How To Create A React Responsive Grid

June 28, 2022 3369 Views

Building responsive grids, particularly in React, is crucial for developers working on data-heavy applications. These grids adjust automatically to different screen sizes. They provide a good user interface across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. This is essential for applications with large amounts of data. Users need to manage, filter, and perform actions on data easily.

In this blog, we’ll discuss developing a responsive grid in React. We’ll start with tools like the React Grid Layout library. This library simplifies the process of creating responsive layouts. Then, we’ll explore enterprise-grade solutions like Sencha GRUI and ReExt. These tools offer advanced grid features for complex applications. They are recommended for data-heavy dashboards and admin panels.

This guide will walk you through step-by-step instructions for building a responsive grid. You’ll learn to incorporate various components to achieve high performance. By the end, you’ll understand how to create performant, user-friendly grids for any React application.

What is a React Grid?

When someone references a React Grid, they mean a UI component in applications built with React. It helps represent and arrange data in a tabular or grid form. React Grids make presenting structured data easier. They are ideal for displaying datasets, product catalogs, or user records.

React Grids are also modular. Developers can integrate features like pagination, sorting, filtering, and data editing. Each feature can be tailored to the application’s needs.

Examples of React Grids

React Table is a common example. It’s lightweight but flexible, allowing custom cell renderers. Each cell in a product inventory table, for instance, can show a product’s image, price, and stock level. React Table also supports infinite scrolling, making it ideal for large applications.

AG Grid is another option with advanced features. It includes row grouping, column pinning, and data export, which is perfect for enterprise use. For example, in financial dashboards, AG Grid can display hierarchical data and summaries. Users can group transactions by category or date.

Examples of React Grids

What Is A React Responsive Grid?

A responsive React grid changes dynamically. It adjusts immediately when users change the grid size. This feature is simple to implement in React. The “ResponsiveReactGridLayout” mixin is particularly helpful.

ResponsiveReactGridLayout lets you create a dynamic grid. It has an intelligent design that mirrors some user actions. A key feature is “responsive breakpoints.” Breakpoints are conditions that adjust the layout when a preset screen size is encountered. They also standardize the interface across devices.

Now, let’s explain how to implement responsive grids with this React component. We’ll focus on listeners and breakpoints. These elements make the design seamless.

How Can You Create A React Responsive Grid?

How Can You Create A React Responsive Grid?
To build a responsive grid in React, start by importing the ResponsiveGridLayout from react-grid-layout:

import { Responsive as ResponsiveGridLayout } from "react-grid-layout";

Once imported, extend the React.Component class to create your custom grid component. Here, we’ll call it ResponsiveExample.
1. Create the Component Class: Start by setting up a class component. Inside, define the render method where the layout will go.

Define the Layout: Create a layout array. This array defines each grid item’s position, width, and height. Here’s an example:

class ResponsiveExample extends React.Component {
render() {
    const layout = [
    { i: "ex1", x: 0, y: 0, w: 1, h: 1 },
    { i: "ex2", x: 1, y: 0, w: 1, h: 1 },
    { i: "ex3", x: 2, y: 0, w: 1, h: 1 },
    { i: "ex4", x: 3, y: 0, w: 1, h: 1 },
    { i: "ex5", x: 4, y: 0, w: 1, h: 1 }
];

2. Set Up the Grid Layout Component: In the return statement, use ResponsiveGridLayout to render the grid. The component requires several key properties:

className: Adds a CSS class for styling.
layouts: Sets the layout data, which defines grid structure.
breakpoints: Defines screen widths for adjusting the layout.

cols: Sets the number of columns at each breakpoint.

 return (
    < ResponsiveGridLayout
        className="layout"
        layouts={{ lg: layout }}
        breakpoints={{ lg: 1200, md: 996, sm: 768, xs: 480, xxs: 0 }}
        cols={{ lg: 12, md: 10, sm: 6, xs: 4, xxs: 2 }}
    >
        < div key="ex1">1< /div>
        < div key="ex2">2< /div>
        < div key="ex3">3< /div>
        < div key="ex4">4< /div>
        < div key="ex5">5< /div>
    < /ResponsiveGridLayout>
    );
  }
}

3. Customize Breakpoints and Columns: Use the breakpoints property to control layout adjustments at various screen sizes. Each breakpoint (lg, md, sm, xs, xxs) is a minimum width for the layout change. With cols, you specify how many columns appear at each breakpoint. Here, lg shows 12 columns, while xxs shows only 2.

