react-handle

A simple, performant React hook for making draggable UIs.

react-handle is a lightweight abstraction over the pointer events API. It won't actually move anything for you — instead, it handles the pointer event lifecycle. Use it as a small building block for creating graphics editors, games, timelines and more.

Example

import useHandle from "react-handle";

function CoolApp() {
  const handle = useHandle({
    onDrag(_, { distance }) {
      console.log(`Drag distance: ${distance.x}, ${distance.y}`);
    }
  });

  return <canvas {...handle} />;
}

Options

react-handle consists of one function: the useHandle hook. It takes an object of callbacks — all optional — and returns props to be spread into the element the user will be dragging.

onDragStart

function(event: PointerEvent, info: DragInfo) | optional

Called when the drag operation starts. Passed the pointer event and the DragInfo object.

onDrag

function(event: PointerEvent, info: DragInfo) | optional

If a drag operation is in progress, called repeatedly as the pointer is moved. Passed the pointer event and the DragInfo object.

onDragEnd

function(event: PointerEvent, info: DragInfo) | optional

Called when the drag operation ends. Passed the pointer event and the DragInfo object.

relativeTo

function(event: Element): Element | optional

If you'd like the DragInfo coordinates to be relative to an element other than the dragged one, return that element from this function. Passed the event target (the dragged element).

DragInfo

In addition to the pointer event, all drag callbacks are passed an object containing information about the drag operation.

Origin

{ x: number; y: number; }

The pointer coordinates when the drag operation began, relative to the top left corner of the element.

Current

{ x: number; y: number; }

The current pointer coordinates, relative to the top left corner of the element.

Distance

{ x: number; y: number; }

The difference between current and origin.