I’m working on a custom Gutenberg block and I’m trying to figure out how to use React components in the frontend output. Right now I can only get React working in the editor part of the block, but when it comes to the actual frontend display (the save function), I’m stuck with static HTML.
I’ve been looking everywhere for a solution but can’t find a clear answer. Most tutorials only show how to build the editor interface with React, but they don’t explain how to make the frontend interactive with React components.
Is there a way to render React components on the frontend of a Gutenberg block? Has anyone managed to get this working? I’m wondering if this is even possible with the current WordPress setup or if there are any workarounds.
had this exact problm last month. I used wp_add_inline_script to pass block data as JSON variables, then my frontend react component grabs them and renders. it’s a bit hacky but works perfectly for what I needed.
wait, are u using dynamic or static blocks? dynamic blocks let u render react on the frontend thru php’s render_callback. what kind of interactivity do you need? there might be a simpler way without full react hydration.
You’ll need wp_enqueue_script to load your React bundle on the frontend and mark elements for hydration. The main difference from editor blocks? Your save function needs to output static HTML while setting up mounting points for React components. I usually create a PHP render callback that spits out placeholder divs with data attributes, then use ReactDOM.render or createRoot to mount components when the page loads. Bundle your frontend React code separately from editor code and make sure WordPress dependencies like wp-element are declared properly. Static HTML handles the initial render for SEO and speed, React kicks in for interactivity after.