Define Generic Context Interfaces for Dependency Injection

Define Generic Context Interfaces for Dependency Injection

Define a generic interface for your component context with three parts: state, actions, and meta. This interface is a contract that any provider can implement—enabling the same UI components to work with completely different state implementations.

Core principle: Lift state, compose internals, make state dependency-injectable.

Incorrect (UI coupled to specific state implementation):

function ComposerInput() {
  // Tightly coupled to a specific hook
  const { input, setInput } = useChannelComposerState()
  return <TextInput value={input} />
}

Correct (generic interface enables dependency injection):

// Define a GENERIC interface that any provider can implement
interface ComposerState {
  input: string
  attachments: Attachment[]
  isSubmitting: boolean
}

interface ComposerActions {
  update: (updater: (state: ComposerState) => ComposerState) => void
  submit: () => void
}

interface ComposerMeta {
  inputRef: React.RefObject<TextInput>
}

interface ComposerContextValue {
  state: ComposerState
  actions: ComposerActions
  meta: ComposerMeta
}

const ComposerContext = createContext<ComposerContextValue | null>(null)

UI components consume the interface, not the implementation:

function ComposerInput() {
  const {
    state,
    actions: { update },
    meta,
  } = use(ComposerContext)

  // This component works with ANY provider that implements the interface
  return (
    <TextInput
      ref={meta.inputRef}
      value={state.input}
      => update((s) => ({ ...s, input: text }))}
    />
  )
}

Different providers implement the same interface:

// Provider A: Local state for ephemeral forms
function ForwardMessageProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  const [state, setState] = useState(initialState)
  const inputRef = useRef(null)
  const submit = useForwardMessage()

  return (
    <ComposerContext
      value={{
        state,
        actions: { update: setState, submit },
        meta: { inputRef },
      }}
    >
      {children}
    </ComposerContext>
  )
}

// Provider B: Global synced state for channels
function ChannelProvider({ channelId, children }: Props) {
  const { state, update, submit } = useGlobalChannel(channelId)
  const inputRef = useRef(null)

  return (
    <ComposerContext
      value={{
        state,
        actions: { update, submit },
        meta: { inputRef },
      }}
    >
      {children}
    </ComposerContext>
  )
}

The same composed UI works with both:

// Works with ForwardMessageProvider (local state)
<ForwardMessageProvider>
  <Composer.Frame>
    <Composer.Input />
    <Composer.Submit />
  </Composer.Frame>
</ForwardMessageProvider>

// Works with ChannelProvider (global synced state)
<ChannelProvider channelId="abc">
  <Composer.Frame>
    <Composer.Input />
    <Composer.Submit />
  </Composer.Frame>
</ChannelProvider>

Custom UI outside the component can access state and actions:

The provider boundary is what matters—not the visual nesting. Components that need shared state don't have to be inside the Composer.Frame. They just need to be within the provider.

function ForwardMessageDialog() {
  return (
    <ForwardMessageProvider>
      <Dialog>
        {/* The composer UI */}
        <Composer.Frame>
          <Composer.Input placeholder="Add a message, if you'd like." />
          <Composer.Footer>
            <Composer.Formatting />
            <Composer.Emojis />
          </Composer.Footer>
        </Composer.Frame>

        {/* Custom UI OUTSIDE the composer, but INSIDE the provider */}
        <MessagePreview />

        {/* Actions at the bottom of the dialog */}
        <DialogActions>
          <CancelButton />
          <ForwardButton />
        </DialogActions>
      </Dialog>
    </ForwardMessageProvider>
  )
}

// This button lives OUTSIDE Composer.Frame but can still submit based on its context!
function ForwardButton() {
  const {
    actions: { submit },
  } = use(ComposerContext)
  return <Button
}

// This preview lives OUTSIDE Composer.Frame but can read composer's state!
function MessagePreview() {
  const { state } = use(ComposerContext)
  return <Preview message={state.input} attachments={state.attachments} />
}

The ForwardButton and MessagePreview are not visually inside the composer box, but they can still access its state and actions. This is the power of lifting state into providers.

The UI is reusable bits you compose together. The state is dependency-injected by the provider. Swap the provider, keep the UI.