How to Build Your Own Vue-like Reactivity System from Scratch

Updated: at 

Introduction

Understanding the core of modern Frontend frameworks is crucial for every web developer. Vue, known for its reactivity system, offers a seamless way to update the DOM based on state changes. But have you ever wondered how it works under the hood?

In this tutorial, we’ll demystify Vue’s reactivity by building our own versions of ref() and watchEffect(). By the end, you’ll have a deeper understanding of reactive programming in frontend development.

What is Reactivity in Frontend Development?

Before we dive in, let’s define reactivity:

Reactivity: A declarative programming model for updating based on state changes.1

This concept is at the heart of modern frameworks like Vue, React, and Angular. Let’s see how it works in a simple Vue component:

<script setup>
import { function ref<T>(value: T): [T] extends [Ref] ? IfAny<T, Ref<T>, T> : Ref<UnwrapRef<T>, UnwrapRef<T> | T> (+1 overload)
Takes an inner value and returns a reactive and mutable ref object, which
has a single property `.value` that points to the inner value.
@paramvalue - The object to wrap in the ref.@see{@link https://vuejs.org/api/reactivity-core.html#ref}
ref } from 'vue'

const const counter: Ref<number, number>counter = ref<number>(value: number): Ref<number, number> (+1 overload)
Takes an inner value and returns a reactive and mutable ref object, which
has a single property `.value` that points to the inner value.
@paramvalue - The object to wrap in the ref.@see{@link https://vuejs.org/api/reactivity-core.html#ref}
ref(0)

const const incrementCounter: () => voidincrementCounter = () => {
  const counter: Ref<number, number>counter.Ref<number, number>.value: numbervalue++
}
</script>

<template>
<div: HTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsdiv>
  <h1: HTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsh1>Counter: {{ counter: numbercounter }}</h1: HTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsh1>
  <button: ButtonHTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsbutton @onClick?: ((payload: MouseEvent) => void) | undefinedclick="incrementCounter: () => voidincrementCounter">Increment</button: ButtonHTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsbutton>
</div: HTMLAttributes & ReservedPropsdiv>
</template>

In this example:

  1. State Management: ref creates a reactive reference for the counter.
  2. Declarative Programming: The template uses {{ counter }} to display the counter value. The DOM updates automatically when the state changes.

Building Our Own Vue-like Reactivity System

To create a basic reactivity system, we need three key components:

  1. A method to store data
  2. A way to track changes
  3. A mechanism to update dependencies when data changes

Key Components of Our Reactivity System

  1. A store for our data and effects
  2. A dependency tracking system
  3. An effect runner that activates when data changes

Understanding Effects in Reactive Programming

An effect is a function that executes when a reactive state changes. Effects can update the DOM, make API calls, or perform calculations.

type type Effect = () => voidEffect = () => void;

This Effect type represents a function that runs when a reactive state changes.

The Store

We’ll use a Map to store our reactive dependencies:


const const depMap: Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>depMap: interface Map<K, V>Map<object, interface Map<K, V>Map<string | symbol, interface Set<T>Set<type Effect = () => voidEffect>>> = new 
var Map: MapConstructor
new () => Map<any, any> (+3 overloads)
Map();

Implementing Key Reactivity Functions

The Track Function: Capturing Dependencies

This function records which effects depend on specific properties of reactive objects. It builds a dependency map to keep track of these relationships.

type type Effect = () => voidEffect = () => void;

let let activeEffect: Effect | nullactiveEffect: type Effect = () => voidEffect | null = null;

const const depMap: Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>depMap: interface Map<K, V>Map<object, interface Map<K, V>Map<string | symbol, interface Set<T>Set<type Effect = () => voidEffect>>> = new 
var Map: MapConstructor
new () => Map<any, any> (+3 overloads)
Map();

function function track(target: object, key: string | symbol): voidtrack(target: objecttarget: object, key: string | symbolkey: string | symbol): void {
  if (!let activeEffect: Effect | nullactiveEffect) return;

