React useUnmount Hook
React useUnmount hook for component unmount cleanup. Handle memory leaks, cancel subscriptions, and clear timers automatically using TypeScript for Next.js apps.
Dealing with component cleanup and memory leaks?
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Ever tried to handle component cleanup in React and ended up with memory leak nightmares, forgotten subscription cancellations, or lingering timer chaos? You know the drill—manually managing useEffect cleanup functions, forgetting to cancel API requests, dealing with stale closures in cleanup callbacks, missing timer clearInterval calls. This free open source React useUnmount custom hook handles all that cleanup complexity so you can focus on building features instead of debugging memory leak edge cases in your React applications.
useUnmount showcase
Clean component unmount handling with automatic cleanup execution:
This free open source React hook simplifies cleanup logic with TypeScript support for modern JavaScript applications. Whether you're managing subscriptions, canceling API requests, or clearing timers in your Next.js projects, this custom hook keeps your unmount logic clean and reliable.
Installation
npx shadcn@latest add https://www.shadcn.io/registry/use-unmount.jsonnpx shadcn@latest add https://www.shadcn.io/registry/use-unmount.jsonpnpm dlx shadcn@latest add https://www.shadcn.io/registry/use-unmount.jsonbunx shadcn@latest add https://www.shadcn.io/registry/use-unmount.jsonWhy most useEffect cleanup implementations suck
Look, you could keep writing useEffect cleanup functions manually and managing memory leaks. But then you hit the cleanup complexity—forgotten return statements causing memory leaks, stale closures accessing outdated state, scattered cleanup logic across multiple useEffect calls, inconsistent cleanup patterns in React applications.
Most developers write useEffect cleanup functions without proper state access, leading to stale closure bugs when cleanup functions reference outdated values in TypeScript components. Or they scatter cleanup logic across multiple useEffect hooks making it hard to track what gets cleaned up when components unmount. Some forget return statements entirely and wonder why their timers keep running or API requests complete on unmounted components in Next.js projects.
This React hook uses optimized cleanup management under the hood, with stable function references and automatic execution timing in JavaScript applications. The browser handles all the unmount detection, plus you get centralized cleanup logic and latest closure access in one call.
Plus it handles all the edge cases—stable function references with useRef, latest state access in cleanup callbacks, automatic validation and error handling, proper cleanup timing and execution order in React development. No more memory leaks or forgotten cleanup tasks.
This free open source React hook manages cleanup state while you focus on building features. Whether you're creating React applications, Next.js dashboards, or TypeScript components, reliable unmount handling keeps your JavaScript development clean.
Features
- Automatic cleanup with guaranteed execution when component unmounts in React applications
- Latest closure access ensuring cleanup functions have access to current state and props in TypeScript components
- Function validation with runtime type checking and descriptive error messages for Next.js projects
- Memory leak prevention using stable references and proper cleanup timing in JavaScript development
- Type-safe implementation with comprehensive TypeScript definitions and validation for React frameworks
- Centralized cleanup providing single location for all unmount logic in modern applications
- Free open source designed for modern React development workflows
When you'll actually use this
Real talk—this isn't for every component cleanup in React applications. Simple useEffect cleanup functions work fine for basic scenarios. But when you need centralized unmount logic with guaranteed latest state access, this React hook delivers in Next.js projects.
Perfect for:
- API request cleanup - Cancel pending network requests and AbortController management built with TypeScript
- Subscription management - WebSocket disconnections, event stream cleanup, real-time data using React patterns
- Timer and interval cleanup - Clear timeouts, intervals, and animation frames in JavaScript applications
- Event listener removal - Window, document, and DOM event cleanup in React components
- Resource cleanup - File handles, database connections, worker termination in Next.js applications
- Analytics and tracking - Send usage metrics, performance data, user behavior on exit using TypeScript safety
API Reference
useUnmount
useUnmount(fn: () => void): void| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
fn | () => void | Cleanup function to execute on component unmount (validates function type) |
Things to watch out for
Latest closure is always used: The React hook uses useRef to maintain a reference to the most recent cleanup function, ensuring access to current state and props in React applications. This prevents stale closure issues common in manual useEffect cleanup in TypeScript components.
Function validation is strict: The React hook validates that the parameter is actually a function and throws a descriptive error if not in Next.js projects. This prevents runtime errors from passing invalid cleanup handlers in JavaScript applications.
Cleanup runs only on unmount: Unlike useEffect cleanup that runs on every dependency change, this React hook's cleanup function executes only when the component unmounts in React frameworks. For dependency-based cleanup, stick with useEffect in TypeScript projects.
Multiple useUnmount calls work independently: You can use multiple useUnmount hooks in the same component, and each will execute its cleanup function independently on unmount in modern applications. This provides flexible cleanup organization for complex components.
Related hooks you will also like
useIsMounted
Mount state checking for safe cleanup and memory leak prevention
useTimeout
Timeout management with automatic cleanup on component unmount
useInterval
Interval management with built-in cleanup and timer clearing
useEventListener
Event handling with automatic listener cleanup on unmount
useEventCallback
Stable callback references that work with cleanup patterns
useDebounceCallback
Debounced callbacks with automatic cleanup and cancellation
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