SPFx Class Components Challenge

In fact this is a topic that has been talked about often. Hooks were added to React in version 16.8.

• State Hooks
• Context Hooks
• Ref Hooks
• Effect Hooks
• Performance Hooks
• Other Hooks
• Your own Hooks

Hooks allow function components to have access to state and other React features. Because of this, class components are generally no longer needed, yes in fact, but let’s see what we have at the time of this post. So in version 1.17 Microsoft should give you in the chain Class Components as before, I don’t see any indication otherwise at the time of this post in the SharePoint Framework

Some projects deprecated the Class Components like the Yo Teams – the Microsoft Teams app generator

[2.17.0] – <2020-12-07>

• Changed to use React Hooks for UX instead of class based React components (#87)
• Client side scripts are now functional components (#112)
• This version does not support upgrading projects generated with prior generator versions

SCOPE

My Opinion is follow what Microsoft is giving to you but be prepared also to Train your team and find new processes, you have some content online so I’m preparing myself to this change or anticipate, it’s on my Backlog. But why I didn’t change yet?

1. I have a Team to prepare or delegate training and processes
2. I Work with SharePoint for so many years and leaned not to reinvent the wheel
3. “Hipe” peaks are not good for the business
4. I have a Governance to follow
5. I have a full picture of the Governance, so as my team, we should decide together
6. I can develop SPFx for SharePoint 2016 with Feature Pack 2 or 2019 with version 1.4.1

Now it’s up to you, I’m giving you some videos as a result of a brainstorm on Twitter.

Was seeing a very interesting video with @andrewconnell and @jfj1997 to hook or not to hook https://t.co/KgObwEPAkL, great brainstorm, the main point to clarify is why @Microsoft gives you Class Components in the first place? This is the starting point to clarify 🤗

— Joao Livio (@jlivio) February 18, 2023

The problem is you invested time, money to implement Class Components with Models, Services in the SharePoint Framework SPFx, now what to do with this? and why Microsoft don’t give us Function Components?

The second part it’s easy, Microsoft is the 1st Party for the chain development, so it will not give you maybe for several reasons

1. They don’t want to yet
2. Microsoft 365 is an ecosystem with several teams working together
3. The Program Managers have a view as 1st Party witch you don’t have as 3rd Party

I have a specific opinion about this, maybe Microsoft don’t want to give you this message in a future version.

This version does not support upgrading projects generated with prior generator versions

Yes, it’s true because you have a live safer, the Microsoft 365 CLI which does all the job to upgrade your project, so there is a strict relation between projects. This can be taken as an example.

m365 spfx project upgrade [options]

The First part is more complex, it’s a decision to invest in React Hooks and each Lead Architect have to balance with the resources, budget and Go/No Go decision, because you can use Functional Components since React 16.8 was released in SPFx.

See this great Brainstorm from July Turner and Andrew Connell

See how to rebrand for Function Components