When to use custom form and when to use form library,
Choosing between using a form library, like React Hook Form, and building a custom form in React depends on various factors. Here are some considerations to help you decide:
Use a Form Library When:
Complex Forms:
- If your form is complex with multiple fields, dynamic sections, and intricate validation requirements, a form library can help manage and organize the complexity more effectively.
Validation:
- Form libraries often provide a streamlined way to handle form validation. They offer built-in validation rules, error messages, and integration with validation libraries like Yup.
State Management:
- Form libraries handle the state of the form fields, form submission, and validation errors. This can reduce the boilerplate code you would otherwise need to manage these aspects manually.
Performance Optimization:
- Form libraries often come with optimizations for performance, such as minimizing re-renders of components and providing efficient updates to the form state.
Testability:
- Libraries like React Hook Form are designed to be easily testable. They often provide utilities to simulate form submissions, validate results, and test form behaviors.
Ecosystem and Community Support:
- Form libraries typically have an active community and ecosystem of extensions or plugins, making it easier to find solutions for common problems.
Build a Custom Form When:
Simple Forms:
- For simple forms with a few fields and straightforward logic, building a custom form might be more straightforward and require less overhead.
Full Control:
- If you need complete control over the form structure, rendering, and state management and don't want to rely on an external library, building a custom form may be the way to go.
Learning Purposes:
- If you're learning React and want to understand how forms work from the ground up, building a custom form can provide a good learning experience.
Size Considerations:
- If the size of your application is a critical concern and you need to minimize dependencies, a custom solution might be more suitable.
Specific Requirements:
- In some cases, your form requirements might be unique and not well-supported by existing form libraries. In such cases, building a custom form may be more appropriate.
In many scenarios, using a form library strikes a good balance between productivity, maintainability, and performance. However, it's essential to evaluate the specific needs and constraints of your project before making a decision. In some cases, a hybrid approach where you use a library for complex forms and custom solutions for simpler ones might be appropriate.
OPTIONS
Formik (Not Actively Maintained)
React Hook Forms
Tanstack Query
| Feature | Tanstack Form | React Hook Form |
| Library Type | Built on top of React Final Form | Built using React Hooks |
| Components | Provides a set of React components | Provides useForm() and useField() hooks |
| State Management | Uses controlled components and handles state internally | Follows an uncontrolled component approach, with form state handled by the hook |
| API Surface Area | Simple API, easy to integrate | Smaller API surface area compared to Tanstack Form |
| Validation Approach | Uses Yup for form validation | Uses custom validation |
| Complex Forms | Offers more components for building complex forms | Relies more on hooks for building forms |
| Theming System | Has a theming system | Does not provide theming out of the box |
Both libraries are popular choices for building forms in React, but they have different approaches and strengths. The choice between them may depend on the specific requirements of your project and your personal preferences in terms of API simplicity, state management, and form validation.
FINAL DECISION
Here are some situations when you should choose tanstack form vs react hook form:
Choose tanstack form if:
You need to build a complex form with many fields and sections.
You want a library that handles a lot of form boilerplate for you.
You need built-in validation and error handling.
You want to apply themes and styles easily.
Choose react hook form if:
You have a simple form with just a few fields.
You prefer a minimal API and want more control over the form state.
You need a lightweight library with a small bundle size.
You want to integrate with your existing form state management.
In summary:
For simple forms with just a few fields, react hook form is a good choice due to its minimal API and lightweight size.
For complex forms with many fields, sections, validation and theming requirements, tanstack form is likely a better fit since it provides more out-of-the-box functionality and handles more form boilerplate for you.
So in general:
For simple forms, go with react hook form
For complex forms, go with tanstack form
Hope this helps clarify when to choose either library for your form needs! Let me know if you have any other questions.