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wtf is react-side-effect?

skevy/react-side-effect — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2015-02-24

JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · moderate

TL;DR

Collects props from every instance of a component across your app so you can merge them and apply one global side effect, like page title or body style.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((react-side-effect))
    What it does
      Collects props from all instances
      Merges values with custom rules
      Applies global side effects
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      React
    Use cases
      Update document title from nested components
      Change body background color
      Hide scrollbar when a modal is open
    Audience
      Component library authors
      React app developers

Code map

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Merge background color preferences from multiple nested theme components into one applied style.

REASON 2

Hide the page scrollbar whenever a modal component is mounted anywhere in the tree.

REASON 3

Update the document title based on the deepest active component in the page.

What's in the stack?

JavaScriptReact

How it stacks up

skevy/react-side-effecta15n/a15na15n/checkout-validation
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2015-02-242019-04-072014-09-04
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasyeasy
Complexity3/52/52/5
Audiencedevelopergeneraldeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires writing a custom merge handler function to combine props from multiple instances.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to use createSideEffect to build a BodyStyle component that merges color preferences from nested instances.
Prompt 2
Explain how react-side-effect decides which component's props win when there's a conflict.
Prompt 3
Write a handler function for react-side-effect that hides the scrollbar when any modal is mounted.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is react-side-effect?

Collects props from every instance of a component across your app so you can merge them and apply one global side effect, like page title or body style.

What language is react-side-effect written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, React.

Is react-side-effect actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2015-02-24).

How hard is react-side-effect to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is react-side-effect for?

Mainly developer.

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