blueimp-file-upload, dropzone, filepond, fine-uploader, ng-file-upload, react-dropzone, and uppy are all JavaScript libraries designed to enhance file uploading in web applications beyond the basic HTML file input. They provide features like drag-and-drop interfaces, file previews, progress indicators, client-side validation, and in some cases, advanced capabilities such as chunked and resumable uploads. These libraries differ significantly in their architectural approach — ranging from jQuery plugins and framework-specific solutions to modern, framework-agnostic, and modular designs — making the choice highly dependent on project constraints, framework ecosystem, and required features.
File Upload Libraries Compared: Architecture, Integration, and Real-World Trade-offs
File upload is a deceptively complex feature in modern web apps. Beyond the basic <input type="file">, you need drag-and-drop, previews, progress tracking, chunked uploads, validation, and responsive UI feedback. The libraries under review — blueimp-file-upload, dropzone, filepond, fine-uploader, ng-file-upload, react-dropzone, and uppy — each solve this problem with different philosophies. Let’s compare them through the lens of real engineering decisions.
🧱 Core Architecture: jQuery Plugin vs Framework-Specific vs Framework-Agnostic
blueimp-file-upload is a jQuery plugin first and foremost. It assumes jQuery is present and extends its API.
// Requires jQuery
$('#fileupload').fileupload({
url: '/upload',
dataType: 'json',
done: function (e, data) {
console.log('Upload complete');
}
});
dropzone is framework-agnostic but DOM-centric. You attach it to an element and configure behavior via options or HTML attributes.
// Vanilla JS usage
const myDropzone = new Dropzone('#my-dropzone', {
url: '/upload',
maxFiles: 5
});
filepond follows a plugin-based architecture with a clean imperative API. It can be used standalone or with framework adapters.
import * as FilePond from 'filepond';
const pond = FilePond.create(document.querySelector('input'), {
server: '/upload',
allowMultiple: true
});
fine-uploader is a self-contained module that manages both UI and XHR logic. It uses a constructor pattern and emits events.
const uploader = new qq.FineUploader({
element: document.getElementById('uploader'),
request: { endpoint: '/upload' }
});
ng-file-upload is built specifically for AngularJS (v1.x). It provides directives and services tightly coupled to Angular’s digest cycle.
// In AngularJS controller
Upload.upload({
url: '/upload',
data: { file: $scope.file }
}).then(response => {
console.log('Success');
});
react-dropzone is a React hook that returns props to spread onto a DOM element. It deliberately avoids rendering UI, leaving that to you.
import { useDropzone } from 'react-dropzone';
function MyDropzone() {
const { getRootProps, getInputProps, isDragActive } = useDropzone({
onDrop: acceptedFiles => console.log(acceptedFiles)
});
return (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
{isDragActive ? <p>Drop here</p> : <p>Drag files</p>}
</div>
);
}
uppy is a modular, framework-agnostic core with pluggable UI and functional plugins. It separates concerns cleanly: core logic, UI views, and upload destinations.
import Uppy from '@uppy/core';
import Dashboard from '@uppy/dashboard';
import XHRUpload from '@uppy/xhr-upload';
const uppy = new Uppy();
uppy.use(Dashboard, { target: '#uppy' });
uppy.use(XHRUpload, { endpoint: '/upload' });
⚠️ Deprecation Note:
ng-file-uploadis not recommended for new projects. It targets AngularJS (v1.x), which has been end-of-life since January 2022. Use Angular’sHttpClientwith native file handling or considerngx-file-dropfor Angular (v2+) instead.
📤 Upload Mechanics: Chunking, Resumability, and Validation
Chunked uploads are critical for large files. Only some libraries support them out of the box.
fine-uploaderhas built-in chunking and resumable uploads using localStorage to track progress.
const uploader = new qq.FineUploader({
request: { endpoint: '/upload' },
chunking: {
enabled: true,
partSize: 2000000 // 2MB chunks
}
});
uppysupports chunking via the@uppy/tusplugin (using the tus protocol) or custom chunking with@uppy/xhr-uploadif your backend supports it.
import Tus from '@uppy/tus';
uppy.use(Tus, { endpoint: 'https://tusd.tusdemo.net/files/' });
blueimp-file-uploadsupports chunking via themaxChunkSizeoption, but requires server-side coordination.
