Wordpress - Gutenberg - dynamic blocks - Can I completey avoid PHP and go full React?

Question

Recently I've created a Sanity.io - Gatsby.js project. And the current project I'm working on is a Wordpress website. Now, I'm working for the first time on a custom Gutenberg Block and was happy to find out a big part of it is in Javascript.

I was happy to start learning more about this. But soon I found out that Gutenberg, when it comes to dynamic content, immediately jumps back to PHP with a callback. And from there on, it's well, php.

So that got me wondering. Is there a way to avoid PHP in gutenberg blocks? And work with React Functional Components. As a "simple" learning project I want to create the following.

• Create a Gutenberg dynamic block Post Grid with front and backend filters
• After initializing the block no PHP
• In the backend/edit select post items amount and offset (skip first x amount) (when you know this you can filter on more cases)
• In the frontend a (dropdown)filter that filters on category (if you know this you can live alter the query on other ways)

Thoughts

• I guess WP's REST API would be best to query from.
• GraphQL for querying? (Or GROQ?)
• Would turning to React make your block more future proof/ready? (future is relative of course)
• Would this approach benefit you if you later convert your Frontend to a live or static React web app? Since it's already fully JS.
• Are there know downsides on this approach?

Now, I won't expect you guys to write me a block:) But any pointers/ tutorials/ known (git)projects are more than welcome.

Answer 1

As of now, no, you cannot write dynamic Gutenberg blocks purely in React without PHP. The linked issue goes in good detail why you have to use at least some PHP, and various approaches people have taken to minimize making duplicate PHP and JS.