Typescript: React event types

r.sendecky picture r.sendecky · Feb 7, 2017 · Viewed 175.9k times · Source

What is the correct type for React events. Initially I just used any for the sake of simplicity. Now, I am trying to clean things up and avoid use of any completely.

So in a simple form like this:

export interface LoginProps {
  login: {
    [k: string]: string | Function
    uname: string
    passw: string
    logIn: Function
  }
}
@inject('login') @observer
export class Login extends Component<LoginProps, {}> {
  update = (e: React.SyntheticEvent<EventTarget>): void => {
    this.props.login[e.target.name] = e.target.value
  }
  submit = (e: any): void => {
    this.props.login.logIn()
    e.preventDefault()
  }
  render() {
    const { uname, passw } = this.props.login
    return (
      <div id='login' >
        <form>
          <input
            placeholder='Username'
            type="text"
            name='uname'
            value={uname}
            onChange={this.update}
          />
          <input
            placeholder='Password'
            type="password"
            name='passw'
            value={passw}
            onChange={this.update}
          />
          <button type="submit" onClick={this.submit} >
            Submit
          </button>
        </form>
      </div>
    )
  }
}

What type do I use here as event type?

React.SyntheticEvent<EventTarget> does not seem to be working as I get an error that name and value do not exist on target.

More generalised answer for all events would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Answer

Nitzan Tomer picture Nitzan Tomer · Feb 7, 2017

The SyntheticEvent interface is generic:

interface SyntheticEvent<T> {
    ...
    currentTarget: EventTarget & T;
    ...
}

(Technically the currentTarget property is on the parent BaseSyntheticEvent type.)

And the currentTarget is an intersection of the generic constraint and EventTarget.
Also, since your events are caused by an input element you should use the ChangeEvent (in definition file, the react docs).

Should be:

update = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>): void => {
    this.props.login[e.currentTarget.name] = e.currentTarget.value
}

(Note: This answer originally suggested using React.FormEvent. The discussion in the comments is related to this suggestion, but React.ChangeEvent should be used as shown above.)