# appconfiguration-react-client-sdk

**Repository Path**: mirrors_ibm/appconfiguration-react-client-sdk

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: appconfiguration-react-client-sdk
- **Description**: React Client SDK for IBM Cloud App Configuration service
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: Not specified
- **Default Branch**: main
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 0
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2022-07-30
- **Last Updated**: 2025-08-09

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: Uncategorized

**Tags**: None

## README

### :warning: Important Security Notice

> To enhance the security of your applications using the `ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk`, it is strongly recommended to use an **encrypted APIKey** instead of the plain APIKey in the `AppConfigProvider`. This change is vital to prevent exposure of sensitive credentials when users inspect your web application. If you are already using a plain APIKey, please update your application to generate and use the encrypted APIKey as per the steps mentioned [here](./README_APIKEY_ENCRYPTION.md).

# IBM App Configuration React Client SDK
IBM Cloud App Configuration React Client SDK is used to perform feature flag and property evaluation in web applications and track custom metrics for Experimentation based on the configuration on IBM Cloud App Configuration service.

## Table of Contents

- [Overview](#overview)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Initialize SDK](#initialize-sdk)
- [License](#license)

## Overview

IBM Cloud App Configuration is a centralized feature management and configuration service
on [IBM Cloud](https://www.cloud.ibm.com) for use with web and mobile applications, microservices, and distributed
environments.

Instrument your web applications with App Configuration React Client SDK, and use the App Configuration dashboard, CLI or API to
define feature flags or properties, organized into collections and targeted to segments. Toggle feature flag states in
the cloud to activate or deactivate features in your application or environment, when required. Run experiments and measure the effect of feature flags on end users by tracking custom metrics. You can also manage the properties for distributed applications centrally.

## Compatibility
The SDK is compatible with React version 16.8.0 and higher. This SDK builds on App Configuration JavaScript Client SDK to provide a better integration for use in React applications. As a result, much of the App Configuration JavaScript Client SDK functionality is also available for the React Client SDK to use. Read more about App Configuration JavaScript Client SDK [from here](https://github.com/IBM/appconfiguration-js-client-sdk#readme).

## Installation

Install the SDK.
```sh
npm install ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk
```

## Initialize SDK

Initialize the sdk to connect with your App Configuration service instance as shown below. Wrapping your app component with `AppConfigProvider` lets you access features & properties from any level of your component hierarchy.

```JS
import { withAppConfigProvider } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

(async () => {
  const AppConfigProvider = await withAppConfigProvider({
    region: '<region>',
    guid: '<guid>',
    apikey: '<encrypted_apikey>',
    collectionId: 'airlines-webapp',
    environmentId: 'dev'
  })

  ReactDOM.render(
    <AppConfigProvider>
        <YourApp />
    </AppConfigProvider>,
    document.getElementById('root')
  );
})();
```

- region : Region name where the App Configuration service instance is created.
  See list of supported locations [here](https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog/services/app-configuration). Eg:- `us-south`, `au-syd` etc.
- guid : Instance Id of the App Configuration service. Obtain it from the service credentials section of the App
  Configuration dashboard.
- apikey : The encrypted APIKey generated as described [here](./README_APIKEY_ENCRYPTION.md).
- collectionId: Id of the collection created in App Configuration service instance under the **Collections** section.
- environmentId: Id of the environment created in App Configuration service instance under the **Environments** section.

:red_circle: **Important** :red_circle:

Always use the encrypted APIKey to avoid exposing sensitive information.<br>
Ensure that you create the service credentials with the **`Client SDK`** role, as it has the minimal access permissions that are suitable to use in browser-based applications.