4. Enable Responsiveness: By setting these breakpoints and cols, the grid will adjust to fit different devices. This setup creates a responsive experience. The grid will automatically reconfigure with screen resizing and other interactions.

With these steps, you’re ready to use ResponsiveReactGridLayout for flexible, responsive grids. Customize layouts and breakpoints to create the experience you want.

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Creating a Responsive Grid in React with ReExt

ReExt is software that makes Ext JS components available in React. It enables React programmers to use the sophisticated UI components of Ext JS. This synergy is ideal for constructing data-intensive, enterprise-level apps. With ReExt, developers can use a variety of UI components. These include grids, charts, forms, trees, and more, while still working in React.

Key Features of ReExt:

Rich UI Component Library
ReExt includes more than 140 US-based UI components from Ext JS. These components, such as charts, forms, and grids, simplify building detailed interfaces.

Enterprise-Class Capabilities
ReExt builds robust, scalable applications. It provides strong data management and representation capabilities, as expected for enterprise applications.

Responsive Design
Many ReExt components adapt to fit different screen sizes. This responsiveness is valuable for mobile apps, enhancing the user experience.

Drag-and-Drop Interface
ReExt offers drag-and-drop editing for quick page building. This feature simplifies complex interface designs. It saves time and improves efficiency.

Ext JS and React are powerful combinations. ReExt enables developers to create interactive applications that require complexity.

Creating a Responsive Grid in React with ReExt:

To create a responsive grid in React that scales for all screen sizes, try ReExt. With it, you can set a grid to resize columns, select fields, and maintain consistency across devices. Follow these simple steps for a responsive grid:

1. Install ReExt and Set Up the Project

First, ensure ReExt is installed in your React project. If it’s not yet installed, add it using npm or yarn.
If you haven’t created a React app yet, you can do so quickly using the following command:

npx create-react-app my-responsive-app

Navigate to your project folder:

cd my-responsive-app

Then install ReExt with:

npm install reext

2. Create a Responsive Grid Component

Inside your src folder, create a new file called ResponsiveGrid.js.
In this file, import the necessary ReExt and React components. Set up your grid layout to be responsive by configuring it to adjust columns, show/hide fields, and resize dynamically.

Here’s an example of what ResponsiveGrid.js might look like:

import React from 'react';
import { Grid } from 'reext';

const ResponsiveGrid = () => {
    const gridConfig = {
    columns: [
        { text: 'Name', dataIndex: 'name', flex: 1 },
        { text: 'Age', dataIndex: 'age', flex: 1 },
        { text: 'Location', dataIndex: 'location', flex: 1 }
    ],
    responsiveConfig: {
        'width < 600': {
        columns: [
            { text: 'Name', dataIndex: 'name', flex: 1 }
        ]
        }
    }
    };

    return (
    < Grid {...gridConfig} />
    );
};

export default ResponsiveGrid;

3. Use the Responsive Grid Component in App.js

To display your responsive grid, import ResponsiveGrid in your App.js file.
Render the component to include the grid within the main app:

import React from 'react';
import ResponsiveGrid from './ResponsiveGrid';

function App() {
    return (
    < div className="App">
        < ResponsiveGrid />
    < /div>
    );
}

export default App;

4. Run the Application

Start your app to see the responsive grid in action. Run the following command:

npm start

Your application should now be running, and the grid should adjust responsively across different devices.

How Can You Create A Grid In React?

Step 1: Create a New React Application

To start, use the create-react-app command to set up a new React application. This will provide a basic structure to get started with your grid layout.

Open your terminal.

Run the following command to create the app:

npx create-react-app my-grid-app
Once the app is created, navigate into the app directory:
cd my-grid-app

Step 2: Install the react-grid-layout Package

The react-grid-layout package includes essential grid components and functions for building responsive grids in React. Install it with the following command:

npm install react-grid-layout

Step 3: Set Up the Grid Component

Now, create a grid component in your app using react-grid-layout. Follow these steps:
1. Open your project folder in a code editor (like VS Code).
2. Inside the src folder, create a new file called MyGrid.js.

