Adding Voice Search to a React Application

Voice commands aren't just for virtual assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa. They can significantly enhance mobile and desktop applications, adding both functionality and a fun user experience. Integrating voice commands or voice search is surprisingly straightforward. This article demonstrates building a voice-controlled book search application using the Web Speech API within a React framework.

The complete code is available on GitHub, and a working demo is provided at the end.

Key Concepts:

• Leveraging the Web Speech API to enable voice search in React applications, improving user interaction.
• Building a basic React component (using Create React App), then integrating the Web Speech API for speech recognition.
• Implementing continuous speech recognition within the React component lifecycle, managing states with React hooks.
• Developing a custom React hook (useVoice) to encapsulate and reuse voice recognition logic.
• Extending functionality by integrating a book search feature using another custom hook (useBookFetch), interacting with an external API (Open Library) for data retrieval based on voice input.

Web Speech API Introduction:

The Web Speech API has limited browser support. Ensure you're using a compatible browser (check MDN for up-to-date compatibility information).

A simple example of using the Web Speech API:

const SpeechRecognition = webkitSpeechRecognition;
const speech = new SpeechRecognition();
speech.onresult = (event) => {
   console.log(event);
};
speech.start();

This code instantiates SpeechRecognition, adds an onresult event listener to handle speech transcription, and starts listening. The browser will request microphone access. After speech, onresult provides the transcribed text.

The onresult event delivers a SpeechRecognitionEvent object containing a results array. The first element of this array holds the transcribed text.

This basic code can run in Chrome DevTools or a JavaScript file. Let's integrate this into a React application.

Using Web Speech in React:

Create a new React project:

npx create-react-app book-voice-search
cd book-voice-search
npm start

Replace the default App.js with the following, which incorporates the Web Speech API:

// App.js
import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
import "./index.css";
import Mic from "./microphone-black-shape.svg"; // Import your microphone image

let speech;
if (window.webkitSpeechRecognition) {
  const SpeechRecognition = webkitSpeechRecognition;
  speech = new SpeechRecognition();
  speech.continuous = true; // Enable continuous listening
} else {
  speech = null;
}

const App = () => {
  const [isListening, setIsListening] = useState(false);
  const [text, setText] = useState("");

  const listen = () => {
    setIsListening(!isListening);
    if (isListening) {
      speech.stop();
    } else {
      speech.start();
    }
  };

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!speech) return;
    speech.onresult = (event) => {
      setText(event.results[event.results.length - 1][0].transcript);
    };
  }, []);

  // ... (rest of the component remains the same)
};

export default App;

This enhanced component manages listening state (isListening), stores the transcribed text (text), and handles the microphone click event (listen). The useEffect hook sets up the onresult listener.

Reusable Custom React Voice Hook:

To improve code reusability, create a custom hook useVoice.js:

const SpeechRecognition = webkitSpeechRecognition;
const speech = new SpeechRecognition();
speech.onresult = (event) => {
   console.log(event);
};
speech.start();

This hook encapsulates the voice recognition logic. Now, update App.js to use this hook:

npx create-react-app book-voice-search
cd book-voice-search
npm start

This simplifies App.js and promotes code reuse.

Book Voice Search Functionality:

Create another custom hook useBookFetch.js to handle the book search:

// App.js
import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
import "./index.css";
import Mic from "./microphone-black-shape.svg"; // Import your microphone image

let speech;
if (window.webkitSpeechRecognition) {
  const SpeechRecognition = webkitSpeechRecognition;
  speech = new SpeechRecognition();
  speech.continuous = true; // Enable continuous listening
} else {
  speech = null;
}

const App = () => {
  const [isListening, setIsListening] = useState(false);
  const [text, setText] = useState("");

  const listen = () => {
    setIsListening(!isListening);
    if (isListening) {
      speech.stop();
    } else {
      speech.start();
    }
  };

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!speech) return;
    speech.onresult = (event) => {
      setText(event.results[event.results.length - 1][0].transcript);
    };
  }, []);

  // ... (rest of the component remains the same)
};

export default App;

This hook fetches book data from Open Library based on the author's name. Finally, integrate this into App.js to display the search results:

// useVoice.js
import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

// ... (SpeechRecognition setup remains the same)

const useVoice = () => {
  // ... (state and listen function remain the same)

  useEffect(() => {
    // ... (onresult event listener remains the same)
  }, []);

  return { text, isListening, listen, voiceSupported: speech !== null };
};

export { useVoice };

This completes the voice-controlled book search application.

Demo:

[Insert CodeSandbox or similar demo link here]

Conclusion:

This example showcases the power and simplicity of the Web Speech API for adding voice interaction to React applications. Remember browser compatibility and potential accuracy limitations. The full code is available on GitHub.

FAQs (moved to the end for better flow): (These would follow the conclusion in the original format) The FAQs section from the original input can be included here, slightly rephrased for better clarity and flow within this revised article.

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