Getting Started

Exploring a new approach to managing and distributing React hooks through a CLI-first experience that prioritizes developer workflow and codebase integration.

The Problem with Traditional Hook Libraries

Traditional hook libraries bundle all their hooks together, leading to several challenges:

Increased bundle size from unused hooks
Limited flexibility in customization
Version management across multiple projects
Tight coupling with the library's implementation

Introducing Rehooks: Hook Distribution Reimagined

Rehooks takes a fundamentally different approach by providing a CLI tool that directly injects production-ready hooks into your codebase. This brings several key advantages:

Zero Bundle Size Impact: Only the hooks you select get added to your codebase
Full Type Safety: Hooks are written in TypeScript with comprehensive type definitions
Complete Customization: Since hooks are added to your codebase, you can modify them to fit your needs
SOLID Principles: Each hook follows SOLID design principles for maximum reusability

I was looking for a way to streamline the process of creating custom hooks, and unfortunately, the dependecy wasn't the correct way, because I had to deal with the limitation, bundle size, performance, and maintenance issues. So I decided to create Rehooks to solve these problems.

How It Works

Project Initialization: Generate a configuration file that tells Rehooks where to inject hooks
Hook Collection: Hooks are maintained in a dedicated directory with full TypeScript support
Rust-Powered Processing: A Rust script processes the hooks directory into a structured JSON API
Smart CLI: The CLI tool fetches available hooks from the API and handles the injection process
Multiple Selection: Developers can select and install multiple hooks in one go

Technical Implementation

The project consists of the following components:

Core: Collection of the hooks
Importer: Converts hook implementations into a queryable JSON API
Checker: A rust-based checker for hook health
CLI: Provides the interface for hook selection and installation
Docs: Comprehensive documentation for Rehooks

Benefits for Development Teams

Consistency: Standardized hook implementations across projects
Maintainability: Hooks become part of your codebase's version control
Flexibility: Easy customization for project-specific needs
Performance: No impact on bundle size from unused hooks

Future Plans

Community contributions for new hooks
Hook testing templates
Automated hook updates
VSCode extension for hook management

Conclusion

Rehooks represents a shift in how we think about code reuse in React applications. By moving from bundled libraries to a CLI-first approach, we gain more control, better performance, and improved maintainability without sacrificing the convenience of pre-built solutions. The initialization-first approach ensures that hooks are always installed in the right place and configured correctly for your project's needs.

How does Rehooks work?