Import the GridLayout component from the react-grid-layout package at the top of this file:

import React from 'react';
import GridLayout from "react-grid-layout";

Step 4: Configure the Grid Component

Inside MyGrid.js, create a functional component that renders the grid layout. You can define grid items and set their positions, sizes, and other configurations to create a responsive grid.

Example of a basic grid component in MyGrid.js:

const MyGrid = () => {
const layout = [
    { i: "item1", x: 0, y: 0, w: 2, h: 2 },
    { i: "item2", x: 2, y: 0, w: 2, h: 2 },
    { i: "item3", x: 4, y: 0, w: 2, h: 2 },
];

return (
    < GridLayout
    className="layout"
    layout={layout}
    cols={12}
    rowHeight={30}
    width={1200}
    >
    < div key="item1" style={{ background: "lightblue" }}>Item 1< /div>
    < div key="item2" style={{ background: "lightcoral" }}>Item 2< /div>
    < div key="item3" style={{ background: "lightgreen" }}>Item 3< /div>
    < /GridLayout>
  );
};
      
export default MyGrid;

layout: Defines the initial grid layout configuration, setting the position (x, y) and size (w for width, h for height) of each grid item
cols: Specifies the total number of columns.
rowHeight: Sets the height of each row in pixels.
width: Defines the grid’s width, allowing responsive adjustments.

Step 5: Use the Grid Component in App.js

To see the grid in your app, import and render MyGrid in App.js:

import React from 'react';
import MyGrid from './MyGrid';

function App() {
  return (
    < div className="App">
      < h1>Responsive React Grid Layout< /h1>
      < MyGrid />
    < /div>
  );
}

export default App;

Step 6: Run the Application

Start your React app to view the grid layout in the browser:

npm start

How To Extend The React Component Class To Create The Grid?

To create a grid layout in React, you can extend the React.Component class to set up a component that utilizes GridLayout for a structured, customizable grid design. Below, we’ll walk through the setup process, which includes configuring grid properties like width, height, x and y coordinates, and setting minimum and maximum widths for each grid item.

Import the Necessary Modules: Before creating the grid layout, ensure that GridLayout is imported into your React component.
Extend the React Component Class: Next, extend the React.Component class to define a custom component for your grid layout.
Define the Grid Items with data-grid Properties: Inside the render() function, create child elements within the GridLayout component. Use the data-grid attribute to control each item’s placement, size, and behavior within the grid.

Here is an example:

import React from 'react';
import GridLayout from 'react-grid-layout';

class MyGrid extends React.Component {
  render() {
    return (
      < GridLayout className="layout" cols={10} rowHeight={25} width={900}>
        {/* Grid Item 1 */}
        < div key="one" data-grid={{ x: 0, y: 0, w: 1, h: 2, static: true }}>
          1
        < /div>
        
        {/* Grid Item 2 */}
        < div key="two" data-grid={{ x: 1, y: 0, w: 3, h: 2, minW: 2, maxW: 4 }}>
          2
        < /div>
        
        {/* Grid Item 3 */}
        < div key="three" data-grid={{ x: 4, y: 0, w: 1, h: 2 }}>
          3
        < /div>
      < /GridLayout>
    );
  }
}

Explanation of Key Elements

Grid Container: < GridLayout className="layout" cols={10} rowHeight={25} width={900}>
This defines the overall grid container with cols, rowHeight, and width properties:
- cols={10}: Sets the grid to have 10 columns.
- rowHeight={25}: Specifies the height of each row.
- width={900}: Defines the total width of the grid layout in pixels.
Grid Items: The data-grid attribute in each div defines the grid item’s position and size.
- x and y: The starting coordinates of each grid item.
- w and h: Width and height (in grid units) of the item.
- static: If set to true, prevents the item from being moved or resized.
- minW and maxW: Allow control over the minimum and maximum width of the grid item.

Extending Functionality

This grid layout serves as a starting point for adding more complex functionalities to your UI. For enhanced grid features, you may explore other libraries like Sencha GRUI, which provides additional capabilities for building modern and responsive web applications with greater efficiency.

How Can You Create A Grid In BestReactGrid (Formerly Sencha GRUI)?

