---
title: Conditional Fetching
type: guide
summary: Conditionally fetch data based on dependencies or user state.
prerequisites:
  - /docs/data-fetching
related:
  - /docs/data-fetching
  - /docs/arguments
---

# Conditional Fetching



## Conditional

Use `null` or pass a function as `key` to conditionally fetch data. If the function throws or returns a falsy value, SWR will not start the request.

```js
// conditionally fetch
const { data } = useSWR(shouldFetch ? '/api/data' : null, fetcher)

// ...or return a falsy value
const { data } = useSWR(() => shouldFetch ? '/api/data' : null, fetcher)

// ...or throw an error when user.id is not defined
const { data } = useSWR(() => '/api/data?uid=' + user.id, fetcher)
```

## Dependent

SWR also allows you to fetch data that depends on other data. It ensures the maximum possible parallelism (avoiding waterfalls), as well as serial fetching when a piece of dynamic data is required for the next data fetch to happen.

```js
function MyProjects () {
  const { data: user } = useSWR('/api/user')
  const { data: projects } = useSWR(() => '/api/projects?uid=' + user.id)
  // When passing a function, SWR will use the return
  // value as `key`. If the function throws or returns
  // falsy, SWR will know that some dependencies are not
  // ready. In this case `user.id` throws when `user`
  // isn't loaded.

  if (!projects) return 'loading...'
  return 'You have ' + projects.length + ' projects'
}
```