## Get single feature

```javascript
import { useFeature } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

const feature = useFeature('featureId'); // returns undefined incase the featureId is invalid or doesn't exist

if (feature !== undefined) {
  console.log(`Feature Name ${feature.getFeatureName()} `);
  console.log(`Feature Id ${feature.getFeatureId()} `);
  console.log(`Feature Type ${feature.getFeatureDataType()} `);
  console.log(`Is feature enabled? ${feature.isEnabled()} `);
}
```

## Get all features

```javascript
import { useFeatures } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

const features = useFeatures();
const feature = features['featureId'];

if (feature !== undefined) {
  console.log(`Feature Name ${feature.getFeatureName()} `);
  console.log(`Feature Id ${feature.getFeatureId()} `);
  console.log(`Feature Type ${feature.getFeatureDataType()} `);
  console.log(`Is feature enabled? ${feature.isEnabled()} `);
}
```

## Evaluate a feature

Use the `feature.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes)` method to evaluate the value of the feature flag.
This method returns one of the Enabled/Disabled/Overridden value based on the evaluation. The data type of returned value matches that of feature flag.

```javascript
const entityId = 'john_doe';
const entityAttributes = {
  city: 'Bangalore',
  country: 'India',
};

const feature = useFeature('featureId');
const featureValue = feature.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes);
```
- entityId: Id of the Entity. This will be a string identifier related to the Entity against which the feature is evaluated. For example, an entity might be an instance of an app that runs on a mobile device, or a user accessing the web application. For any entity to interact with App Configuration, it must provide a unique entity ID.
- entityAttributes: A JSON object consisting of the attribute name and their values that defines the specified entity. This is an optional parameter if the feature flag is not configured with any targeting definition. If the targeting is configured, then entityAttributes should be provided for the rule evaluation. An attribute is a parameter that is used to define a segment. The SDK uses the attribute values to determine if the specified entity satisfies the targeting rules, and returns the appropriate feature flag value.

## Send custom metrics

Record custom metrics using the `useTrack` hook in experimentation.

```javascript
import { useTrack } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

export default MyComponent = function () {
    const trackEvent = useTrack();
    return (
        <button onClick={() => trackEvent('clicked', 'user123')}>Buy</button>
    )
}
```
With the `useTrack` hook you can get access to the regular `track` method of the client whose signature is `track(eventKey, entityId)` where
- eventKey: The event key for the metric associated with the running experiment. The event key in your metric and the event key in your code must match exactly.

## Get single property

```javascript
import { useProperty } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

const property = useProperty('propertyId'); // returns undefined incase the propertyId is invalid or doesn't exist

if (property !== undefined) {
  console.log(`Property Name ${property.getPropertyName()} `);
  console.log(`Property Id ${property.getPropertyId()} `);
  console.log(`Property Type ${property.getPropertyDataType()} `);
}
```

## Get all properties

```javascript
import { useProperties } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

const properties = useProperties();
const property = properties['propertyId'];

if (property !== undefined) {
  console.log(`Property Name ${property.getPropertyName()} `);
  console.log(`Property Id ${property.getPropertyId()} `);
  console.log(`Property Type ${property.getPropertyDataType()} `);
}
```

## Evaluate a property

Use the `property.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes)` method to evaluate the value of the property.
This method returns the default property value or its overridden value based on the evaluation. The data type of returned value matches that of property.

```javascript
const entityId = 'john_doe';
const entityAttributes = {
  city: 'Bangalore',
  country: 'India',
};

const property = useProperty('propertyId');
const propertyValue = property.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes);
```
- entityId: Id of the Entity. This will be a string identifier related to the Entity against which the property is evaluated. For example, an entity might be an instance of an app that runs on a mobile device, or a user accessing the web application. For any entity to interact with App Configuration, it must provide a unique entity ID.
- entityAttributes: A JSON object consisting of the attribute name and their values that defines the specified entity. This is an optional parameter if the property is not configured with any targeting definition. If the targeting is configured, then entityAttributes should be provided for the rule evaluation. An attribute is a parameter that is used to define a segment. The SDK uses the attribute values to determine if the specified entity satisfies the targeting rules, and returns the appropriate property value.

