Why is it necessary to use the value property with ref in Vue.js 3, while not required with reactive?

Question

Why is it necessary to use the value property with ref in Vue.js 3, while not required with reactive?

Essentially, the question is quite clear from the title: In Vue.js 3, why is it necessary to use the value property with ref, but not with reactive?

I comprehend that ref is meant for simple values like booleans and numbers, while reactive is used for more complex values such as objects and arrays. However, what confuses me is:

Why must I specify value when retrieving a value from a ref, yet this is not required with reactive? Is this an inconsistency in the API, or is there a legitimate technical rationale behind it?
Why is it not possible to use a single method for both scenarios? In simpler terms, is there a technical explanation for the absence of a universal function that adapts based on the data type, internally wrapping it accordingly?

I understand that there might be more to it than meets the eye. Can anyone offer some insight?

javascript vue.js vuejs3 vue-composition-api

Answer 1

Answer №1

Absolutely, Ref and Reactive serve as wrappers for reactive variables.

const refVar = ref(true)
const reactiveVar = reactive({ haha: 'LoL' })

Both refVar and reactiveVar act as containers to maintain reactivity within their values. The main distinction between ref and reactive is that ref is designed for individual variables while reactive is ideal for variables structured like dictionaries.

ref monitors changes in its value property and triggers a reactive event upon modification, ensuring automatic updates for observers. On the other hand, reactive oversees all of its properties.

Solely relying on reactive for single variables can be cumbersome.

const refSingle = reactive({ value: 'I wanna be used with Ref' })

This requires frequent use of refSingle.value within the template.

Conversely, using only ref poses challenges in maintaining reactivity for dictionary-like variables.

const reactiveDict = ref({
  type: 'dictionary',
  purpose: 'reactive'
})

In such scenarios, you must consistently access the value property in scripts.

reactiveDict.value = {
  ...reactiveDict.value,
  purpose: 'ref'
}

For this situation, opting for reactive over ref is recommended.

Answer 2

Absolutely, Ref and Reactive serve as wrappers for reactive variables.

const refVar = ref(true)
const reactiveVar = reactive({ haha: 'LoL' })

Both refVar and reactiveVar act as containers to maintain reactivity within their values. The main distinction between ref and reactive is that ref is designed for individual variables while reactive is ideal for variables structured like dictionaries.

ref monitors changes in its value property and triggers a reactive event upon modification, ensuring automatic updates for observers. On the other hand, reactive oversees all of its properties.

Solely relying on reactive for single variables can be cumbersome.

const refSingle = reactive({ value: 'I wanna be used with Ref' })

This requires frequent use of refSingle.value within the template.

Conversely, using only ref poses challenges in maintaining reactivity for dictionary-like variables.

const reactiveDict = ref({
  type: 'dictionary',
  purpose: 'reactive'
})

In such scenarios, you must consistently access the value property in scripts.

reactiveDict.value = {
  ...reactiveDict.value,
  purpose: 'ref'
}

For this situation, opting for reactive over ref is recommended.

Why is it necessary to use the value property with ref in Vue.js 3, while not required with reactive?

Answer №1

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