Unlocking the Power of Custom Router State Data with NGXS

If you’re building complex applications with NGXS, you know how crucial it is to have a seamless navigation experience. One way to achieve this is by leveraging custom router state data. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of custom router state data with NGXS, exploring its benefits, and providing a step-by-step guide on how to implement it in your projects.

What is Custom Router State Data?

In NGXS, the router state data refers to the information that’s stored in the router’s state when navigating between routes. By default, the router state data contains essential information like the route URL and parameters. However, sometimes you need more control over this data to tailor it to your application’s specific requirements. That’s where custom router state data comes in.

Custom router state data allows you to attach additional information to the router state, making it possible to store and retrieve custom data between route navigations. This can be particularly useful when you need to preserve complex application states or pass data between routes.

Why Use Custom Router State Data?

There are several compelling reasons to use custom router state data in your NGXS applications:

• Improved Navigation Experience: By storing custom data in the router state, you can create a more seamless navigation experience for your users. This is especially important in complex applications where data needs to be preserved between route changes.
• Enhanced Application State Management: Custom router state data enables you to manage your application’s state more efficiently. You can store and retrieve custom data as needed, making it easier to maintain a consistent application state.
• Better Code Organization: By decoupling your application logic from the router state, you can keep your code more organized and maintainable. This makes it easier to scale your application and reduce technical debt.

Implementing Custom Router State Data with NGXS

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of custom router state data, let’s dive into the implementation details. We’ll create a simple example to demonstrate how to attach custom data to the router state using NGXS.

Step 1: Create a Custom Router State Data Model

The first step is to create a custom model to represent the data you want to store in the router state. In this example, we’ll create a simple `UserData` model:

export interface UserData {
  username: string;
  preferences: {
    theme: 'light' | 'dark';
    language: 'en' | 'fr';
  };
}

Step 2: Create a Custom Router State Adapter

Next, we need to create a custom router state adapter to handle the serialization and deserialization of our custom data. Create a new file called `custom-router-state.adapter.ts`:

import { RouterStateAdapter } from '@ngxs/router-plugin';
import { UserData } from './user-data.model';

export class CustomRouterStateAdapter extends RouterStateAdapter {
  serialize(routerState: any): any {
    const userData = routerState.extraUserData;
    return {
      url: routerState.url,
      params: routerState.params,
      extras: {
        userData: userData ? { username: userData.username, preferences: userData.preferences } : null
      }
    };
  }

  deserialize(routerState: any): any {
    const userData = routerState.extras.userData;
    return {
      url: routerState.url,
      params: routerState.params,
      extraUserData: userData ? { username: userData.username, preferences: userData.preferences } : null
    };
  }
}

Step 3: Register the Custom Router State Adapter

In your NGXS module, register the custom router state adapter:

@NgModule({
  imports: [
    NgxsModule.forRoot([...]),
    NgxsRouterPluginModule.forRoot({
      adapter: CustomRouterStateAdapter
    })
  ]
})
export class AppModule {}

Using Custom Router State Data in Your Application

Now that we’ve implemented the custom router state data, let’s see how to use it in your application.

Storing Custom Data in the Router State

To store custom data in the router state, you can use the `extras` property of the `Router` class:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { Router } from '@angular/router';
import { UserData } from './user-data.model';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-example',
  template: '
Example Component
'
})
export class ExampleComponent {
  constructor(private router: Router) { }

  ngOnInit(): void {
    const userData: UserData = {
      username: 'johnDoe',
      preferences: {
        theme: 'dark',
        language: 'en'
      }
    };

    this.router.navigate(['/example'], {
      extras: {
        userData
      }
    });
  }
}

Retrieving Custom Data from the Router State

To retrieve custom data from the router state, you can inject the `Router` class and access the `extraUserData` property:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { Router } from '@angular/router';
import { UserData } from './user-data.model';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-example',
  template: '
Example Component
'
})
export class ExampleComponent {
  userData: UserData;

  constructor(private router: Router) { }

  ngOnInit(): void {
    this.userData = this.router.routerState.extraUserData;
  }
}

Best Practices and Considerations

When working with custom router state data, keep the following best practices and considerations in mind:

• Keep it Simple: Avoid storing complex or large data structures in the router state. This can lead to performance issues and make your application harder to maintain.
• Use Serialization and Deserialization: Always use serialization and deserialization to handle custom data in the router state. This ensures that your data is properly converted to and from JSON.
• Handle Null and Undefined Values: Be prepared to handle null and undefined values when retrieving custom data from the router state. This can occur when the data is not present or has been removed.
• Security and Authentication: Be mindful of security and authentication when storing sensitive data in the router state. Use proper encryption and authentication mechanisms to protect your users’ data.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored the world of custom router state data with NGXS. By following the steps and best practices outlined above, you can unlock the full potential of custom router state data in your applications. Remember to keep your data simple, use serialization and deserialization, and handle null and undefined values. With custom router state data, you can create a more seamless navigation experience for your users and take your application to the next level.

Benefits of Custom Router State Data
Improved Navigation Experience
Enhanced Application State Management
Better Code Organization

By leveraging custom router state data, you can:

1. Improve the navigation experience for your users
2. Enhance application state management
3. Keep your code more organized and maintainable

Remember, custom router state data is a powerful tool in your NGXS arsenal. Use it wisely to create a better user experience and take your application to new heights!

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