In this course, we will explain step by step how to create a simple diary web application using React. This application allows users to write, edit, and delete diaries. Additionally, we will cover how to implement routing to various pages using React Router. This course will be explained in detail so that beginners can easily follow along.

Table of Contents

1. 1. Project Introduction
2. 2. Setting Up the Development Environment
3. 3. Creating a React App
4. 4. Adding React Router
5. 5. Building Components
6. 6. State Management
7. 7. Testing and Debugging
8. 8. Deploying
9. 9. Conclusion

1. Project Introduction

The diary app provides users with a space to write personal diaries. Users can create new diaries, view previously written diaries in a list, and edit or delete them if necessary. In this process, we will learn the basic concepts of React and how to use React Router.

2. Setting Up the Development Environment

To use React, you must first install Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager). Once you have installed Node.js and npm, you can easily create and manage React applications. Please download and install it from the official website.

Installing Node.js

Download and install the installation file suitable for your operating system from the official Node.js website.

Updating the Package Manager

After installation, check if npm is up to date and update it if necessary. Enter the following command in the console:

npm install -g npm@latest

3. Creating a React App

Now let’s create a new React project using create-react-app. Enter the following command in the console:

npx create-react-app my-diary-app

Navigate to the project folder:

cd my-diary-app

Then, start the development server:

npm start

Navigate to http://localhost:3000 in your browser to check if the default React page is displayed.

4. Adding React Router

Now, let’s install React Router to add routing functionality to the application. Enter the following command to install React Router:

npm install react-router-dom

Open the app/src/index.js file and set up the router:

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

Wrap the app with the Router:

    ReactDOM.render(
      
        
      ,
      document.getElementById('root')
    );

5. Building Components

Now, let’s create components to set up the pages for routing. We will create a diary list page and a diary creation page.

Diary List Component

Create app/src/components/DiaryList.js and enter the following code:

    import React from 'react';

    const DiaryList = () => {
        return (
            

                
Diary List
                

                    
Title: Day One, Content: I felt good today.
                    
Title: Day Two, Content: The weather was nice.
                    {/* You can add more diaries */}
                
            
        );
    };

    export default DiaryList;

Diary Creation Component

Create app/src/components/CreateDiary.js and enter the following code:

    import React from 'react';

    const CreateDiary = () => {
        return (
            

                
Create Diary
                

                    Title: 
                    
                    Content: 
                    
                    Save
                
            
        );
    };

    export default CreateDiary;

6. State Management

To manage the diaries written in the diary app, you need to use React’s useState hook. Open the App.js file and set up the state.

    import React, { useState } from 'react';
    import DiaryList from './components/DiaryList';
    import CreateDiary from './components/CreateDiary';

    const App = () => {
        const [diaries, setDiaries] = useState([]);

        // Add diary entry functions and more example code here
            
        return (
            

                
My Diary
                {/* Add routing settings */}
            
        );
    };

    export default App;

7. Testing and Debugging

Test each component and functionality of the application to ensure they work properly. If the desired results do not appear, use console.log for debugging. For instance, check if the state updates as expected.

8. Deploying

To deploy, you first need to build the app. You can do this by entering the following command in the console:

npm run build

You can then deploy the generated build folder to a server. Various deployment services such as Firebase, Vercel, and Netlify can be used.

9. Conclusion

In this course, we learned how to create a simple diary application using React and how to implement routing to multiple pages using React Router. Through practical exercises, we were able to grasp the basic principles of React, state management, and routing. We hope you gain more experience by implementing additional features and deploying your application.

Thank you!