Customizable React table

Introduction

Tables are essential components in web applications for displaying structured data in a tabular format. They provide a convenient way to present information in rows and columns, making it easy for users to scan and analyze data. The table interface is familiar and intuitive to almost everyone.

Problems

There are several points that complicate the implementation. You need to take care of the data management, live reload, rendering performance, custom cell, pagination, and design.

I've tried several packages but one that I liked is TanStack React Table. It provides a headless table component. Headless components do not have preset styles but instead provide full, interactive functionality for a particular component pattern.

Get Started (Basic)

Install the TanStack React Table package by running the following command.

npm install @tanstack/react-table

Import the necessary components from the package.

import { useTable } from '@tanstack/react-table';

Define your table data and columns.

const data = [{ id: 1, name: 'John Doe', age: 25 }, { id: 2, name: 'Jane Smith', age: 30 }]
// ... ]; const columns = [ { Header: 'ID', accessor: 'id' }, { Header: 'Name', accessor: 'name' }, { Header: 'Age', accessor: 'age' }, // ... ];

1. Use the useTable hook to create the table instance and get the necessary props:

const { getTableProps, getTableBodyProps, headerGroups, rows, prepareRow } = useTable({ columns, data, });

2. Render the table in your component.

<table {...getTableProps()}>
  <thead>
    {headerGroups.map((headerGroup) => (
      <tr {...headerGroup.getHeaderGroupProps()}>
        {headerGroup.headers.map((column) => (
          <th {...column.getHeaderProps()}>{column.render("Header")}</th>
        ))}
      </tr>
    ))}
  </thead>
  <tbody {...getTableBodyProps()}>
    {rows.map((row) => {
      prepareRow(row);
      return (
        <tr {...row.getRowProps()}>
          {row.cells.map((cell) => (
            <td {...cell.getCellProps()}>{cell.render("Cell")}</td>
          ))}
        </tr>
      );
    })}
  </tbody>
</table>

What is next?

Remember to refer to the TanStack React Table documentation for more advanced usage and customization options.

https://tanstack.com/table/v8/docs/guide/introduction

The next article will provide guidance on styling the customizable React table. Stay tuned for more information on how to customize the appearance and behavior of the table using the styled-components.