## Using fallback values with the React Client SDK

In case of a connection error with the App Configuration, the SDK relies on the most recently assessed flag values retained in memory. However, if no prior values exist in memory, it's advisable for users to establish fallback values within their code, ensuring smooth operation. An example showcasing this fallback approach is provided below.

```javascript

import { useFeatures } from 'ibm-appconfiguration-react-client-sdk';

export default function App {
  const features = useFeatures();
  const defaultFlagValues = {
    'flight-booking': false
  }
  const entityId = 'john_doe';
  const entityAttributes = {
    city: 'Bangalore',
    country: 'India',
  };

  const getAppConfigurationFlags = (featureID, features) => {
    if (Object.keys(features).length === 0 && features.constructor === Object) {
      return defaultFlagValues[featureID];
    }
    
    return feature[featureID]
      ? feature[featureID].getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes)
      : defaultFlagValues[featureID];
  };

  return getAppConfigurationFlags('flight-booking', features) ? <div>Flight Booking</div> : '';
}
```

## Supported Data types

App Configuration service allows to configure the feature flag and properties in the following data types : Boolean,
Numeric, String. The String data type can be of the format of a text string , JSON or YAML. The SDK processes each
format accordingly as shown in the below table.

<details><summary>View Table</summary>

| **Feature or Property value**                                                                          | **DataType** | **DataFormat** | **Type of data returned <br> by `getCurrentValue()`** | **Example output**                                                                   |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------ | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `true`                                                                                                 | BOOLEAN      | not applicable | `boolean`                                             | `true`                                                                               |
| `25`                                                                                                   | NUMERIC      | not applicable | `number`                                              | `25`                                                                                 |
| "a string text"                                                                                        | STRING       | TEXT           | `string`                                              | `a string text`                                                                      |
| <pre>{<br>  "firefox": {<br>    "name": "Firefox",<br>    "pref_url": "about:config"<br>  }<br>}</pre> | STRING       | JSON           | `JSON object`                                         | `{"firefox":{"name":"Firefox","pref_url":"about:config"}}`                           |
| <pre>men:<br>  - John Smith<br>  - Bill Jones<br>women:<br>  - Mary Smith<br>  - Susan Williams</pre>  | STRING       | YAML           | `string`                                              | `"men:\n  - John Smith\n  - Bill Jones\nwomen:\n  - Mary Smith\n  - Susan Williams"` |
</details>

<details><summary>Feature flag usage Example</summary>

  ```javascript
  const feature = useFeature('json-feature');
  feature.getFeatureDataType(); // STRING
  feature.getFeatureDataFormat(); // JSON

  // Example (traversing the returned JSON)
  let result = feature.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes);
  console.log(result.key) // prints the value of the key

  const feature = useFeature('yaml-feature');
  feature.getFeatureDataType(); // STRING
  feature.getFeatureDataFormat(); // YAML
  feature.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes); // returns the stringified yaml (check above table)
  ```
</details>
<details><summary>Property usage example</summary>

  ```javascript
  const property = useProperty('json-property');
  property.getPropertyDataType(); // STRING
  property.getPropertyDataFormat(); // JSON

  // Example (traversing the returned JSON)
  let result = property.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes);
  console.log(result.key) // prints the value of the key

  const property = useProperty('yaml-property');
  property.getPropertyDataType(); // STRING
  property.getPropertyDataFormat(); // YAML
  property.getCurrentValue(entityId, entityAttributes); // returns the stringified yaml (check above table)
  ```
</details>

## Listen to configuration data changes

The SDK automatically subscribes to event-based mechanism and re-renders the enclosed components when feature flag's or property's configuration changes. 

## License

This project is released under the Apache 2.0 license. The license's full text can be found
in [LICENSE](https://github.com/IBM/appconfiguration-react-client-sdk/blob/main/LICENSE)