$('#fileupload').fileupload({
maxChunkSize: 10000000 // 10MB
});
dropzone,filepond,react-dropzone, andng-file-uploaddo not support chunked uploads natively. You’d need to implement this yourself or pair them with a separate uploading library.
Validation is another key differentiator:
filepondoffers rich validation via plugins likeFilePondPluginFileValidateTypeandFilePondPluginFileValidateSize.
import FilePondPluginFileValidateType from 'filepond-plugin-file-validate-type';
FilePond.registerPlugin(FilePondPluginFileValidateType);
FilePond.create(input, {
acceptedFileTypes: ['image/*'],
maxFileSize: '2MB'
});
dropzonevalidates viaacceptedFiles,maxFilesize, and customacceptfunctions.
new Dropzone('#dz', {
acceptedFiles: 'image/*',
maxFilesize: 2, // MB
accept: (file, done) => {
if (file.name === 'forbidden.pdf') done('Nope');
else done();
}
});
uppyvalidates through restrictions in the core or via plugins like@uppy/validator.
const uppy = new Uppy({
restrictions: {
maxFileSize: 2000000,
allowedFileTypes: ['image/*']
}
});
🎨 UI Approach: Zero-UI vs Full-Featured Widgets
Some libraries render nothing; others ship polished UIs.
-
react-dropzonegives you zero UI — just event handlers and state. You build everything. -
dropzoneandfilepondinclude full drag-and-drop zones with previews, progress bars, and remove buttons. They’re highly customizable via CSS. -
uppy’sDashboardplugin provides a production-ready modal or inline UI with file previews, metadata editing, and more. -
blueimp-file-uploadandfine-uploaderinclude template-based UIs that you can override. -
ng-file-uploadprovides no UI components — just upload logic for AngularJS templates.
🔌 Framework Integration: Hooks, Directives, or Plain JS
- React: Use
react-dropzonefor minimal integration oruppywith@uppy/reactfor a full UI. - Angular (v2+): None of these are ideal. Avoid
ng-file-upload. Considerngx-file-dropor integrateuppyvia Angular wrappers. - Vue:
filepondhas official Vue components.uppyworks via vanilla integration. - Plain JS / jQuery:
dropzone,blueimp-file-upload, andfine-uploaderare solid choices.
🔄 Real-World Code Comparison: Basic Drag-and-Drop Upload
Here’s how each active library handles a basic drag-and-drop upload to /api/upload:
blueimp-file-upload (jQuery)
$('#fileupload').fileupload({
url: '/api/upload',
dropZone: $('#dropzone')
});
dropzone
new Dropzone('#dropzone', {
url: '/api/upload'
});
filepond
FilePond.create(document.querySelector('input'), {
server: '/api/upload'
});
fine-uploader
new qq.FineUploader({
element: document.getElementById('uploader'),
request: { endpoint: '/api/upload' }
});
react-dropzone
function Uploader() {
const onDrop = useCallback((acceptedFiles) => {
acceptedFiles.forEach(file => {
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('file', file);
fetch('/api/upload', { method: 'POST', body: formData });
});
}, []);
const { getRootProps, getInputProps } = useDropzone({ onDrop });
return <div {...getRootProps()}><input {...getInputProps()} /></div>;
}
uppy
const uppy = new Uppy();
uppy.use(Dashboard, { target: '#uppy' });
uppy.use(XHRUpload, { endpoint: '/api/upload' });
Note:
ng-file-uploadomitted due to deprecation.
