React Use Cursor - Dynamic Cursor Management for React Applications

React Use Cursor is a custom React hook designed for creating and managing dynamic cursor effects in your React applications. This hook allows developers to easily customize the cursor's appearance, including size, color, shape, and transition effects, enhancing user interaction and visual feedback.

Key Features

• Customizable Cursor: Easily adjust the size, color, and shape of the cursor.
• Smooth Transitions: Control the transition duration and follow speed for a responsive experience.
• Flexible Integration: Embed any HTML or React component within the cursor element.

Installation

Install the package using npm or yarn:

npm install react-use-cursor
# or
yarn add react-use-cursor

Usage

1. Import the Hook:

To use the react-use-cursor hook in your component, import it as follows:

import reactUseCursor from 'react-use-cursor';

2. Use the Hook in Your Component:

Here is an example of how to implement the custom cursor in your application:

import reactUseCursor from 'react-use-cursor';

const App = () => {
  const { cursorRef, mergedStyles } = reactUseCursor({
    size: 70,
    color: 'rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.3)',
    shape: 'circle',
    transitionDuration: '0.4s',
    followSpeed: '0.4s',
    customStyles: {
      borderRadius: '50%',
      boxShadow: '0 0 15px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.6)',
      transition: 'transform 0.3s ease, opacity 0.3s ease',
      pointerEvents: 'none',
      zIndex: 9999,
      opacity: 0.95,
      display: 'flex',
      justifyContent: "center",
      alignItems: "center"
    },
  });

  return (
    <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center min-h-screen bg-gray-100">
      <h1 className="text-3xl font-bold mb-4">App Page</h1>
      <div className="relative w-full">
        <div className="h-[2000px] flex flex-col items-center justify-center">
          <h2 className="text-xl mb-4">Hover around to see the custom cursor</h2>
          <button className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-500 text-white rounded shadow hover:bg-blue-600 transition duration-200">
            Click Me!
          </button>
        </div>
        {/* Custom Cursor */}
        <div ref={cursorRef} style={mergedStyles}>
          <img src="/public/vite.svg" alt="cursor-png" className="w-12 h-12" />
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
};

export default App;

In the example above:

• cursorRef: A React reference that should be attached to the custom cursor element.
• mergedStyles: The combined styles of the cursor element, including any default styles and custom styles provided via the options object.

API

reactUseCursor(options)

This hook accepts an options object to configure the cursor's appearance and behavior. It returns an object containing the cursorRef and mergedStyles.

Parameters:

• size (number, optional): The size of the cursor in pixels. Default is 50.
• color (string, optional): The background color of the cursor. Default is 'black'.
• shape (string, optional): The shape of the cursor. Can be 'circle' or 'square'. Default is 'circle'.
• transitionDuration (string, optional): The duration of the transition effect when the cursor moves. Default is '0.1s'.
• followSpeed (string, optional): The speed at which the cursor follows the mouse. Default is '0.1s'.
• customStyles (React.CSSProperties, optional): An object containing additional custom styles for the cursor (e.g., boxShadow, borderRadius). Default is {}.

Returns:

• cursorRef (React.RefObject): A reference to attach to the custom cursor element.
• mergedStyles (React.CSSProperties): The combined styles for the custom cursor, including default and custom styles.

Use Cases and Examples

1. Basic Custom Cursor

import reactUseCursor from 'react-use-cursor';

const App = () => {
  const { cursorRef, mergedStyles } = reactUseCursor({
    size: 50,
    color: 'blue',
    shape: 'circle',
    transitionDuration: '0.3s',
    followSpeed: '0.2s',
  });

  return (
    <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center min-h-screen bg-gray-100">
      <div ref={cursorRef} style={mergedStyles} />
    </div>
  );
};

export default App;

2. Cursor with Text

import reactUseCursor from 'react-use-cursor';

const App = () => {
  const { cursorRef, mergedStyles } = reactUseCursor({
    size: 60,
    color: 'green',
    shape: 'square',
    transitionDuration: '0.4s',
    followSpeed: '0.3s',
    customStyles: {
      color: 'black',
      fontSize: '16px',
      display: 'flex',
      justifyContent: 'center',
      alignItems: 'center',
      padding: '8px',
      backgroundColor: 'rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8)',
      transition: 'transform 0.4s ease, background-color 0.3s ease',
    },
  });

  return (
    <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center min-h-screen bg-gray-100">
      <div ref={cursorRef} style={mergedStyles}>
        <h1 className="text-light-50">Hello Buddy</h1>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
};

export default App;

3. Cursor with Image

import reactUseCursor from 'react-use-cursor';

const App = () => {
  const { cursorRef, mergedStyles } = reactUseCursor({
    size: 50,
    color: 'transparent',
    shape: 'square',
    transitionDuration: '0.6s',
    followSpeed: '0.8s',
    customStyles: {
      opacity: 0.9,
      boxShadow: '0 0 15px rgba(255, 99, 71, 0.8)',
      borderRadius: '50%',
      transition: 'transform 0.6s ease, opacity 0.4s ease, box-shadow 0.5s ease',
    },
  });

  return (
    <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center min-h-screen bg-gray-100">
      <div ref={cursorRef} style={mergedStyles}>
        <img src="/public/vite.svg" alt="cursor-png" className="w-12 h-12" />
      </div>
    </div>
  );
};

export default App;

Key Considerations

• Performance: The hook leverages requestAnimationFrame to ensure smooth cursor movement and optimize performance.
• Customization: The customStyles option allows you to add extensive customizations, enabling you to craft unique cursor behaviors, effects, and styles.
• Ref Management: The cursorRef ensures the custom cursor element is correctly managed and updated during interactions.
• Flexibility: You can embed any HTML or React component (text, images, SVGs, etc.) within the cursor element, providing maximum flexibility in terms of design.
• One Cursor at a Time: Ensure that only one cursor element is present in your application at any given time. Multiple cursors with the same reference may cause conflicts or visual issues.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.