How to Build SPAs With Vue 3 Composition API

Single Page Applications (SPAs) have transformed web development by offering a smooth and responsive user experience. Leveraging Vue 3’s Composition API enhances this experience, making the development process more efficient. In this article, we’ll explore how to build SPAs using Vue 3 and the Composition API.

Understanding Vue 3 Composition API

The Composition API introduced in Vue 3 provides a more flexible way to organize and reuse components compared to the Options API. It allows developers to group code by feature rather than by component options, making it easier to manage complex applications.

Setting Up Your Vue 3 Project

To start building an SPA with Vue 3, you need to set up a new project. You can easily do this using Vue CLI:

npm install -g @vue/cli
vue create my-spa
cd my-spa
npm run serve

This command sets up a new Vue project and serves it locally. Once your environment is set, you’re ready to build your SPA.

Creating Your Application Structure

For a typical SPA, you’ll want to define a routing strategy. Vue Router is a powerful tool for navigating between different views. Install it using the following command:

npm install vue-router

After installation, create a router file:

// src/router/index.js
import { createRouter, createWebHistory } from 'vue-router';
import Home from '../views/Home.vue';
import About from '../views/About.vue';
const routes = [
  { path: '/', component: Home },
  { path: '/about', component: About },
];
const router = createRouter({
  history: createWebHistory(),
  routes,
});
export default router;

Be sure to add the router to your main application file:

// src/main.js
import { createApp } from 'vue';
import App from './App.vue';
import router from './router';
createApp(App)
  .use(router)
  .mount('#app');

Building Components with Composition API

Now, let’s create some components utilizing the Composition API. For instance, here’s how you can define a simple 'Home' component:

// src/views/Home.vue

In this example, we use the ref function to create a reactive variable, counter, and define a function to update it.

Managing State with Reactive API

When building SPAs, managing state effectively is crucial. The Composition API offers the reactive function, which allows for more complex reactive objects.

// src/store.js
import { reactive } from 'vue';
export const store = reactive({
  user: null,
  items: [],
});

This structure enables easy updates and retrieval of application state across different components.

Utilizing Lifecycle Hooks

Vue 3’s Composition API allows usage of lifecycle hooks within the setup function. Here’s an example:

import { onMounted } from 'vue';
setup() {
  onMounted(() => {
    console.log('Component is mounted');
  });
}

These lifecycle hooks enhance functionality, enabling developers to perform actions at specific stages of the component lifecycle.

Finalizing Your SPA

With Vue Router handling navigation and components structured using the Composition API, your SPA is nearly complete. To optimize performance and improve SEO:

Consider server-side rendering with Nuxt.js for better SEO.
Lazy load components to reduce initial load time.
Implement meta tags for each route for SEO purposes.

Conclusion

Building SPAs with Vue 3 and the Composition API offers significant advantages in terms of structure and maintainability. By understanding and implementing the concepts discussed, you can create dynamic, responsive applications that provide an excellent user experience.

How to Build SPAs With Vue 3 Composition API