Inline Background Images in React: Understanding the Differences

When using React, setting background images inline can be achieved with a bit of finesse. While the approach is similar to setting an image source for an HTML image tag, there's a crucial difference.

The Challenge: BackgroundImage Property with Static Images

When trying to set a background image using the inline backgroundImage property, many developers assume it can be done similarly to an image tag:

backgroundImage: "url("   { Background }   ")"

However, this won't work for background images.

The Solution: Single-Quote String with Backticks

Inline background images require you to wrap the URL in single-quote strings, not double-quote strings as seen above. Additionally, you need to enclose the URL in backticks for string interpolation.

Corrected Code:

backgroundImage: `url(${Background})`

This corrected syntax will properly apply the static image as the background of the element in React.

Why the Difference?

The difference in syntax between image tags and inline background images arises from the way the properties are interpreted by React. Background images are handled as CSS properties, while image sources are handled as HTML attributes, leading to the need for different syntax.