  let let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefineddependenciesForTarget = const depMap: Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>depMap.Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>.get(key: object): Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefined
Returns a specified element from the Map object. If the value that is associated to the provided key is an object, then you will get a reference to that object and any change made to that object will effectively modify it inside the Map.
@returnsReturns the element associated with the specified key. If no element is associated with the specified key, undefined is returned.
get(target: objecttarget);
  if (!let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefineddependenciesForTarget) {
    let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefineddependenciesForTarget = new 
var Map: MapConstructor
new <string | symbol, Set<Effect>>(iterable?: Iterable<readonly [string | symbol, Set<Effect>]> | null | undefined) => Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> (+3 overloads)
Map<string | symbol, interface Set<T>Set<type Effect = () => voidEffect>>();
    const depMap: Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>depMap.Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>.set(key: object, value: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>): Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>
Adds a new element with a specified key and value to the Map. If an element with the same key already exists, the element will be updated.
set(target: objecttarget, let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>dependenciesForTarget);
  }

  let let dependenciesForKey: Set<Effect> | undefineddependenciesForKey = let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>dependenciesForTarget.Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>.get(key: string | symbol): Set<Effect> | undefined
Returns a specified element from the Map object. If the value that is associated to the provided key is an object, then you will get a reference to that object and any change made to that object will effectively modify it inside the Map.
@returnsReturns the element associated with the specified key. If no element is associated with the specified key, undefined is returned.
get(key: string | symbolkey);
  if (!let dependenciesForKey: Set<Effect> | undefineddependenciesForKey) {
    let dependenciesForKey: Set<Effect> | undefineddependenciesForKey = new 
var Set: SetConstructor
new <Effect>(iterable?: Iterable<Effect> | null | undefined) => Set<Effect> (+1 overload)
Set<type Effect = () => voidEffect>();
    let dependenciesForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>dependenciesForTarget.Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>.set(key: string | symbol, value: Set<Effect>): Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>
Adds a new element with a specified key and value to the Map. If an element with the same key already exists, the element will be updated.
set(key: string | symbolkey, let dependenciesForKey: Set<Effect>dependenciesForKey);
  }

  let dependenciesForKey: Set<Effect>dependenciesForKey.Set<Effect>.add(value: Effect): Set<Effect>
Appends a new element with a specified value to the end of the Set.
add(let activeEffect: EffectactiveEffect);
}

The Trigger Function: Activating Effects

When a reactive property changes, this function is called to activate all the effects that depend on that property. It uses the dependency map created by the track function.

function function trigger(target: object, key: string | symbol): voidtrigger(target: objecttarget: object, key: string | symbolkey: string | symbol): void {
  const const depsForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefineddepsForTarget = const depMap: Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>depMap.Map<object, Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>>.get(key: object): Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefined
Returns a specified element from the Map object. If the value that is associated to the provided key is an object, then you will get a reference to that object and any change made to that object will effectively modify it inside the Map.
@returnsReturns the element associated with the specified key. If no element is associated with the specified key, undefined is returned.
get(target: objecttarget);
  if (const depsForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>> | undefineddepsForTarget) {
    const const depsForKey: Set<Effect> | undefineddepsForKey = const depsForTarget: Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>depsForTarget.Map<string | symbol, Set<Effect>>.get(key: string | symbol): Set<Effect> | undefined
Returns a specified element from the Map object. If the value that is associated to the provided key is an object, then you will get a reference to that object and any change made to that object will effectively modify it inside the Map.
@returnsReturns the element associated with the specified key. If no element is associated with the specified key, undefined is returned.
get(key: string | symbolkey);
    if (const depsForKey: Set<Effect> | undefineddepsForKey) {
      const depsForKey: Set<Effect>depsForKey.Set<Effect>.forEach(callbackfn: (value: Effect, value2: Effect, set: Set<Effect>) => void, thisArg?: any): void
Executes a provided function once per each value in the Set object, in insertion order.
forEach(effect: Effecteffect => effect: () => voideffect());
    }
  }
}

Implementing ref: Creating Reactive References

This creates a reactive reference to a value. It wraps the value in an object with getter and setter methods that track access and trigger updates when the value changes.

