Observing target position in React: Seamless scroll detection and dynamic content styling

Have you ever been lost while scrolling through a long piece of content, wondering where you are in the grand scheme of things? We’ve all been there. To make things easier, I’ve created a simple npm package that helps you keep track of your position on the page by updating the table of contents (TOC) as you scroll. Whether you’re working on a documentation website or a project with multiple sections, this package is here to help.

See demo here.

Visit homepage here.

What’s Inside the Package?

This package comes with three components and one hook that make it easy to integrate scroll tracking into your site:

1. InViewProvider: This is like the brain of the operation. It keeps track of which section is currently in view and makes sure everything stays in sync. Just wrap it around the part of your app where you want to enable scroll tracking.

2. Target: Think of this as the tag you put on each section of your content. By wrapping your sections with the Target component, you’re telling the package, “Hey, keep an eye on this!”

3. ObserveZone: This is the space where all the action happens. It is an invisible component that watches your content and the Target, ensuring the TOC updates as you scroll.

4. useInView: A handy hook that lets you know when a section is in view. This is perfect for triggering animations, lazy loading content, or anything else you want to happen when a section comes into view.

Why You Might Find This Useful

• Keep Users on Track: When users scroll through your content, they can easily see which section they’re reading because the TOC updates automatically. No more getting lost in long pages!

• Versatile Use Cases: While it’s great for documentation sites, you can also use this package for other things like triggering animations when certain sections come into view, lazy loading content to save resources, or even making API calls as users scroll.

• Easy to Implement: The package is designed to be straightforward. With just a few components and a hook, you can add it to your React projects without much hassle.

Possible Use Cases

• Documentation Sites: Perfect for linking TOC items with content sections, so users always know where they are.

• Animations and Effects: Want to add some flair? Use the useInView hook to trigger animations when a section enters the viewport.

• Lazy Loading Content: Save on load times by loading components only when they’re needed.

• Dynamic API Calls: Fetch data or load content dynamically as users scroll through the page.

How to Get Started

It’s super easy to get this package up and running. First, install it via npm:

npm install target-observer

Then, use the components in your project like this:

import { InViewProvider, Target, ObserveZone, useInView } from 'target-observer';

function DocumentationPage() {
  return (
    <InViewProvider targetIds={["section1", "section2"]}>
      <div style={{ position: "relative" }}>
       <ObserveZone />
         <TableOfContents />
         <main>
           <Target id="section1"><Section1 /></Target>
           <Target id="section2"><Section2 /></Target>
           {/* Add more sections as needed */}
         </main>
      </div>
    </InViewProvider>
  );
}

And that’s it! With these few lines of code, your TOC will update as users scroll, making navigation a breeze.

Wrap-Up

This npm package is a simple yet effective way to enhance your website’s navigation. Whether you're working on documentation or any other content-heavy project, this tool helps keep things organized and user-friendly. I hope you find it as useful as I do!

Cover Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

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