React Setup

Overview

Sets up a production-ready React + Vite frontend configured for Django backend integration with:

• HTTPS local development (using mkcert certificates)
• CSRF token handling for Django session auth
• Axios interceptors for automatic CSRF injection
• React Router with layout structure
• Production build validation

When to use: New React projects that need Django backend connectivity When NOT to use: Existing React projects, non-Django backends, or projects not using session auth

Prerequisites

• Django backend configured with HTTPS
• mkcert certificates in /certs/ directory (use mkcert-https-setup skill)
• Node.js 18+ installed

Copy this checklist and track your progress:

• 1. Initialize React + Vite Project
• 2. Configure vite.config.js:
• 3. Create API Configuration
• 4. Create CSRF Service
• 5. Create Axios Configuration
• 6. Create Navbar and Footer Components
• 7. Create src/layouts/Root.jsx:
• 8. Create Page Components
• 9. Create src/router/AppRoutes.jsx
• 10. Create Router Wrapper
• 11. Update App.jsx
• 12. Verify Setup

1. Initialize React + Vite Project

• npm create vite@latest frontend -- --template react --yes
• npm --prefix ./frontend install react-router-dom axios

2. Configure vite.config.js:

3. List cert files in certs/ to find actual filenames

4. Read existing frontend/vite.config.js (created by Vite)

5. Add imports: fs, path

6. Add server config:

   • server.https: Load key/cert from certs/ using found filenames
   • server.port: 5173
   • server.proxy: /api → https://localhost:8000 (changeOrigin: true, secure: false)

3. Create API Configuration

src/config/api.js:

export const API_BASE_URL = '';  // Empty string uses Vite proxy

export const ENDPOINTS = {
  CSRF: '/api/csrf/',
  // Add your API endpoints here as you build features
  // Example: PRODUCTS: '/api/products/',
};

4. Create CSRF Service

src/services/csrf.js:

import { ENDPOINTS } from '../config/api';

let csrfToken = null;

/**
 * Fetches and caches the CSRF token from Django backend
 * The token is stored in a cookie by Django after the first request
 */
export async function getCsrfToken() {
  // Return cached token if available
  if (csrfToken) {
    return csrfToken;
  }

  try {
    const response = await fetch(ENDPOINTS.CSRF, {
      credentials: 'include',
      headers: {
        'Accept': 'application/json',
      }
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`Failed to fetch CSRF token: ${response.status}`);
    }

    // Django sets the token in a cookie after this request
    const cookies = document.cookie.split(';');
    const csrfCookie = cookies.find(cookie => cookie.trim().startsWith('csrftoken='));

    if (!csrfCookie) {
      throw new Error('CSRF token not found in cookies');
    }

    csrfToken = csrfCookie.split('=')[1].trim();
    return csrfToken;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('CSRF token fetch error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

/**
 * Clears the cached CSRF token (useful for logout or token refresh)
 */
export function clearCsrfToken() {
  csrfToken = null;
}

5. Create Axios Configuration

src/services/api.js:

import axios from 'axios';
import { API_BASE_URL } from '../config/api';
import { getCsrfToken } from './csrf';  // ADD THIS

const axiosInstance = axios.create({
  baseURL: API_BASE_URL,
  withCredentials: true,
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Accept': 'application/json'
  }
});

// REQUEST INTERCEPTOR
axiosInstance.interceptors.request.use(
  async (config) => {
    if (['post', 'put', 'patch', 'delete'].includes(config.method.toLowerCase())) {
      const csrfToken = await getCsrfToken();
      config.headers['X-CSRFToken'] = csrfToken;
    }
    return config;
  }
);

// Response interceptor
axiosInstance.interceptors.response.use(
  response => response,
  error => {
    console.error('API request failed:', error);
    return Promise.reject(error);
  }
);

export default axiosInstance;

6. Create Navbar and Footer Components

Create src/components/Navbar.jsx:

export default function Navbar() {
  return (
    <nav>
      <h1>My App</h1>
    </nav>
  );
}

Create src/components/Footer.jsx:

export default function Footer() {
  return (
    <footer>
      <p>&copy; {new Date().getFullYear()} My App. All rights reserved.</p>
    </footer>
  );
}

7. Create src/layouts/Root.jsx:

import { Outlet } from 'react-router-dom';
import Navbar from '../components/Navbar';
import Footer from '../components/Footer';

export default function Root() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Navbar />
      <main>
        <Outlet />
      </main>
      <Footer />
    </div>
  );
}

8. Create Page Components

Create src/components/BackendStatus.jsx:

1. Import axios from ../services/api, useState, useEffect
2. Initialize state: status = "checking...", error = null
3. useEffect hook (runs on mount):
   • First: axios.get('/api/csrf/') to initialize cookies
   • Second: axios.get('/api/health/') using same axios instance
   • Success path: update status with backend message
   • Error path: set error state, display "Backend unreachable"
4. Component is presentational only (no routing/layout logic)

Create src/pages/Home.jsx:

1. Render <BackendStatus />
2. Add heading + text explaining the backend connectivity check

9. Create src/router/AppRoutes.jsx:

10. Export createAppRouter() function

11. Returns route config array: Root layout at "/" with Home page as nested "/" child route

12. Imports: Root from ../layouts/Root, Home from ../pages/Home

10. Create src/router/index.jsx:

11. Export default AppRouter component

12. Create browser router from createAppRouter() config

13. Return <RouterProvider router={router} />

14. Imports: createBrowserRouter, RouterProvider from react-router-dom, createAppRouter from ./AppRoutes

11. Update src/App.jsx:

• Remove: All useState, demo imports (reactLogo, viteLogo, App.css), counter UI
• Add imports: Router from ./router
• Render: <Router />

12. Verify Setup

Run npm --prefix ./frontend run build to validate imports, dependencies, and syntax

Common issues:

• Missing certs: Check /certs/ directory exists with .pem files
• Module not found: Verify all imports use correct paths
• CSRF errors: Ensure Django backend is running at https://localhost:8000