Vue Components Design Patterns: Back to Basics

In this article, we delve into the foundational concepts of Vue components, exploring various types and their specific use cases. Each component type is discussed in detail, with practical examples to illustrate their implementation.

We have two main ways to write components in Vue. Single File Components and Render Function Components.

Single File Components are the standard format that encapsulates HTML, JavaScript, and CSS within a .vue file. This modular approach promotes ease and maintainability.

Reactive Input as an SFC
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Next, we explore the Composable (Vue Composition API), which introduces a flexible way to organise and share logic across components using composable functions. This method enhances code reusability and clean separation of concerns.

Reactive Input Component with Composable
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Render Function Components are then examined, highlighting their ability to provide advanced control over the rendering process through JavaScript instead of template syntax. This approach is ideal for scenarios requiring dynamic and complex rendering logic.

Render Function Component
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Reactive Input As a Render Fn Component

Next, we have two Vue component patterns: Functional Components and Renderless Components, that we can use for code reusability and performance reasons when the use case permits.

We discuss Functional Components, which are stateless and lightweight, focusing purely on rendering based on input props. These components are perfect for simple presentational elements like buttons and icons.

... Renderless Component as an SFC (parent)
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Functional Input as an SFC (child)

Finally, we cover Renderless Components, which separate business logic from the presentation layer. These components manage complex interactions and state without rendering any UI, allowing for highly customisable visual representations.

Renderless Component as a Render Fn (parent)
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Functional Input as a Render Fn Component (child)

To provide a practical understanding, I have included examples of a Numeric Input component built using each type of component. These examples demonstrate the unique benefits and applications of each component type in real-world scenarios.

Overall, this series of articles serves as a comprehensive guide to understand and use different types of Vue components, offering both theoretical insights and practical examples to enhance your frontend development skills with Vue.js.