After exiting the path, the state is reset

Question

I am introducing a form into the /add-employee path, which captures the data into the main App.js file. After filling in the fields, changing the path I would like the state to be cleared to the original settings.

I tried to enter another <Route> that will capture the location and if it is a path other than /add-employee state will be changed, but it causes an inifinite loop

In the add-employee pathway the form of adding an employee. After submitting the form, the employee is displayed in the /employees path.

//App.js
class App extends Component {
  state = {
    employeesList: [],
    id: 0,
    firstName: '',
    lastName: '',
    email: '',
    phone: '',
    accountNumber: '',
    rate: '',
    location: '',
  };

render() {
    const contextElements = {
      ...this.state,
      handleDate: this.handleDate,
      handleSubmit: this.handleSubmit,
    };
    return (
      <Router>
        <AppContext.Provider value={contextElements}>
          <div className="app">
            <Navigation />
            <Footer />
            <div className="content">
              <Switch>
                <Route path="/" exact component={InstructionPage} />
                <Route
                  path="/add-employee"
                  component={AddEmployee}
                  render={props => console.log(props.location.pathname)}
                />
                <Route path="/employees" component={Employees} />
                <Route path="/ranking" component={Ranking} />
                <Route component={ErrorPage} />
              </Switch>
            </div>
          </div>
        </AppContext.Provider>
      </Router>
    );
  }
}

Answer 1

Checking the route for clearing the state would be very tight coupling that is better avoided.

Instead we can have the component AddEmployee clear the state on componentWillUnmount

Something like:

class AddEmployee extends Component {
  componentWillUnmount {
    this.props.clearForm();
  }
}

On defining the routes:

<Route
  path="/add-employee"
  render={props => <AddEmployee {...props} clearForm={this.clearState}/>}
/>

In this.clearState(), clear the state values that you have to.