`react-doctor/effect-raf-loop-needs-cancel`

requestAnimationFrame loop never cancelled

Category: Bugs
Severity: warn
Source: oxlint-plugin-react-doctor
Framework: global
Enabled when: react
Default: Enabled

Validate the diagnostic

Confirm the reported code matches this rule before you edit it.

Confirm the reported code matches react-doctor/effect-raf-loop-needs-cancel. Compare it with the Before example and verify the same API, framework, and execution context. Treat it as a false positive only when one of those conditions differs.

Compare the code

The corrected pattern shows a focused way to address the diagnostic.

Reported pattern

useEffect(() => {
  const frame = () => {
    draw();
    requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  };
  requestAnimationFrame(frame);
}, []);

Corrected pattern

useEffect(() => {
  let frameId = 0;
  const frame = () => {
    draw();
    frameId = requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  };
  frameId = requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  return () => cancelAnimationFrame(frameId);
}, []);

How to fix

Use the corrected pattern as a reference. Preserve behavior that the rule does not require you to change.

Copyable fix prompt

Copy this self-contained prompt into your coding agent after you confirm the diagnostic.

Fix every confirmed react-doctor/effect-raf-loop-needs-cancel diagnostic in the current repository. Required change: - Store the frame id and return a cleanup that calls cancelAnimationFrame(id) so self-scheduling work cannot continue after unmount.

Reference transformation:Before:

useEffect(() => {
  const frame = () => {
    draw();
    requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  };
  requestAnimationFrame(frame);
}, []);

After:

useEffect(() => {
  let frameId = 0;
  const frame = () => {
    draw();
    frameId = requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  };
  frameId = requestAnimationFrame(frame);
  return () => cancelAnimationFrame(frameId);
}, []);

Constraints: - Confirm the reported code matches the Before pattern. - Make the smallest change that fixes the root cause. - Preserve behavior and interfaces unrelated to this diagnostic. - Reuse existing project components, utilities, and conventions. - Do not introduce render-phase side effects, render-phase state updates, or Hooks rule violations. - Adapt identifiers and framework details instead of copying blindly. - Do not disable the rule or suppress matching code. - Confirm this rule is enabled for the project: react. Verification: - Run focused tests for the changed behavior. - Run React Doctor and confirm this diagnostic no longer appears. - Report the files changed and any checks you could not run.

More Bugs rules from the rules reference:

react-doctor/effect-remove-listener-inline-handler: removeEventListener called with a fresh inline handler
react-doctor/exhaustive-deps: Match the deps array to what the hook callback actually captures, or stabilize/move recreated values instead of blindly adding them.
react-doctor/expo-no-non-inlined-env: Use static dotted access: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_NAME (computed/destructured reads aren't inlined and are undefined at runtime)
react-doctor/form-control-requires-name: Form control is omitted from named submission data
react-doctor/hook-import-rename-loses-use-prefix: Hook import alias disables hook lint checks

react-doctor/effect-raf-loop-needs-cancel