Organizing files and directories within a React project is crucial for maintainability, scalability, and ease of navigation. This article explores ...
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I don't think the statement you wrote on the disadvantages of
level 3is that much of a disadvantage, because any developer who is already working in the project, and also newcomers would still have a better idea of where to look for things if they are in their respective places, which come with a proper folder structure, in my point of view, and the business logic is thus properly defined. I do find it to be the way to go for big projects, though. Really great naming for the different parts of a React project!👍Yeah, I had to come up with at least a disadvantage anyway, so... Having clear business concerns takes a bit more mental effort initially, but is not a real disadvantage.
Yes, that could be, especially if you’re a new dev in the team, that can be a great challenge at first, but once you know where to look for things by business concern, it will be easier to find the individual piece of code you are looking for. Good article in general! 👍 but found it funny when you said you had to come up with at least one 😄 sometimes there are things which we really want to find a disadvantage, but we get disappointed 😅
I figured it might be arrogant to say something that I came up with to have no drawbacks whatsoever 🤣.
I use a folder called /pages to signify top level routes, similar to the modules folder. IMO modules is too generic.
Sometimes I also use /pages or /features instead of /modules.
Nice differentiation. I like 3.
There is no reason reused components across modules can't also be shared in a universal folder.
Also I prefer not to clutter my code with test files and reproduce the same folder structure for tests but in a separete __tests/ folder.
I used to work on projects that have a parallel __tests/ folder that mimics the same folder structure. I think that's also a good way to organize tests.
Thank you for sharing.
I'd suggest giving a brief intro for different directories, unless it's so obvious. You can see the Gatsby Project Structure.
Thanks. That’d be a nice idea for the next articles.
Nice post
I usually use
/components ( all the generic one)
/pages ( contain specific component, Page hooks, Styles)
/config
/lib ( contain generic hooks, rtk, all the logic stuff that Is not a component)
That's similar to the "Level 1" folder structure that I mentioned, right?
These examples are very "Redux" focused and outdated. No one creates folders like
actionsorreducersanymore. All new projects are trying to stay away from Redux and adopted other state management solutions like "Zustand". Which simplified not just state management but made folder naming more sensible.I agree that no one really uses Redux if it's a newer project anymore. I also use Zustand/Valtio and React Query in my projects, and I think Redux is redundant and should be discouraged. Nevertheless, it's my/our opinion since a lot of projects out there are still using Redux and some people still find it useful.
My bad for not noticing that those folders appear too often in the examples. Thanks for pointing out the details.
How do you know Redux is outdate?
As someone who is OCDAF … I truly appreciate this post because when I started I could not find anything about how to structure my projects! I ended up just going back and forth and then projects got too big and it drove me mad!
Oh, an OCD fellow :)). I also feel irritated when I encounter a problem again and again, so I often spend a lot of time trying to solve it once and for all.
This is one of the best, if not the best article I have seen so far in my search for React Project structures, thank you for sharing. I think it helps to start projects from level 1 and walk your way up to level 3 or so, at least that's what I will do, cause then you can better see what works for you, and what doesn't, and even implement your own style
Once you work on a big project, the level 3 type grows on you and it's kind of the type you use even on small projects from that moment on. Because once it becomes natural to you, you use it everywhere, small to large.
And it's also gonna be the only thing that makes sense. Once it gets natural to you, It doesn't even take much mental effort anymore.
The level 3 organization reminds me of what Angular did already. Ultimately as long as there is a systematic way of putting files together that is coherent any dev should be able to find what they need with little trouble. I think that should be the takeaway.
Yeah, the important thing is consistency, no matter what you choose to go with.
For any real projects (not hobby ones) - Level 3 is the only way.
Every other way will be a mess starting starting with 30-100k lines of code.
You may just skip the "modules/" folder entirely and make it more flat.
You always want files with in the same bounded context (term from DDD - Domain Driven Design) to be near each other. Grouping files/folders by domain first is always better than the technical separation.
The "Level 3" folder structure is heavily inspired by DDD. FYI, I actually took the idea from DDD.
For level 3 forward, I'd also consider split each module in its own package, maybe through a monorepo approach; Even because a micro front-end solution could soon help into increase organization for a project that is rapidly growing in complexity
That is also a very reasonable approach, maybe we can even call that "Level 4".
Nice write-up, i mean I really love this and i guess I will go for Level 3 when it comes to big project in React
I suggest you try it once and you'll find it beneficial and comfortable to work with.
Can you clarify the differences between services and helpers for business logic？
Hi, thanks for the question.
If you don't want to have the /helpers folder, it's fine to have all the logic live in the /services folder as well.
When I think of the /services folder, it does not only contain pure business logic but can also act like an orchestrator. Meaning it can call functions from the Persistence layer (e.g. network requests from the /api folder, or interacting with
localStoragein the /lib folder, etc.) to get the inputs needed. The /services folder is like a facade (in the Facade design pattern], which I'll talk about more in one of my upcoming articles. Please look forward to it.martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/servic... explains the service layer clearly.
Super helpful @itswillt. As a beginner in React- we are are just learning on Day 4 out of 5 on the React topic in bootcamp, it is helpful to see the approach on structuring the folders- and your visual examples provide a nice touch! ❤️
Thanks! It's so cool to hear that the article is helpful to your learning process.
very useful information Thank you very much for this article
Thanks. I'm glad that it's helpful for you.
If we use rtk-query then it has its own structure and we can easly categorise application in to modules, each have its own CRUD in services.
Nice. I have never tried rtk-query. Maybe I'll take a look at it to see if I can learn a thing or two.
Wow! Great share, I like this.
Thanks, I am really a fan of level 3 structure.
Nice structure especially the modular structure.
I will like to sum this up to one keyword “colocation”. Always Colocate to the closest place of use.
I agree. The key is to always keep related stuff closer together.
I miss the folder container. Usually this folder can be used for a object like form that is created with components from the folder components.
I also remember using that folder name for similar purposes. The folder list in the article doesn't include every type of folder names out there.
Really 😯
I highly recommend react-factory-cli for anyone working with React. It simplifies project initialization and component generation, making development faster and more efficient. It has definitely improved my workflow, allowing me to focus on building the core features instead of repetitive tasks.
npmjs.com/package/react-factory-cli
How about Atomic Design System for Frontend project?
Happy to discover this article with almost same approach in structuring a React/React Native projects! We utilize the Level 2 approach.
I´m understanding how to structure my project and it comes just at the right time. Thanks
Great
Bookmarked! Not going to use this anytime soon but hey I'll keep this in mind for later.
Excellent.. !! Thank you
I like how you gave the project size, pros & cons!
Nice
Nice read thanks for sharing :)