Using reactjs with requirejs

Question

Recently, I started using reactjs along with a backbonejs router to build an application.

I usually use use requirejs for dependency and code management. But, problem arises when I try to include files that contain jsx syntax.

This is what I have so far as my router.js:

define(["backbone", "react"], function(Backbone, React) {

  var IndexComponent = React.createClass({
    render : function() {
      return (
        <div>
        Some Stuff goes here
        </div>
        );
    }
  });



  return Backbone.Router.extend({
    routes : {
      "": "index"
    },
    index : function() {
      React.renderComponent(<IndexComponent />, document.getElementById('index'));
    }
  });
});

How do I put IndexComponent in its own file and call it in this file ? I have tried the usual method (the same that I have used with backbone and react) but got an error due to jsx syntax.

Answer 1

So I figured it out myself.

I got the necessary files and instructions from this repo: jsx-requirejs-plugin.

Once I had jsx plugin and modified version of JSXTransformer, I changed my code as instructed in the repository :

require.config({
  // ...

  paths: {
    "react": "path/to/react",
    "JSXTransformer": "path/to/JSXTransformer",
    "jsx": "path/to/jsx plugin"
    ...
  }

  // ...
});

Then, I could reference JSX files via the jsx! plugin syntax. For example, to load the Timer.jsx file that is in a components directory:

require(['react', 'jsx!components/Timer'], function (React, Timer) {
   ...
   React.renderComponent(<Timer />, document.getElementById('timer'));
   ...
});

I could also access .js files that had jsx syntax in them using the same code:

require(['react', 'jsx!components/Timer'], function (React, Timer) {
   ...
   React.renderComponent(<Timer />, document.getElementById('timer'));
   ...
});

Also, I did not need to put /** @jsx React.DOM */ at the top of files using jsx syntax.

Hope it helps.

Answer 2

React tools (JSX included) have been deprecated in favor of Babel (https://facebook.github.io/react/blog/2015/06/12/deprecating-jstransform-and-react-tools.html). I cannot find a way to do this without a "transpiling" step, so this is my solution with grunt.

You can instal grunt-babel (npm install grunt-babel) and configure a task like the following:

babel: {
    options: {
        sourceMap: false,
        modules: "common"
    },
    dist: {
        files: [{
            expand: true,
            src: ['js/components/*.jsx'],
            dest: 'dist',
            ext:'.js'
       }]
    }
}

Just add it to your list of grunt tasks:

grunt.registerTask('default', ['clean', 'copy', 'babel', 'http-server']);

Babel will transpile your JSX to JS files that can be specified as RequireJS dependencies with no additional configuration.