCallback(() => {
           onServe();
         }, [onServe]);
    
         return <button onClick={handleServe}>Serve!</button>;
       };

    By using useCallback, I avoid creating new function instances on every render, conserving memory and processing power—just like conserving my energy during a match.

    1. Leveraging useMemo: This hook is my mental preparation, ensuring that calculations or derived data are only recalculated when necessary.
       import React, { useMemo } from 'react';
    
       const ServeAnalysis = ({ speed, angle }) => {
         const serveQuality = useMemo(() => {
           return speed * angle; // Some complex calculation
         }, [speed, angle]);
    
         return <div>Serve Quality: {serveQuality}</div>;
       };

    useMemo ensures that the serve quality calculation is performed only when speed or angle changes, much like I focus my energy on specific serve improvements.

    1. Component Organization: Just as I break down my training into drills, I break my app into smaller components to minimize re-renders.
       const ServeTechnique = ({ technique }) => <div>{technique}</div>;
    
       const TennisGame = () => (
         <div>
           <ServeTechnique technique="Topspin" />
           {/* Other components */}
         </div>
       );

    This modular approach limits the scope of changes and makes the app easier to maintain, akin to focusing on different aspects of my serve in isolation.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Optimization is Key: Just as a well-practiced serve conserves energy and maximizes efficiency, optimizing React components enhances application performance.
    • Strategic Use of Hooks: React.memo, useCallback, and useMemo are powerful tools that help manage re-renders and memory usage efficiently.
    • Modular Design: Breaking down components can prevent unnecessary updates, akin to targeted practice sessions that improve specific aspects of a tennis game.
    • Continuous Monitoring: Like a coach’s keen eye, using tools like React DevTools helps identify and rectify inefficiencies in real-time.
  • How to Solve Angular Performance Bottlenecks Efficiently

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    I’m a detective trying to solve the mystery of a slowing clock. The clock, in this case, is my Angular application. It used to tick smoothly, but now it’s sluggish, and I need to find out why. I don my detective hat and start my investigation.

    First, I look at the gears—these are like the components in my app. Each gear must turn perfectly for the clock to work seamlessly. I notice some gears are heavier than others, akin to components with too many bindings or complex logic. I decide to lighten them up by simplifying the logic or breaking them down into smaller, more efficient gears.

    Next, I examine the springs, which are like the services in Angular. These springs provide energy to keep everything moving. I find one spring that’s wound too tightly, representing a service making too many HTTP requests or carrying out expensive calculations. I loosen it by optimizing the service, perhaps by caching results or reducing the frequency of operations.

    Then, I turn my attention to the pendulum. This is similar to the change detection cycle in Angular. If the pendulum swings too often or erratically, it can slow down the entire clock. I adjust it by using OnPush change detection strategy or employing trackBy with ngFor to minimize unnecessary checks.

    Finally, I check the clock face, or the UI. Too many decorations, like excessive DOM elements or heavy styles, can weigh it down. I streamline the face by trimming unnecessary elements and optimizing styles, ensuring the UI is lean and responsive.

    With these adjustments, my clock ticks smoothly once again. It’s all about finding the right balance and ensuring each part works in harmony. If this detective tale helped you solve your Angular mysteries, feel free to like or share it!


    Continuing with our clock analogy, let’s translate the detective’s findings into actionable JavaScript solutions within an Angular app.

    Lightening the Gears: Optimizing Components

    In our story, I noticed some gears (components) were too heavy. In Angular, this can mean a component is doing too much work. Here’s a simple example:

    @Component({
      selector: 'app-heavy-component',
      template: `
        <div *ngFor="let item of items">
          {{ computeHeavyOperation(item) }}
        </div>
      `
    })
    export class HeavyComponent {
      @Input() items: any[];
    
      computeHeavyOperation(item: any): number {
        // A heavy computation
        return item.value * Math.random() * 100;
      }
    }

    To optimize, I can move this logic out of the template or use memoization:

    @Component({
      selector: 'app-optimized-component',
      template: `
        <div *ngFor="let item of items">
          {{ optimizedValues[item.id] }}
        </div>
      `
    })
    export class OptimizedComponent {
      @Input() items: any[];
      optimizedValues: {[key: number]: number} = {};
    
      ngOnChanges() {
        this.items.forEach(item => {
          if (!this.optimizedValues[item.id]) {
            this.optimizedValues[item.id] = this.computeHeavyOperation(item);
          }
        });
      }
    
      computeHeavyOperation(item: any): number {
        // A heavy computation
        return item.value * Math.random() * 100;
      }
    }

    Loosening the Springs: Efficient Services

    The springs (services) can be optimized by reducing unnecessary operations. For example, if a service makes repetitive HTTP requests, we could use caching:

    @Injectable({
      providedIn: 'root'
    })
    export class DataService {
      private cache = new Map<string, Observable<any>>();
    
      fetchData(url: string): Observable<any> {
        if (!this.cache.has(url)) {
          const response$ = this.http.get(url).pipe(
            shareReplay(1)
          );
          this.cache.set(url, response$);
        }
        return this.cache.get(url)!;
      }
    
      constructor(private http: HttpClient) {}
    }

    Steadying the Pendulum: Optimizing Change Detection

    Angular’s change detection can be optimized using OnPush strategy:

    @Component({
      selector: 'app-check-strategy',
      changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
      template: `
        <div *ngFor="let item of items; trackBy: trackById">
          {{ item.value }}
        </div>
      `
    })
    export class CheckStrategyComponent {
      @Input() items: any[];
    
      trackById(index: number, item: any): number {
        return item.id;
      }
    }

    Streamlining the Clock Face: UI Optimization

    Finally, we can improve the UI by reducing DOM elements and using efficient styling:

    /* Use CSS Grid or Flexbox to reduce unnecessary elements */
    .container {
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(100px, 1fr));
    }

    Key Takeaways

    • Component Optimization: Move heavy computations out of templates and consider memoization.
    • Service Optimization: Implement caching to avoid redundant operations.
    • Change Detection: Use OnPush strategy and trackBy to reduce change detection cycles.
    • UI Optimization: Simplify the DOM and use efficient CSS layouts.