/vue-debug-guides

Call toValue() Inside watchEffect for Proper Dependency Tracking

Impact: HIGH - When writing composables that accept MaybeRefOrGetter arguments, you must call toValue() inside the watchEffect callback, not outside. If you extract the value before the watchEffect, Vue cannot track the dependency and the effect will never re-run when the source changes.

This is a subtle but critical mistake that leads to composables that work with initial values but never update.

Task Checklist

• Always call toValue() inside watchEffect callbacks, not before
• Similarly, access .value on refs inside watchEffect, not outside
• For watch(), use a getter function that calls toValue()
• Test that composables update when their inputs change

Incorrect:

import { ref, watchEffect, toValue } from 'vue'

export function useFetch(url) {
  const data = ref(null)
  const error = ref(null)

  // WRONG: toValue called outside watchEffect
  // This extracts the value ONCE and passes a static string
  const urlValue = toValue(url)

  watchEffect(async () => {
    try {
      // urlValue is a static string - no dependency tracked!
      const response = await fetch(urlValue)
      data.value = await response.json()
    } catch (e) {
      error.value = e
    }
  })

  return { data, error }
}

// When used like this:
const apiUrl = ref('/api/users')
const { data } = useFetch(apiUrl)

// Later...
apiUrl.value = '/api/products'  // useFetch will NOT refetch!

Correct:

import { ref, watchEffect, toValue } from 'vue'

export function useFetch(url) {
  const data = ref(null)
  const error = ref(null)

  watchEffect(async () => {
    // CORRECT: toValue called INSIDE watchEffect
    // Vue tracks this as a dependency
    const urlValue = toValue(url)

    try {
      const response = await fetch(urlValue)
      data.value = await response.json()
    } catch (e) {
      error.value = e
    }
  })

  return { data, error }
}

// Now when used:
const apiUrl = ref('/api/users')
const { data } = useFetch(apiUrl)

// Later...
apiUrl.value = '/api/products'  // useFetch WILL refetch!

The Same Applies to Direct Ref Access

// WRONG: Accessing .value outside the effect
export function useDebounce(source, delay = 300) {
  // This captures the initial value, not a reactive dependency
  const initialValue = source.value  // or toValue(source)

  watchEffect(() => {
    // initialValue is static - this only runs once
    console.log('Value:', initialValue)
  })
}

// CORRECT: Access inside the effect
export function useDebounce(source, delay = 300) {
  watchEffect(() => {
    // Vue tracks source.value or toValue(source) as dependency
    console.log('Value:', toValue(source))
  })
}

Pattern: Using watch() with Getter Functions

For watch(), wrap toValue() in a getter:

import { ref, watch, toValue } from 'vue'

export function useLocalStorage(key, defaultValue) {
  const data = ref(defaultValue)

  // CORRECT: Use getter function with watch
  watch(
    () => toValue(key),  // Getter calls toValue, tracks dependency
    (newKey) => {
      const stored = localStorage.getItem(newKey)
      data.value = stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : defaultValue
    },
    { immediate: true }
  )

  return data
}

Why This Happens

Vue's reactivity tracking works by detecting property accesses during effect execution:

watchEffect(() => {
  // When this runs, Vue is "recording" what reactive sources are accessed
  const value = someRef.value  // Vue records: "this effect depends on someRef"
})

// But if you extract the value before:
const value = someRef.value  // Vue isn't recording yet
watchEffect(() => {
  console.log(value)  // Just using a plain JavaScript variable
})

toValue() works the same way - it accesses .value internally, so it must happen during effect execution for tracking to work.

Quick Checklist for Composable Authors

When accepting MaybeRefOrGetter inputs:

1. Store the raw argument (don't call toValue during setup)
2. Call toValue() inside any reactive context (watchEffect, watch, computed)
3. Test with both static values AND refs that change

export function useMyComposable(input) {
  // Store raw - don't extract value here
  // const value = toValue(input)  // WRONG

  const result = computed(() => {
    // Extract value inside reactive context
    return transform(toValue(input))  // CORRECT
  })

  watchEffect(() => {
    // Extract value inside reactive context
    doSomething(toValue(input))  // CORRECT
  })

  return { result }
}

Reference

• Vue.js Reactivity API - toValue
• Vue.js Composables - Accepting Ref Arguments