`componentWillReceiveProps()` does not trigger for new context changes

The componentWillReceiveProps() method only triggers if props change. However, there are situations where the context changes, but the props do not, but this method does not trigger. It makes it really difficult to alter the state before an update, as we can’t do this in componentWillUpdate().

Perhaps a new method, like componentWillReceiveContext() can be added, or the previous componentWillReceiveProps() can simply be renamed to something like componentWillReceive(), which is always called if any prop/state/context has changed.

[yangshun]

In fact, componentWillReceiveProps does trigger when context changes. Here’s an example fiddle of how it can be used and accomplished:

https://jsfiddle.net/bzytthat/

Read more about using context in lifecycle methods: http://facebook.github.io/react/docs/context.html#referencing-context-in-lifecycle-methods

[milesj]

I did some debugging in the React source, and it seems to always trigger true for this clause. https://github.com/facebook/react/blob/3b96650e39ddda5ba49245713ef16dbc52d25e9e/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactCompositeComponent.js#L657

Which seems to agree with my original issue, that the componentWillReceiveProps() isn’t being called because the props haven’t changed.