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Pablo Veiga
Pablo Veiga

Posted on • Edited on

VueJS - Different ways to implement v-model

VueJS is a web framework used to build front-end applications and it is widely adopted by web developers around the world.

It provides the v-model directive that makes two-way binding between form inputs "a breeze".

Depending on what you are building, you might need to build custom components that deal with two-way data binding. Here are some ways of implementing your own custom v-model:

  1. Local variable watcher
  2. Custom method
  3. "Powerful" computed property
  4. Custom prop and event (VueJS 2)
  5. The .sync modifier (VueJS 2)

Obs.: The goal here is not to benchmark neither discuss which of the implementations is the best but to introduce the different approaches that can be used to implement v-model in your custom components.

ℹ The component named BaseInput.vue used in the examples is very simple, and you might even question if implementing a custom v-model is really necessary for it, but, as mentioned, the intention is just to demonstrate the possibilities.

1. Local variable watcher

This is probably the most used way of implementing v-model in your custom components. You create a prop named value using the type you need, then create a local observable variable in data() and initialize it with the value of the prop you've created previously and watch its changes in order to emit an input event to the parent component to update the value prop from the outside**.

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" v-model="model" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    props: {
      value: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    data() {
      return {
        model: this.value
      }
    },
    watch: {
      model(currentValue) {
        this.$emit('input', currentValue)
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput v-model="text" />
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2. Custom method

You might have already read that, to prevent performance issues, you should avoid using watchers in your application.
In this second example, we take advantage of the @input event triggered by the native input element* and, using a custom method inside our component, we pass the value of the input to the parent component emitting an input event so that the value prop is updated from the outside**.

It is also important to mention that in this case we do not use the v-model in the native input, but the value attribute.

* VueJS already attaches event listeners to form inputs for us automatically and when these inputs are destroyed, all listeners are destroyed as well

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" :value="value" @input="onInput" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    props: {
      value: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    methods: {
      onInput(event) {
        this.$emit('input', event.target.value)
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput v-model="text" />
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⚠ VueJS 3: if you are using the latest version of VueJS, change the name of the prop from value to modelValue and the name of the event from input to update:modelValue as per VueJS 3 docs

3. "Powerful" computed property

Another way of implementing v-model in your custom component is using computed properties getters and setters.
You can define a local computed property, implement a getter that returns the value property, and a setter that emits an input event for the parent component to update the value prop from the outside**.

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" v-model="model" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    props: {
      value: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    computed: {
      model: {
        get() {
          return this.value
        },
        set(value) {
          this.$emit('input', value)
        }
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput v-model="text" />
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⚠ VueJS 3: if you are using the latest version of VueJS, change the name of the prop from value to modelValue and the name of the event from input to update:modelValue as per VueJS 3 docs

** You must avoid changing a prop value directly See Docs.

4. Custom prop and event (VueJS 2)

You might have noticed that, in the previous examples, the name of the prop is always value and the name of the event is always input. These are defaults to implement a v-model in your custom component. But you can change it if you want. You can name the prop and the event according to your own needs.
For that to be possible you may set the model attribute and tell the component which names you expect to represent the prop and the event that will update it.

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" :value="text"  @input="onInput" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    model: {
      prop: 'text',
      event: 'update'
    },
    props: {
      text: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    methods: {
      onInput(event) {
        this.$emit('update', event.target.value)
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput v-model="text" />
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⚠ VueJS 3: if you are using the latest version of VueJS, this approach will not work since it is now deprecated

5. The ".sync" modifier (VueJS 2)

This is not a v-model implementation exactly but it will work as it is. With the .sync modifier (VueJS 2.3+), the child component doesn’t need a value prop. Instead, it uses the same prop name you synced in the parent.
Also instead of emitting an input event to update the prop, you emit the conveniently named event update:text. (Source: Vue’s new and improved prop.sync).

