React Conditional Rendering

In React, we can create multiple components which encapsulate behavior that we need. After that, we can render them depending on some conditions or the state of our application. In other words, based on one or several conditions, a component decides which elements it will return. In React, conditional rendering works the same way as the conditions work in JavaScript. We use JavaScript operators to create elements representing the current state, and then React Component update the UI to match them.

From the given scenario, we can understand how conditional rendering works. Consider an example of handling a login/logout button. The login and logout buttons will be separate components. If a user logged in, render the logout component to display the logout button. If a user not logged in, render the login component to display the login button. In React, this situation is called as conditional rendering.

There is more than one way to do conditional rendering in React. They are given below.

if
ternary operator
logical && operator
switch case operator
Conditional Rendering with enums

if

It is the easiest way to have a conditional rendering in React in the render method. It is restricted to the total block of the component. IF the condition is true, it will return the element to be rendered. It can be understood in the below example.

Example

snippet

function UserLoggin(props) {
  return Welcome back!;
}
function GuestLoggin(props) {
  return Please sign up.;
}
function SignUp(props) {
  const isLoggedIn = props.isLoggedIn;
  if (isLoggedIn) {
    return ;
  }
  return ;
}

ReactDOM.render(
  ,
  document.getElementById('root')
);

Logical && operator

This operator is used for checking the condition. If the condition is true, it will return the element right after &&, and if it is false, React will ignore and skip it.

Syntax

snippet

{
    condition &&
    // whatever written after && will be a part of output.
}

We can understand the behavior of this concept from the below example.

If you run the below code, you will not see the alert message because the condition is not matching.

snippet

('rookienerd' == 'rookienerd') && alert('This alert will never be shown!')

If you run the below code, you will see the alert message because the condition is matching.

snippet

(10 > 5) && alert('This alert will be shown!')

Example

snippet

import React from 'react'; 
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom'; 
// Example Component 
function Example() 
{ 
    return( 
            { 
                (10 > 5) && alert('This alert will be shown!')
            } 
            
        ); 
}

You can see in the above output that as the condition (10 > 5) evaluates to true, the alert message is successfully rendered on the screen.

Ternary operator

The ternary operator is used in cases where two blocks alternate given a certain condition. This operator makes your if-else statement more concise. It takes three operands and used as a shortcut for the if statement.

Syntax

snippet

condition ?  true : false

If the condition is true, statement1 will be rendered. Otherwise, false will be rendered.

Example

snippet

render() {
  const isLoggedIn = this.state.isLoggedIn;
  return (
    
      Welcome {isLoggedIn ? 'Back' : 'Please login first'}.
    
  );
}

Switch case operator

Sometimes it is possible to have multiple conditional renderings. In the switch case, conditional rendering is applied based on a different state.

Example

snippet

function NotificationMsg({ text}) {
  switch(text) {
    case 'Hi All':
      return ;
    case 'Hello rookienerd':
      return ;
    default:
      return null;
  }
}

Conditional Rendering with enums

An enum is a great way to have a multiple conditional rendering. It is more readable as compared to switch case operator. It is perfect for mapping between different state. It is also perfect for mapping in more than one condition. It can be understood in the below example.

Example

snippet

function NotificationMsg({ text, state }) {
  return (
    
      {{
        info: ,
        warning: ,
      }[state]}
    
  );
}

Conditional Rendering Example

In the below example, we have created a stateful component called App which maintains the login control. Here, we create three components representing Logout, Login, and Message component. The stateful component App will render either or depending on its current state.

snippet

import React, { Component } from 'react';  
// Message Component 
function Message(props) 
{ 
    if (props.isLoggedIn) 
        return Welcome Back!!!; 
    else
        return Please Login First!!!; 
} 
// Login Component 
function Login(props) 
{ 
   return( 
            
       ); 
}  
// Logout Component 
function Logout(props) 
{ 
    return( 
            
       ); 
} 
class App extends Component{  
   constructor(props) 
    { 
        super(props);  
        this.handleLogin = this.handleLogin.bind(this);
    	  this.handleLogout = this.handleLogout.bind(this); 
	  this.state = {isLoggedIn : false}; 
    } 
   handleLogin() 
    { 
        this.setState({isLoggedIn : true}); 
    } 
    handleLogout() 
    { 
        this.setState({isLoggedIn : false}); 
    } 
    render(){ 
        return( 
             
  		 Conditional Rendering Example 
                             
                { 
                    (this.state.isLoggedIn)?( 
                     
                    ) : ( 
                     
                    ) 
                } 
                   
            ); 
    } 
} 
export default App;

Output:

When you execute the above code, you will get the following screen.

After clicking the logout button, you will get the below screen.

Preventing Component form Rendering

Sometimes it might happen that a component hides itself even though another component rendered it. To do this (prevent a component from rendering), we will have to return null instead of its render output. It can be understood in the below example:

Example

In this example, the is rendered based on the value of the prop called displayMessage. If the prop value is false, then the component does not render.

snippet

import React from 'react'; 
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom'; 
function Show(props) 
{ 
    if(!props.displayMessage) 
        return null; 
    else
        return Component is rendered; 
} 
ReactDOM.render( 
     
        Message
          
    ,  
    document.getElementById('app') 
);

Output: