Dynamic Route Parameters in Vue.js with TypeScript

This challenge focuses on implementing dynamic route parameters in a Vue.js application using Vue Router and TypeScript. Route parameters allow you to capture segments of a URL and use them to display dynamic content, such as individual product pages or user profiles. Mastering this concept is crucial for building single-page applications with complex navigation.

Problem Description

You are tasked with creating a Vue.js component that displays details based on a route parameter. The application should have a route defined to handle URLs like /products/:id, where :id is a dynamic segment representing a product ID. Your component should:

1. Access the id parameter: Retrieve the value of the id parameter from the current route.
2. Fetch Product Data: Simulate fetching product data based on the id from a mock API (you don't need to implement a real API). For simplicity, assume the mock API returns a product object with an id and a name property. If the id is not found, display an error message.
3. Display Product Details: Render the product's id and name within the component.
4. Handle Invalid IDs: If the provided id doesn't correspond to a product in the mock data, display an appropriate error message.

Key Requirements:

• Use Vue Router for navigation and route parameter handling.
• Implement the component in TypeScript.
• Use useRoute from vue-router to access route information.
• Simulate an asynchronous data fetch.
• Provide clear error handling.

Expected Behavior:

• Navigating to /products/123 should display the product with ID 123 and its name.
• Navigating to /products/456 should display the product with ID 456 and its name.
• Navigating to /products/789 (assuming this ID doesn't exist in the mock data) should display an error message.
• Navigating to /products/ (without an ID) should display an error message.

Edge Cases to Consider:

• What happens if the route parameter is not a number? (For this challenge, assume it will always be a number, but consider it for future development).
• What happens if the route parameter is an empty string?
• What happens if the route parameter is missing entirely?

Examples

Example 1:

Input: Route: /products/123, Mock Data: [{ id: 123, name: "Awesome Widget" }, { id: 456, name: "Super Gadget" }]
Output: Displays: "ID: 123, Name: Awesome Widget"
Explanation: The component successfully retrieves and displays the product with ID 123.

Example 2:

Input: Route: /products/789, Mock Data: [{ id: 123, name: "Awesome Widget" }, { id: 456, name: "Super Gadget" }]
Output: Displays: "Error: Product not found"
Explanation: The component correctly handles the case where the product ID is not found in the mock data.

Example 3:

Input: Route: /products/, Mock Data: [{ id: 123, name: "Awesome Widget" }, { id: 456, name: "Super Gadget" }]
Output: Displays: "Error: Product ID is required"
Explanation: The component handles the case where the route parameter is missing.

Constraints

• Data Fetching: Simulate data fetching with a setTimeout function to mimic an asynchronous API call (e.g., setTimeout(() => { ... }, 500);).
• Mock Data: Use a hardcoded array of product objects as mock data. The array should contain at least two products with different IDs.
• Component Structure: The solution should be a single Vue component.
• Error Handling: Provide user-friendly error messages.
• TypeScript: The code must be written in TypeScript and adhere to good TypeScript practices.

Notes

• Consider using watch to react to changes in the route parameter. However, useRoute is generally preferred for accessing route information within components.
• Think about how to structure your component to separate the data fetching logic from the rendering logic.
• Focus on clarity and readability in your code. Use meaningful variable names and comments where necessary.
• Remember to install vue-router and configure it in your main.ts file. You'll need to create a route that matches /products/:id.