Throw a descriptive error when React hooks are used outside an AblyProvider

[RaphaelFakhri]

Fixes #1849

Summary

Calling useAbly, useChannel or usePresence outside an <AblyProvider> throws a Cannot read properties of undefined TypeError, which does not point to the cause. The hooks now throw Could not find ably client in context. Make sure your ably hooks are called inside an <AblyProvider>.

useAbly checks the context value before it returns the client. useChannelInstance checks the context value before it reads the channel state from it. The same message covers the case where you pass an ablyId that has no matching provider.

Testing

Adds src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.test.tsx with four cases: useAbly, useChannel and usePresence outside a provider, and useAbly with an unknown ablyId.

npx vitest run src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.test.tsx

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Bug Fixes
  • Hooks now show a clear provider error when used outside an AblyProvider or with an unconfigured client, rather than failing while accessing missing context.

[coderabbitai]

Important

Review skipped

Review was skipped as selected files did not have any reviewable changes.

⚙️ Run configuration

• Configuration used: Organization UI
• Review profile: CHILL
• Plan: Advanced
• Run ID: 333fc78f-ea51-42c2-97c2-76ccaeda192c

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 7d076bc and 4607350.

You can disable this status message by setting the reviews.review_status to false in the CodeRabbit configuration file.

Use the checkbox below for a quick retry:

• 🔍 Trigger review

No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Organization UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Advanced

Run ID: 1a15cc63-3bcb-4112-a5de-9fb717c57dc2

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 35269c8 and 7d076bc.

📒 Files selected for processing (3)

• src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.test.tsx
• src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.ts
• src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useChannelInstance.ts

Included review availability: This review used your included allowance. Your plan provides up to 2 included reviews per hour; 1 remain after this review.

Walkthrough

The hooks now handle missing Ably context entries with an explicit provider error instead of accessing fields on an absent entry. Tests cover calls outside an <AblyProvider> and a missing requested ID inside a provider.

Changes

React hook context errors

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Handle missing context entries src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.ts, src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useChannelInstance.ts, src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/useAbly.test.tsx	useAbly safely reads the client when its context entry is absent. useChannelInstance throws an <AblyProvider>-related error when its entry is missing. Tests check both cases and verify the expected error.

Priority: ⬇️ Low

Estimated code review effort: 2 (Simple) | ~8 minutes

Change: Bug fix · Severity of issue fixed: Low

Merge Risk: ⚪ Minimal · up to 7d076

Missing-provider errors are now actionable, with tests covering absent providers and IDs. No concrete merge-blocking risk remains.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4 | ❌ 1

❌ Failed checks (1 warning)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Docstring Coverage	⚠️ Warning	Docstring coverage is 0.00% which is insufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%. Docstring coverage is scoped to functions touched by this diff. Analyzed 2 functions across 3 files.	Write docstrings for the functions missing them to satisfy the coverage threshold.

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly and concisely describes the main change: descriptive errors when React hooks run outside an AblyProvider.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Issue #1849 requires a descriptive error when hooks run outside an . The PR changes useAbly.ts and useChannelInstance.ts to check for a missing context entry and throw the exact required…
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	The PR changes only the affected hook error handling and adds focused tests for the linked issue behavior. The changes support Issue #1849 and show no unrelated implementation.

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create a new PR

Thanks for using CodeRabbit! It's free for OSS, and your support helps us grow. If you like it, consider giving us a shout-out.

❤️ Share

• X
• Mastodon
• Reddit
• LinkedIn

_{A rabbit checks the context with care
No provider? The right error is there
A missing ID joins the test
Each hook reports the expected
Then hops through the meadow with flair}

_{Comment @coderabbitai help to get the list of available commands.}

[ttypic]

LGTM, thanks for contribution