This is an Express view engine for React's JSX that supports server side rendering and it is not limited to static markdown.
npm install express-react-engine react react-dom
Make sure you install react and react-dom as dependencies.
var ReactEngine = require('express-react-engine');
var app = express();
app.set('views', __dirname + '/components');
app.engine('jsx', ReactEngine());Change your views directory to match your components directory and set jsx as your view engine.
wrapper is a React component that renders the Html element as well as the initial props and children Html.
app.engine('jsx', reactEngine({wrapper: 'html.jsx'}));/components/html.jsx
var React = require('react');
var Html = React.createClass({
render: function () {
return (
<html>
<head>
<title>{this.props.props.title}</title>
<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='/stylesheets/style.css' />
</head>
<body>
<div id='view' dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html: this.props.body}} />
<script type='application/json' dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html: JSON.stringify(this.props.props)}} />
<script src='/javascripts/bundle.js' />
</body>
</html>
);
}
});
module.exports = Html;Your views can be simple modules that export a React Component.
var React = require('react');
var Home = React.createClass({
render: function () {
return (
<div>
E.T. Phone Home!
</div>
);
}
});
module.exports = Home;You can use your routes the same way you always did in Express. Just render the React component instead of a jade/hjs/hbs template. Passing an object to the component as props is also straightforward, just add it as the second argument of res.render().
var express = require('express');
var router = express.Router();
router.get('/', function (req, res, next) {
res.render('home/index.jsx', { foo: 'bar' });
});
module.exports = router;Now foo will be available within the component as this.props.foo.
Obviously you can still use Layouts if you want. Just create a component that will render the "layout stuff" and pass him via props the component that you want to be laid out :)