React Router V4 Keep Scrolling Position When Switching Components

Have you ever encountered the annoying issue where your webpage resets to the top every time you switch components in a React application using React Router v4?

Well, you're in luck! In this guide, we'll show you a simple and effective way to keep the scrolling position intact when switching between components with React Router v4.

Let's dive in:

1. Understand the Problem
When you navigate between different routes and components in a React application using React Router v4, the default behavior is for the page to scroll back to the top. This can be frustrating, especially for longer pages where users have to constantly scroll down to find their previous position.

2. The Solution: Using Scroll Restoration
React Router v4 provides a solution to this problem with the `scrollRestoration` feature. By configuring this feature, you can ensure that the scrolling position is maintained when switching between components.

3. Implementing Scroll Restoration
To enable scroll restoration in your React Router v4 application, you need to set the `scrollRestoration` property to `manual` in the `Router` component.

Here's a quick example of how to achieve this:

import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';

const App = () => {
  return (
    
      
        
        
        
      
    
  );
};

By setting `scrollRestoration="manual"`, React Router v4 will no longer automatically scroll to the top when the route changes.

4. Handling Scroll Position
If you want to implement more advanced behavior, such as preserving scroll positions based on user interactions or scroll depth, you can achieve this by handling scroll events and storing the position in the component state.

You can use the `useEffect` hook in functional components or the `componentDidUpdate` lifecycle method in class components to listen for scroll events and update the scroll position accordingly.

5. Testing and Refining
After implementing scroll restoration in your React Router v4 application, make sure to thoroughly test it across different components and routes to ensure that the scrolling behavior is consistent and user-friendly.

Don't forget to gather feedback from users to see if the scrolling functionality meets their expectations and provides a seamless browsing experience.

In conclusion, by leveraging the `scrollRestoration` feature in React Router v4 and implementing custom scroll position handling, you can enhance the user experience of your application by keeping the scroll position intact when switching between components.

Give it a try in your next React project and make scrolling a smoother and more enjoyable experience for your users!