Why not always use the index as the key in a vue.js for loop?

Question

I have used vue.js for a couple of projects and I have been using the index as the key in the for loops

<div v-for="(item, index) in items" :key="index"></div>

...and have started to wonder if there are problems with that since examples usually use the ID of the item.

<div v-for="(item, index) in items" :key="item.ID"></div>

Answer 1

Because arrays are mutable. The index of any given item can and will change if items are added to or removed from the array.

You want your key to be a unique value identifying only your unique component. A primary key that you create is always better than using an index.

Here is an example.

console.clear()

Vue.component("item", {
  props: ["value"],
  data() {
    return {
      internalValue: this.value
    }
  },
  template: `<li>Internal: {{internalValue}} Prop: {{value}}</li>`
})


new Vue({
  el: "#app",
  data: {
    items: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  },
  methods: {
    addValue() {
      this.items.splice(this.items.length / 2, 0, this.items.length + 1)
    }
  }
})

<script src="https://unpkg.com/[email protected]/dist/vue.js"></script>
<div id="app">
  {{items}}
  <ul>
    <item v-for="i in items" :value="i" :key="i"></item>
  </ul>
  <button @click="addValue">AddValue</button>
  <ul>
    <item v-for="(i, index) in items" :value="i" :key="index"></item>
  </ul>
</div>

Note that when addValue is clicked, the list on top represents the new numbers in the array where the truly are in the array; in the middle. In the second list below the button, the values do not represent the actual location in the array and the internal and property values do not agree.