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How To Use React Table

Introduction

In this article, we are going to learn how to use react table in react applications. 

In this series, we are learning about basic react js concepts. This article is about how to use react table and sorting column in the table. React table is an open-source library. It is lightweight, easy to use, fast and we can easily use the filters, sorting, grouping, and pagination, etc in react table.  In the previous article, We made CRUD operations application in react with mock APIs. 

Let's get started with an example. First, we have to install react table package from the below command.

npm i react-table

Sorting in React Table

Once react table package is successfully installed in our application. For now, we are using one JSON file which contains some dummy data. If you are calling API  then you can use that data.

UsersData.json

 [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "John",
      "country": "India",
      "comment": "I am John",
      "tandc": true
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "Andy",
      "country": "US",
      "comment": "This is Andy",
      "tandc": true
    },
    {
      "id": 3,
      "name": "Rozer",
      "country": "India",
      "comment": "I am Rozer",
      "tandc": true
    },
    {
      "id": 4,
      "name": "Daniel",
      "country": "US",
      "comment": "I am Daniel",
      "tandc": true
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Roy",
      "country": "India",
      "comment": "I am Roy",
      "tandc": true
    }
  ]

We have added some dummy data in the JSON file. Now we are adding one file for the defined column. So those columns access the data in the table. In this file, we map the fields by using the accessor and header to display the header name of that field.

Columns.js

const columns = [{
    Header: 'Id',
    accessor: 'id'
}, {
    Header: 'Name',
    accessor: 'name'
}, {
    Header: 'Country',
    accessor: 'country'
}, {
    Header: 'Comment',
    accessor: 'comment',
}, {
    Header: 'Term and Condition',
    accessor: d => d.tandc ? 'Checked' : 'Not checked',
}]
export default columns;

Now we have created one table js file. In this file, we have imported the useTable hook from react table. And also import the usersdata.json file, and coulmns.js file then pass those data into the useTable.

Now we have written the below code for the render react table. By using the map method we iterate the data to display the header and cell content values.

Table.js

import React from 'react'
import { useTable } from "react-table";
import data from './UsersData.json';
import columns from './Columns';
function Table() {
    const ReactTable = useTable({
        columns,
        data,
    })
    const {
        getTableProps,
        getTableBodyProps,
        headerGroups,
        rows,
        prepareRow
    } = ReactTable;
    return (
        <table className='users-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, i) => {
                    prepareRow(row);
                    return (
                        <tr {...row.getRowProps()}>
                            {row.cells.map(cell => {
                                return <td {...cell.getCellProps()}>{cell.render("Cell")}</td>;
                            })}
                        </tr>
                    );
                })}
            </tbody>
        </table>
    )
}
export default Table;

We have added some CSS for styling our page into the App CSS file.

App.css

.users-table {
  font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
  border-collapse: collapse;
  width: 100%;
}
.users-table td, .users-table th {
  border: 1px solid #ddd;
  padding: 8px;
}
.users-table tr:nth-child(even){background-color: #f2f2f2;}
.users-table tr:hover {background-color: #ddd;}

.users-table th {
  padding-top: 12px;
  padding-bottom: 12px;
  text-align: center;
  background-color: #04AA6D;
  color: white;  
}

We just import the table component into our app component.

App.js

import './App.css';
import Table from './Table'
function App() {
   
  return (
    <div className="App">
     <Table />
    </div>
  );
}
export default App;

Now just run the application with the npm start command and open the application. We can see the below output of react table.

Sorting in React Table

Now let's check how to add base sorting in react table. For that, we have to make some changes in the code. We have to import useSortBy hook and if you want to initial sort by any column then we just need to pass that column.

Step 1

Import the useSortBy

import { useTable,useSortBy } from "react-table";

Step 2

Pass the usesortBy and initialState sort by column if you want by any column. We are sorting as default with the name field.

 const ReactTable =  useTable({
    columns,
    data,
    initialState: {
        sortBy: [
            {
                id: 'name',
                desc: false
            }
        ]
    }
  },useSortBy)

Step 3

Use the getSortByToggleProps method.

<th {...column.getHeaderProps(column.getSortByToggleProps())}>                 
  {column.render("Header")}                  
</th>

Here I just added the span tag to display the sorting arrow.

<th {...column.getHeaderProps(column.getSortByToggleProps())}>                 
    {column.render("Header")}
    {column.isSorted
        ? column.isSortedDesc
          ? <span>▼</span>
          : <span>▲</span>
        : ""
    }
</th>

Now the table js file code after the changes for sorting

Table.js 

import React from 'react'
import { useTable,useSortBy } from "react-table";
import data from './UsersData.json';
import columns from './Columns';
function Table()
{ 
   const ReactTable =  useTable({
    columns,
    data,
    initialState: {
        sortBy: [
            {
                id: 'name',
                desc: false
            }
        ]
    }
  },useSortBy)
      
       const {
        getTableProps,  
        getTableBodyProps,  
        headerGroups, 
        rows,  
        prepareRow 
      } = ReactTable;
    
       
      return (
        
       <table className='users-table' {...getTableProps()}>
          <thead>
            {headerGroups.map(headerGroup => (
              <tr {...headerGroup.getHeaderGroupProps()}>
                {headerGroup.headers.map(column => (
                  <th {...column.getHeaderProps(column.getSortByToggleProps())}>                 
                  {column.render("Header")}
                  {column.isSorted
                      ? column.isSortedDesc
                        ? <span>▼</span>
                        : <span>▲</span>
                      : ""
                  }
                  </th>
                ))}
              </tr>
            ))}
          </thead>
          <tbody {...getTableBodyProps()}>
            {rows.map((row, i) => {
              prepareRow(row);
              return (
                <tr {...row.getRowProps()}>
                  {row.cells.map(cell => {
                    return <td {...cell.getCellProps()}>{cell.render("Cell")}</td>;
                  })}
                </tr>
              );
            })}
          </tbody>
        </table>       
      )
}

export default Table;

Now run the application and open the application. We can see the below output of the default sorting by name and we can easily sort the fields. 

Sorting in React Table

Summary

In this article, We have learned how to use react table and sort the fields in the table. I hope you understand about basics of react table. Thank you for reading this article. 


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