📊 Summary Table
| Library | Framework | Chunking | Resumable | Built-in UI | Validation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
blueimp-file-upload | jQuery | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | Maintained |
dropzone | Vanilla JS | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | Maintained |
filepond | Framework-agnostic (+adapters) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (plugins) | Maintained |
fine-uploader | Vanilla JS | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Maintained |
ng-file-upload | AngularJS (v1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Deprecated |
react-dropzone | React | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ (basic) | Maintained |
uppy | Framework-agnostic | ✅ (via tus) | ✅ (via tus) | ✅ (plugins) | ✅ | Actively maintained |
💡 Final Guidance
- Need chunking/resumability? → Choose
fine-uploaderoruppy(with tus). - Building a React app and want full control? →
react-dropzone. - Want a beautiful, customizable upload UI with minimal setup? →
filepondoruppy. - Working in a jQuery legacy app? →
blueimp-file-upload. - Prefer lightweight, no-frills drag-and-drop? →
dropzone. - Avoid entirely:
ng-file-upload— it’s tied to a dead framework.
In 2024, uppy stands out for its modularity, active maintenance, and support for advanced features like resumable uploads, while filepond excels in UI polish and ease of use. For React-specific needs, react-dropzone remains the go-to for developers who prefer composing their own UI.
- react-dropzone:
Choose
react-dropzoneif you're building a React application and prefer full control over the upload UI and behavior. It provides hooks for drag-and-drop and file selection without rendering any markup, making it ideal for teams that want to compose custom-designed upload experiences while leveraging React’s declarative model. - dropzone:
Choose
dropzoneif you need a lightweight, dependency-free library with a polished drag-and-drop UI, good validation, and straightforward configuration. It’s ideal for simple to moderate upload requirements where chunking or resumability isn’t needed, and you prefer minimal setup with maximum visual feedback. - filepond:
Choose
filepondif you prioritize a beautiful, highly customizable upload interface with smooth animations and strong validation via plugins. It works well across frameworks through official adapters and is perfect when you need an out-of-the-box premium UI without building components from scratch, though it lacks native chunked uploads. - blueimp-file-upload:
Choose
blueimp-file-uploadif you're maintaining or building a jQuery-based application and need a mature, feature-complete file upload solution with built-in UI templates and chunked upload support. It integrates naturally into jQuery workflows but adds significant overhead if you're not already using jQuery. - fine-uploader:
Choose
fine-uploaderif your project requires robust enterprise-grade features like automatic chunked uploads, resumable transfers, and image previews without relying on external protocols. It’s a self-contained solution with a comprehensive UI and is well-suited for applications handling large files where reliability and progress recovery are critical. - uppy:
Choose
uppyif you need a modern, modular, and extensible file upload experience with support for advanced features like resumable uploads (via tus), cloud integrations, and a polished dashboard UI. Its plugin architecture allows you to include only what you need, and it works seamlessly across frameworks, making it a future-proof choice for complex upload workflows. - ng-file-upload:
Do not choose
ng-file-uploadfor new projects. It is built exclusively for AngularJS (v1.x), which reached end-of-life in 2022. Using it ties your codebase to a deprecated framework and limits future maintainability. Migrate to modern Angular with native HttpClient or alternative libraries likengx-file-dropif working in Angular ecosystems.
react-dropzone
Simple React hook to create a HTML5-compliant drag'n'drop zone for files.
Documentation and examples at https://react-dropzone.js.org. Source code at https://github.com/react-dropzone/react-dropzone/.
Installation
Install it from npm and include it in your React build process (using Webpack, Browserify, etc).
npm install --save react-dropzone
or:
yarn add react-dropzone
Usage
You can either use the hook:
import React, {useCallback} from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function MyDropzone() {
const onDrop = useCallback(acceptedFiles => {
// Do something with the files
}, [])
const {getRootProps, getInputProps, isDragActive} = useDropzone({onDrop})
return (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
{
isDragActive ?
