Basic Usage

Next, we’ll integrate our Router into the index.js file.

Example

Use React Router to navigate to different pages based on the URL.

index.js:

import ReactDOM from "react-dom/client";
import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route } from "react-router-dom";
import Layout from "./pages/Layout";
import Home from "./pages/Home";
import Blogs from "./pages/Blogs";
import Contact from "./pages/Contact";
import NoPage from "./pages/NoPage";

export default function App() {
  return (
    <BrowserRouter>
      <Routes>
        <Route path="/" element={<Layout />}>
         <Route index element={<Home />} />
          <Route path="blogs" element={<Blogs />} />
          <Route path="contact" element={<Contact />} />
          <Route path="*" element={<NoPage />} />
        </Route>
      </Routes>
    </BrowserRouter>
  );
}

const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root'));
root.render(<App />);

Example Explained

First, wrap the content with <BrowserRouter> and set up <Routes>, which can handle multiple routes, though this example has one. The main <Route> with the path / renders the Layout component, while nested routes like /blogs extend from it, and the * path serves as a catch-all for 404 errors.

Pages / Components

The Layout component includes <Outlet> and <Link> elements. The <Outlet> renders the content of the current route, while <Link> is used for internal navigation and to manage browsing history. The “layout route” is a shared component that provides common elements, like a navigation menu, across all pages.

Layout.js:

import { Outlet, Link } from "react-router-dom";

const Layout = () => {
  return (
    <>
      <nav>
        <ul>
          <li>
            <Link to="/">Home</Link>
          </li>
          <li>
            <Link to="/blogs">Blogs</Link>
          </li>
          <li>
            <Link to="/contact">Contact</Link>
          </li>
        </ul>
      </nav>

      <Outlet />
    </>
  )
};

export default Layout;

Home.js:

const Home = () => {
  return <h1>Home</h1>;
};

export default Home;

Blogs.js:

const Blogs = () => {
  return <h1>Blog Articles</h1>;
};

export default Blogs;

Contact.js:

const Contact = () => {
  return <h1>Contact Me</h1>;
};

export default Contact;

NoPage.js:

const NoPage = () => {
  return <h1>404</h1>;
};

export default NoPage;