class class RefImpl<T>RefImpl<function (type parameter) T in RefImpl<T>T> {
  private RefImpl<T>._value: T_value: function (type parameter) T in RefImpl<T>T;

  constructor(value: Tvalue: function (type parameter) T in RefImpl<T>T) {
    this.RefImpl<T>._value: T_value = value: Tvalue;
  }

  get RefImpl<T>.value: Tvalue(): function (type parameter) T in RefImpl<T>T {
    track(this, 'value');
    return this.RefImpl<T>._value: T_value;
  }

  set RefImpl<T>.value: Tvalue(newValue: TnewValue: function (type parameter) T in RefImpl<T>T) {
    if (newValue: TnewValue !== this.RefImpl<T>._value: T_value) {
      this.RefImpl<T>._value: T_value = newValue: TnewValue;
      trigger(this, 'value');
    }
  }
}

function function ref<T>(initialValue: T): RefImpl<T>ref<function (type parameter) T in ref<T>(initialValue: T): RefImpl<T>T>(initialValue: TinitialValue: function (type parameter) T in ref<T>(initialValue: T): RefImpl<T>T): class RefImpl<T>RefImpl<function (type parameter) T in ref<T>(initialValue: T): RefImpl<T>T> {
  return new constructor RefImpl<T>(value: T): RefImpl<T>RefImpl(initialValue: TinitialValue);
}

Creating watchEffect: Reactive Computations

This function creates a reactive computation. It runs the provided effect function immediately and re-runs it whenever any reactive values used within the effect change.

function function watchEffect(effect: Effect): voidwatchEffect(effect: Effecteffect: type Effect = /*unresolved*/ anyEffect): void {
  function function (local function) wrappedEffect(): voidwrappedEffect() {
    activeEffect = function (local function) wrappedEffect(): voidwrappedEffect;
    effect: Effecteffect();
    activeEffect = null;
  }

  function (local function) wrappedEffect(): voidwrappedEffect();
}

Putting It All Together: A Complete Example

Let’s see our reactivity system in action:

const const countRef: anycountRef = ref(0);
const const doubleCountRef: anydoubleCountRef = ref(0);

watchEffect(() => {
  var console: Console
The `console` module provides a simple debugging console that is similar to the
JavaScript console mechanism provided by web browsers.

The module exports two specific components:

* A `Console` class with methods such as `console.log()`, `console.error()` and `console.warn()` that can be used to write to any Node.js stream.
* A global `console` instance configured to write to [`process.stdout`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstdout) and
[`process.stderr`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstderr). The global `console` can be used without calling `require('console')`.

_**Warning**_: The global console object's methods are neither consistently
synchronous like the browser APIs they resemble, nor are they consistently
asynchronous like all other Node.js streams. See the [`note on process I/O`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#a-note-on-process-io) for
more information.

Example using the global `console`:

```js
console.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints error message and stack trace to stderr:
//   Error: Whoops, something bad happened
//     at [eval]:5:15
//     at Script.runInThisContext (node:vm:132:18)
//     at Object.runInThisContext (node:vm:309:38)
//     at node:internal/process/execution:77:19
//     at [eval]-wrapper:6:22
//     at evalScript (node:internal/process/execution:76:60)
//     at node:internal/main/eval_string:23:3

const name = 'Will Robinson';
console.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to stderr
```

Example using the `Console` class:

```js
const out = getStreamSomehow();
const err = getStreamSomehow();
const myConsole = new console.Console(out, err);

myConsole.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints: [Error: Whoops, something bad happened], to err

const name = 'Will Robinson';
myConsole.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to err
```
@see[source](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v22.x/lib/console.js)
console.Console.log(message?: any, ...optionalParams: any[]): void (+1 overload)
Prints to `stdout` with newline. Multiple arguments can be passed, with the
first used as the primary message and all additional used as substitution
values similar to [`printf(3)`](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man3/printf.3.html)
(the arguments are all passed to [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args)).

```js
const count = 5;
console.log('count: %d', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
console.log('count:', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
```

See [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args) for more information.
@sincev0.1.100
log(`Ref count is: ${const countRef: anycountRef.value}`);
});

watchEffect(() => {
  const doubleCountRef: anydoubleCountRef.value = const countRef: anycountRef.value * 2;
  var console: Console
The `console` module provides a simple debugging console that is similar to the
JavaScript console mechanism provided by web browsers.

The module exports two specific components:

* A `Console` class with methods such as `console.log()`, `console.error()` and `console.warn()` that can be used to write to any Node.js stream.
* A global `console` instance configured to write to [`process.stdout`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstdout) and
[`process.stderr`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstderr). The global `console` can be used without calling `require('console')`.

_**Warning**_: The global console object's methods are neither consistently
synchronous like the browser APIs they resemble, nor are they consistently
asynchronous like all other Node.js streams. See the [`note on process I/O`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#a-note-on-process-io) for
more information.