<p>Drop the files here ...</p> :
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
}
</div>
)
}
Or the wrapper component for the hook:
import React from 'react'
import Dropzone from 'react-dropzone'
<Dropzone onDrop={acceptedFiles => console.log(acceptedFiles)}>
{({getRootProps, getInputProps}) => (
<section>
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</div>
</section>
)}
</Dropzone>
If you want to access file contents you have to use the FileReader API:
import React, {useCallback} from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function MyDropzone() {
const onDrop = useCallback((acceptedFiles) => {
acceptedFiles.forEach((file) => {
const reader = new FileReader()
reader.onabort = () => console.log('file reading was aborted')
reader.onerror = () => console.log('file reading has failed')
reader.onload = () => {
// Do whatever you want with the file contents
const binaryStr = reader.result
console.log(binaryStr)
}
reader.readAsArrayBuffer(file)
})
}, [])
const {getRootProps, getInputProps} = useDropzone({onDrop})
return (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</div>
)
}
Dropzone Props Getters
The dropzone property getters are just two functions that return objects with properties which you need to use to create the drag 'n' drop zone.
The root properties can be applied to whatever element you want, whereas the input properties must be applied to an <input>:
import React from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function MyDropzone() {
const {getRootProps, getInputProps} = useDropzone()
return (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</div>
)
}
Note that whatever other props you want to add to the element where the props from getRootProps() are set, you should always pass them through that function rather than applying them on the element itself.
This is in order to avoid your props being overridden (or overriding the props returned by getRootProps()):
<div
{...getRootProps({
onClick: event => console.log(event),
role: 'button',
'aria-label': 'drag and drop area',
...
})}
/>
In the example above, the provided {onClick} handler will be invoked before the internal one, therefore, internal callbacks can be prevented by simply using stopPropagation.
See Events for more examples.
Important: if you omit rendering an <input> and/or binding the props from getInputProps(), opening a file dialog will not be possible.
Refs
Both getRootProps and getInputProps accept a custom refKey (defaults to ref) as one of the attributes passed down in the parameter.
This can be useful when the element you're trying to apply the props from either one of those fns does not expose a reference to the element, e.g:
import React from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
// NOTE: After v4.0.0, styled components exposes a ref using forwardRef,
// therefore, no need for using innerRef as refKey
import styled from 'styled-components'
const StyledDiv = styled.div`
// Some styling here
`
function Example() {
const {getRootProps, getInputProps} = useDropzone()
<StyledDiv {...getRootProps({ refKey: 'innerRef' })}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</StyledDiv>
}
If you're working with Material UI v4 and would like to apply the root props on some component that does not expose a ref, use RootRef:
import React from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
import RootRef from '@material-ui/core/RootRef'
function PaperDropzone() {
const {getRootProps, getInputProps} = useDropzone()
const {ref, ...rootProps} = getRootProps()
<RootRef rootRef={ref}>
<Paper {...rootProps}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</Paper>
</RootRef>
}
IMPORTANT: do not set the ref prop on the elements where getRootProps()/getInputProps() props are set, instead, get the refs from the hook itself:
import React from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function Refs() {
const {
getRootProps,
getInputProps,
rootRef, // Ref to the `<div>`
inputRef // Ref to the `<input>`
} = useDropzone()
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</div>
}
If you're using the <Dropzone> component, though, you can set the ref prop on the component itself which will expose the {open} prop that can be used to open the file dialog programmatically:
import React, {createRef} from 'react'
import Dropzone from 'react-dropzone'
const dropzoneRef = createRef()
<Dropzone ref={dropzoneRef}>
{({getRootProps, getInputProps}) => (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<p>Drag 'n' drop some files here, or click to select files</p>
</div>
)}
</Dropzone>
dropzoneRef.open()
Testing
react-dropzone makes some of its drag 'n' drop callbacks asynchronous to enable promise based getFilesFromEvent() functions. In order to test components that use this library, you need to use the react-testing-library:
import React from 'react'
import Dropzone from 'react-dropzone'
import {act, fireEvent, render} from '@testing-library/react'
test('invoke onDragEnter when dragenter event occurs', async () => {
const file = new File([
JSON.stringify({ping: true})
], 'ping.json', { type: 'application/json' })
const data = mockData([file])
const onDragEnter = jest.fn()
const ui = (
<Dropzone onDragEnter={onDragEnter}>
{({ getRootProps, getInputProps }) => (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
</div>
)}
</Dropzone>
)
const { container } = render(ui)
await act(
() => fireEvent.dragEnter(
container.querySelector('div'),
data,
)
);
expect(onDragEnter).toHaveBeenCalled()
})
function mockData(files) {
return {
dataTransfer: {
files,
items: files.map(file => ({
kind: 'file',
type: file.type,
getAsFile: () => file
})),
types: ['Files']
}
}
}
NOTE: using Enzyme for testing is not supported at the moment, see #2011.
