Useful JavaScript Data Grid Libraries

By Anmol Agarwal

In Engineering

22 Sep 2022

5 min read

Although there exist numerous data grid libraries around the world, not all may fit our app and business needs. First, let’s understand what a data grid is. Data grids are table components that load, present, and manipulate large data sets. Data grids are often designed to be efficient and streamlined due to the enormous amount of data they handle. Moreover, they are highly customizable and extensible to meet niche data use cases.

There are many uses for data grids. You can use them for simple tables while using their enhanced search, filtering, aggregation, and functionality. Accounting and financial dashboards can be useful for tracking and visualizing financial data. In inventory management systems, data grids can also be used to track and manage goods, orders, and sales. These are just a few examples of how they can be utilized.

In this blog, we will list some of the most popular data grid libraries designed to handle large datasets. They will be evaluated based on a variety of factors, including:

Feature sets,
Front-end framework support,
Ease of customization,
Performance,
Documentation, learning resources, community, and offered support

AG Grid

AG Grid is a mature and fast data grid with features such as:

Row and range selection, Row and range selection Filtering across multiple data types, Advanced in-table editing, Grouping, pivoting, aggregation, and tree data, Embeddable components and accessories like tool panels, and sidebars.

Originally designed for Angular, it now also supports vanilla JavaScript, React, and Vue. It supports live data streaming.

Bryntum Grid

Bryntum Grid is a pure JavaScript cross-browser compatible high-performance data grid. While it has a rich feature set, some of its most notable features include:

Inline cell editing, Cell tooltips, Localization and responsiveness, Row filtering, Keyboard navigation & Accessibility, and Scrollable grid sections.
It integrates with any front-end framework, including React, and Vue. Bryntum Grid is optimized for superior rendering and scrolling performance through its virtual rendering.

Handsontable

Handsontable is a spreadsheet-like data grid with these noteworthy features:

Custom column headers and menus, Summaries, Column filtering, sorting, groups, Column, and row virtualization, and Internationalization.
It works with plain JavaScript, Angular, React, and Vue. Handsontable can efficiently handle large datasets without performance problems.

DHTMLX JavaScript DataGrid

The DHTMLX JavaScript DataGrid is a grid that ships as part of the DHTMLX Suite UI widgets library. Some of its important features include:

Data editing, formatting, sorting, and filtering, Row and cell selection.
The DHTMLX DataGrid is compatible with React, Angular, and Vue. The grid’s rows, cells, footers, headers, and tooltips can be customized through its API with CSS styling and templates.

Kendo UI Data Grid

The Kendo UI Grid is a data grid that is part of the Kendo UI library that bundles several other components. A couple of its essential features include:

Filtering, sorting, selection, search, sorting, and Frozen, sticky, resizable, and reorderable columns, Globalization, and localization.
The Kendo UI library is available in jQuery, Angular, Vue, and React versions. The grid supports live data loading. The libraries are native to each framework, it’s released and is not wrappers. As such, they have fast native performance.

DevExtreme Data Grid

The DevExtreme Data Grid ships as part of the DevExtreme component suite. Its noteworthy features include:

Data summaries with aggregate functions, Master-detail layouts, Row, batch, cell, form, and pop-up data editing, Data validation, and Fixed and Customizable Excel exports.
The suite is compatible with jQuery, Angular, React, and Vue. It has a non-commercial license that is free but has limited features,

Toast UI Grid

Toast UI Grid is part of the Toast UI library. Some of its notable features are:

Hierarchical tree data representation, Custom data input and editing elements, Virtual scrolling, and Data validation.
The grid is a free and open source. It is distributed in Javascript, React, and Vue. It’s enhanced virtual scrolling functionality lets you load large datasets without degrading performance.

FlexGrid

FlexGrid is part of the GrapeCity Wijmo UI component library. Some of its features include:

Client-side and server-side data binding, Cell customization, Cell data, maps, Editing, sorting, and filtering, Grouping and aggregation, Tree Grids, and a Master-Detail mode, FlexGrid works with Angular, React, Vue, and PureJS. Its bundle is small, and the grid is fast and loads quickly. You can customize the cell content with data maps.

FancyGrid

FancyGrid is a grid library with chart integration. Its notable features include:

Filtering and sorting, Chart integration, Internationalization, Column reordering, Grid to grid drag-and-drop, Tree Grid, sub-grids, and sub-forms.

Conclusion:

Modern SaaS and internal business-critical applications require data grids. Large datasets can be more easily manipulated and read with data grids. A professional data grid should also be able to handle a large amount of data without degrading the performance of your app.