Example using the global `console`:

```js
console.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints error message and stack trace to stderr:
//   Error: Whoops, something bad happened
//     at [eval]:5:15
//     at Script.runInThisContext (node:vm:132:18)
//     at Object.runInThisContext (node:vm:309:38)
//     at node:internal/process/execution:77:19
//     at [eval]-wrapper:6:22
//     at evalScript (node:internal/process/execution:76:60)
//     at node:internal/main/eval_string:23:3

const name = 'Will Robinson';
console.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to stderr
```

Example using the `Console` class:

```js
const out = getStreamSomehow();
const err = getStreamSomehow();
const myConsole = new console.Console(out, err);

myConsole.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints: [Error: Whoops, something bad happened], to err

const name = 'Will Robinson';
myConsole.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to err
```
@see[source](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v22.x/lib/console.js)
console.Console.log(message?: any, ...optionalParams: any[]): void (+1 overload)
Prints to `stdout` with newline. Multiple arguments can be passed, with the
first used as the primary message and all additional used as substitution
values similar to [`printf(3)`](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man3/printf.3.html)
(the arguments are all passed to [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args)).

```js
const count = 5;
console.log('count: %d', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
console.log('count:', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
```

See [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args) for more information.
@sincev0.1.100
log(`Double count is: ${const doubleCountRef: anydoubleCountRef.value}`);
});

const countRef: anycountRef.value = 1;
const countRef: anycountRef.value = 2;
const countRef: anycountRef.value = 3;

var console: Console
The `console` module provides a simple debugging console that is similar to the
JavaScript console mechanism provided by web browsers.

The module exports two specific components:

* A `Console` class with methods such as `console.log()`, `console.error()` and `console.warn()` that can be used to write to any Node.js stream.
* A global `console` instance configured to write to [`process.stdout`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstdout) and
[`process.stderr`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#processstderr). The global `console` can be used without calling `require('console')`.

_**Warning**_: The global console object's methods are neither consistently
synchronous like the browser APIs they resemble, nor are they consistently
asynchronous like all other Node.js streams. See the [`note on process I/O`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/process.html#a-note-on-process-io) for
more information.

Example using the global `console`:

```js
console.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints error message and stack trace to stderr:
//   Error: Whoops, something bad happened
//     at [eval]:5:15
//     at Script.runInThisContext (node:vm:132:18)
//     at Object.runInThisContext (node:vm:309:38)
//     at node:internal/process/execution:77:19
//     at [eval]-wrapper:6:22
//     at evalScript (node:internal/process/execution:76:60)
//     at node:internal/main/eval_string:23:3

const name = 'Will Robinson';
console.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to stderr
```

Example using the `Console` class:

```js
const out = getStreamSomehow();
const err = getStreamSomehow();
const myConsole = new console.Console(out, err);

myConsole.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints: [Error: Whoops, something bad happened], to err

const name = 'Will Robinson';
myConsole.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to err
```
@see[source](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v22.x/lib/console.js)
console.Console.log(message?: any, ...optionalParams: any[]): void (+1 overload)
Prints to `stdout` with newline. Multiple arguments can be passed, with the
first used as the primary message and all additional used as substitution
values similar to [`printf(3)`](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man3/printf.3.html)
(the arguments are all passed to [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args)).

```js
const count = 5;
console.log('count: %d', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
console.log('count:', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
```

See [`util.format()`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/util.html#utilformatformat-args) for more information.
@sincev0.1.100
log('Final depMap:', depMap);

Diagram for the complete workflow

diagram for reactive workflow

check out the full example -> click

Beyond the Basics: What’s Missing?

While our implementation covers the core concepts, production-ready frameworks like Vue offer more advanced features:

  1. Handling of nested objects and arrays
  2. Efficient cleanup of outdated effects
  3. Performance optimizations for large-scale applications
  4. Computed properties and watchers
  5. Much more…

Conclusion: Mastering Frontend Reactivity

By building our own ref and watchEffect functions, we’ve gained valuable insights into the reactivity systems powering modern frontend frameworks. We’ve covered:

This knowledge empowers you to better understand, debug, and optimize reactive systems in your frontend projects.

Footnotes

  1. What is Reactivity by Pzuraq ↩

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