React Observable Network Helper

Problem

In React applications, every network request can introduce the same repeated state management: tracking loading, success, errors, response data, and error details. As the number of requests grows, this duplication makes components harder to maintain and obscures the request logic.

Approach

I created a small TypeScript helper that centralises request lifecycle management with an observable model. A RequestFactory defines an endpoint, HTTP method, Axios configuration, data mapper, and optional error handler. React components then consume the request through useObservableHttpClient and trigger it with fetchData.

The hook exposes consistent request state - loading, success, error, data, and error response - so components can render the appropriate UI without recreating the same lifecycle logic for every request.

Architecture

The helper creates a request from configuration, executes it as an observable network request, and updates a React hook with the resulting state.

Features

Centralised request state

One request model exposes loading, success, error, data, and error-response state for the consuming component.

Configurable request factory

Define the URL, HTTP method, Axios configuration, mapper, request parameters, request body, and an optional error handler in one place.

React hook integration

Use useObservableHttpClient to subscribe to a request in a component and trigger the request with fetchData.

Typed data mapping

Map an API response to an application model before it is exposed to the component.

Request flow

The request factory and React hook make the request lifecycle explicit: create the request, assign it to the hook, trigger fetchData, and observe the resulting state.

Outcome

The result is a reusable React helper with TypeScript declarations, Axios and RxJS dependencies, documentation diagrams, and an example application. It provides a consistent pattern for handling request state while reducing repeated UI-state code.

Responsibilities

• Designed and implemented the observable request abstraction, request factory, and React hook API.
• Defined the TypeScript package surface and build configuration for library consumption.
• Created the request lifecycle diagrams, setup documentation, and example usage.
• Maintained the public repository and release-ready package documentation.