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" :value="text"  @input="onInput" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    props: {
      text: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    methods: {
      onInput(event) {
        this.$emit('update:text', event.target.value)
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput :text.sync="text" />
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⚠ VueJS 3: if you are using the latest version of VueJS, this approach will not work since it is now deprecated

6. Named v-model (VueJS 3)

With VueJS 3, released on 18 September 2020, it is now possible to define which prop will represent the v-model inside the component in an extremely easy way.
To do that, you just need to use a modifier in the v-model itself when using your custom component.
In the example below, we are defining that the text prop, inside the BaseInput component will receive the value from the v-model.

<!-- BaseInput.vue -->
<template>
  <input type="text" :value="text"  @input="onInput" />
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    model: {
      prop: 'text',
      event: 'update'
    },
    props: {
      text: {
        type: String,
        default: ''
      }
    },
    methods: {
      onInput(event) {
        this.$emit('update', event.target.value)
      }
    }
  }
</script>

<!-- Usage -->
<BaseInput v-model:text="text" />
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Let me know if you know of any other implementation that might be worth mentioning or event provide me suggestions about subjects that can become short articles like this one.

You can find an example for all of the mentioned approaches in this repo.

Thanks to @keithmchd48 for his help! (Check comments)

I hope it is useful and please, share it!

Top comments (9)

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luisjo1 profile image
LuisJo1

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge, it was very useful, greetings

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srikanth597 profile image
srikanth597 • Edited

Hey good article.
But in your 1,2,3 you wrote Baseinput v-model="text" .
And in component props, it was written as
value:String
Which doesn't sound correct to me , was it a typo?.
In 4 & 5 also , emit event is not declared on component definition and also when u call Baseinput u were not specifying the custom emit event which is "update".
U just used v-model everywhere, is this correct?

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vcpablo profile image
Pablo Veiga

Hey @srikanth597 thanks for reading and participating.

Explaining 1, 2 and 3.
By default, v-model on a component uses value as the prop and input as the event. So that's why I use v-model on <BaseInput /> usage and, inside it, there is a prop called value. The value of the P text variable will be bind directly to the default prop value.
(Check: Customizing Component v-model (VueJS docs))

In regards to 4 and 5, as a component is, by default, a reusable instance Vue, therefore I don't need to define the $emit event manually, because it is already present in the component implicitly.
(Check: Base Example (VueJS docs)

Now, talking about the update event, in both 4th and 5th examples, the model property is responsible to configure the update event, as the one that will update the v-model, which is, in these cases, represented by the text prop.
(Check: Model (VueJS docs

Cheers!

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srikanth597 profile image
srikanth597

Thanks for ur reply,
So if I understood correctly Vue automatically figure out v-model='text' as value prop automatically in component definition.

This arises wierd doubt in my mind, what happens if for some reason I want to have 2 v-model properties I need to pass to component.

I understood your 4&5 point explanation

Thread Thread
 
vcpablo profile image
Pablo Veiga

Hey @srikanth597 , in the latest released version of VueJS, v3, it is possible to bind multiple v-model’s
Take a look at this article to understand a bit better.

dev.to/thomasfindlay/how-to-easily...

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keithmchd48 profile image
Keith Machado • Edited

Hey Pablo, I experimented with all these ways with Vue 3 and here is what I found out:
1 and 6 are the only ones which worked for me.
For 2, 3, 4, and 5, they did not work with the code you have posted in this blog.

One minor update for #6, I get this error when I try to use the ".sync" modifier.
'.sync' modifier on 'v-bind' directive is deprecated. Use 'v-model:propName'

You can check out my code in this repo:
github.com/keithmchd48/v-model-ways

Live example of all these different implementations:
v-model-different-ways.netlify.app/

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vcpablo profile image
Pablo Veiga

Hey @keithmchd48 ,
I have updated the article mentioning the breaking changes in VueJS 3 and have also added a link to a repo with all (possible) implementations for both versions 2 and 3 of VueJS.
Thank you very much for your help and kindness.

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jonathanfmachado profile image
Jonathan Machado

Great article!

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vcpablo profile image
Pablo Veiga

Thanks, @jonathanfmachado ! I really appreciate it!