BestReactGrid, previously known as Sencha GRUI, is built on Ext JS grid technology. It offers over 100 features designed for enterprise-grade grid solutions in React. This grid library provides similar functionality to React Grid Layout. However, it is easier to use and performs better. Follow these steps to create a grid in React using the sencha-grid package.

Step 1: Set Up a New React Application

Start by creating a new React application. Use the create-react-app command:

npx create-react-app my-grid-app
cd my-grid-app

Step 2: Install the Sencha Grid Component

Next, install the sencha-grid package:

npm add @sencha/sencha-grid

Step 3: Import the Required Components

Now, import the necessary components in your React application. You need SenchaGrid and Column to create the grid layout:

import React from "react";
import { SenchaGrid, Column } from "@sencha/sencha-grid";

These steps set up the basic structure for using BestReactGrid in your React application. You can now start creating a customizable, high-performance grid layo

How To Extend The React Component Using SenchaGrid?

After importing the necessary components, extend the React component class. Create a default component class to use SenchaGrid. Although you can use these components in various ways in a React app, this example uses a class-based component.

Define Data for the Grid

First, define some values that will populate the grid. Use the data property of SenchaGrid to load this data into the grid.

Create the Component

Here’s the code to set up a simple grid with three columns:

import React from "react";
import { SenchaGrid, Column } from "@sencha/sencha-grid";

export default class App extends React.Component {
  render() {
    const data = [
      { col1: "val1", col2: "data1", col3: 1.01 },
      { col1: "val2", col2: "data2", col3: 1.02 },
      { col1: "val2", col2: "data3", col3: 1.03 },
    ];

    return (
      < SenchaGrid data={data}>
        < Column field="col1" text="Column 1" flex="1" />
        < Column field="col2" text="Column 2" />
        < Column field="col3" text="Column 3" align="right" />
      < /SenchaGrid>
    );
  }
}

Data Array: Contains objects that represent rows in the grid.
SenchaGrid Component: Takes data as a property to populate the grid.
Column Components: Define each column with attributes such as field, text, flex, and align.

This code creates a straightforward grid with three columns, each containing data from the data array. As seen, setting up a React grid with SenchaGrid is simple and helps you clearly visualize the structure of your grid layout.

What Are the Best Practices to Follow When Creating a React Responsive Grid?

When creating a grid in React, there are several considerations. Simple responsive design, user experience, and screen compatibility are important. Here are some tips:

Use a Responsive Grid System

Start with this. Libraries like Material-UI, Bootstrap, and Chakra UI provide responsive grid systems. These libraries use media queries for different screen sizes. They improve efficiency in building responsive designs.

Combine Flexbox with CSS Grid

CSS Grid works well for layouts with rows and columns. Flexbox is best for aligning items along one dimension. Using both creates flexible grids that adapt to viewports. For example, CSS Grid can set the main layout, while Flexbox can adjust details in each cell.

Be Mindful of Breakpoints

Define breakpoints for mobile, tablet, and desktop. Each breakpoint can adjust content visibility in the grid layout. For instance, a desktop may show three columns, a tablet two, and a mobile one. This ensures efficient usage across devices.

Avoid Fixed Widths

Avoid fixed pixel values for width and height. Use percentages or fr units in CSS Grid. This allows elements to expand or shrink as needed, keeping grids effective on all displays.

Optimize for Performance

Large grids can slow the app. Use virtualization tools like React Window or React Virtualized. These tools only render visible rows, reducing the DOM load. This boosts performance, especially with large datasets.

Use Mobile-First Design

Start by creating the layout for the smallest screens. This ensures a strong layout on mobile devices. Then, progressively enhance it for larger screens. Mobile-first CSS simplifies responsiveness with multiple breakpoints.

Why Should You Use Sencha ReExt?

Responsive grids are essential in modern web and mobile applications. They allow users to perform various activities and adjust layouts as desired. In this article, we discussed how React provides the React Grid Layout package for building grids. However, Sencha ReExt is a more powerful and efficient option for creating grids.

To make a React grid responsive, use ResponsiveGridLayout. Set properties to match your layout needs. Alternatively, you can use Sencha ReExt to build more intuitive and responsive grid layouts. It also offers high-performance grids. For further questions, feel free to contact the Sencha team.

Why Should You Use Sencha ReExt?