More examples for this can be found in react-dropzone's own test suites.
Caveats
Required React Version
React 16.8 or above is required because we use hooks (the lib itself is a hook).
File Paths
Files returned by the hook or passed as arg to the onDrop cb won't have the properties path or fullPath.
For more inf check this SO question and this issue.
Not a File Uploader
This lib is not a file uploader; as such, it does not process files or provide any way to make HTTP requests to some server; if you're looking for that, checkout filepond or uppy.io.
Using <label> as Root
If you use <label> as the root element, the file dialog will be opened twice; see #1107 why. To avoid this, use noClick:
import React, {useCallback} from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function MyDropzone() {
const {getRootProps, getInputProps} = useDropzone({noClick: true})
return (
<label {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
</label>
)
}
Using open() on Click
If you bind a click event on an inner element and use open(), it will trigger a click on the root element too, resulting in the file dialog opening twice. To prevent this, use the noClick on the root:
import React, {useCallback} from 'react'
import {useDropzone} from 'react-dropzone'
function MyDropzone() {
const {getRootProps, getInputProps, open} = useDropzone({noClick: true})
return (
<div {...getRootProps()}>
<input {...getInputProps()} />
<button type="button" onClick={open}>
Open
</button>
</div>
)
}
File Dialog Cancel Callback
The onFileDialogCancel() cb is unstable in most browsers, meaning, there's a good chance of it being triggered even though you have selected files.
We rely on using a timeout of 300ms after the window is focused (the window onfocus event is triggered when the file select dialog is closed) to check if any files were selected and trigger onFileDialogCancel if none were selected.
As one can imagine, this doesn't really work if there's a lot of files or large files as by the time we trigger the check, the browser is still processing the files and no onchange events are triggered yet on the input. Check #1031 for more info.
Fortunately, there's the File System Access API, which is currently a working draft and some browsers support it (see browser compatibility), that provides a reliable way to prompt the user for file selection and capture cancellation.
Also keep in mind that the FS access API can only be used in secure contexts.
NOTE You can enable using the FS access API with the useFsAccessApi property: useDropzone({useFsAccessApi: true}).
File System Access API
When setting useFsAccessApi to true, you're switching to the File System API (see the file system access RFC).
What this essentially does is that it will use the showOpenFilePicker method to open the file picker window so that the user can select files.
In contrast, the traditional way (when the useFsAccessApi is not set to true or not specified) uses an <input type="file"> (see docs) on which a click event is triggered.
With the use of the file system access API enabled, there's a couple of caveats to keep in mind:
- The users will not be able to select directories
- It requires the app to run in a secure context
- In Electron, the path may not be set (see #1249)
Supported Browsers
We use browserslist config to state the browser support for this lib, so check it out on browserslist.dev.
Need image editing?
React Dropzone integrates perfectly with Pintura Image Editor, creating a modern image editing experience. Pintura supports crop aspect ratios, resizing, rotating, cropping, annotating, filtering, and much more.
Checkout the Pintura integration example.
Support
Backers
Support us with a monthly donation and help us continue our activities. [Become a backer]
Sponsors
Become a sponsor and get your logo on our README on Github with a link to your site. [Become a sponsor]
Hosting
react-dropzone.js.org hosting provided by netlify.
Contribute
Checkout the organization CONTRIBUTING.md.
License
MIT