React proptype array with shape

Question

Is there a built-in way to use proptypes to ensure that an array of objects being passed to a component is actually an array of objects of a specific shape?

Maybe so

Answer 1

You can use React.PropTypes.shape() as an argument to React.PropTypes.arrayOf():

// an array of a particular shape.
ReactComponent.propTypes = {
   arrayWithShape: React.PropTypes.arrayOf(React.PropTypes.shape({
     color: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     fontSize: React.PropTypes.number.isRequired,
   })).isRequired,
}

See the Prop Validation section of the documentation.

UPDATE

As of react v15.5, using React.PropTypes is deprecated and the standalone package prop-types should be used instead :

// an array of a particular shape.
import PropTypes from 'prop-types'; // ES6 
var PropTypes = require('prop-types'); // ES5 with npm
ReactComponent.propTypes = {
   arrayWithShape: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
     color: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     fontSize: PropTypes.number.isRequired,
   })).isRequired,
}