react-select vs downshift vs react-autosuggest vs react-autocomplete
React Autocomplete Libraries Comparison
1 Year
react-selectdownshiftreact-autosuggestreact-autocompleteSimilar Packages:
What's React Autocomplete Libraries?

React autocomplete libraries provide developers with tools to implement user-friendly input fields that suggest options as users type. These libraries enhance user experience by reducing input errors and speeding up data entry. They often include features such as keyboard navigation, filtering, and customizable styling, making them suitable for a variety of applications. Choosing the right library depends on specific project requirements, including complexity, customization needs, and performance considerations.

NPM Package Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
react-select2,537,14727,723724 kB43825 days agoMIT
downshift658,62412,1392.79 MB485 months agoMIT
react-autosuggest133,4435,968-2614 years agoMIT
react-autocomplete34,5632,166-917 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-select vs downshift vs react-autosuggest vs react-autocomplete

Customization

  • react-select:

    React Select is highly customizable, offering extensive props for styling and behavior. You can easily change the appearance of the dropdown, manage multi-select options, and integrate async data fetching, making it a versatile choice.

  • downshift:

    Downshift offers unparalleled customization, allowing developers to fully control the rendering of dropdown items and input fields. You can define how the suggestions are displayed, manage state, and implement custom keyboard interactions, making it suitable for complex use cases.

  • react-autosuggest:

    React Autosuggest strikes a balance with moderate customization capabilities. It allows you to customize the rendering of suggestions and the input field while providing sensible defaults, making it easier to implement without sacrificing too much flexibility.

  • react-autocomplete:

    React Autocomplete provides basic customization options but is limited compared to Downshift. It allows for some styling and behavior modifications but may not support advanced features without additional effort.

Accessibility

  • react-select:

    React Select includes strong accessibility features out of the box, supporting keyboard navigation and ARIA attributes, making it a great option for applications that need to cater to a diverse user base.

  • downshift:

    Downshift is designed with accessibility in mind, providing built-in support for ARIA attributes and keyboard navigation. However, developers must implement these features correctly, which requires a good understanding of accessibility standards.

  • react-autosuggest:

    React Autosuggest offers good accessibility support, including keyboard navigation and ARIA roles, making it a solid choice for applications that prioritize user experience for all users.

  • react-autocomplete:

    React Autocomplete has basic accessibility features but may require additional work to ensure full compliance with ARIA standards. It is suitable for simpler applications where accessibility is not a primary concern.

Performance

  • react-select:

    React Select is designed to handle large datasets efficiently, with features like lazy loading and virtualized lists, making it suitable for applications with extensive options.

  • downshift:

    Downshift is optimized for performance, allowing for efficient rendering of suggestions and minimal re-renders. Its flexibility means that developers can implement performance optimizations tailored to their specific use cases.

  • react-autosuggest:

    React Autosuggest performs well with moderate datasets and includes features to optimize rendering, but may require additional performance tuning for very large datasets.

  • react-autocomplete:

    React Autocomplete is lightweight and performs well for simple use cases, but may struggle with large datasets or complex filtering due to its straightforward implementation.

Learning Curve

  • react-select:

    React Select has a moderate learning curve, as it offers many features and customization options. However, its documentation is comprehensive, which helps developers get up to speed quickly.

  • downshift:

    Downshift has a steeper learning curve due to its flexibility and the need for developers to manage state and accessibility manually. It is best suited for those with experience in React and a solid understanding of component design.

  • react-autosuggest:

    React Autosuggest is relatively easy to learn, providing a good balance of features and simplicity, making it accessible for developers with basic React knowledge.

  • react-autocomplete:

    React Autocomplete is easy to learn and implement, making it a good choice for beginners or projects that require quick setup without complex features.

Community and Support

  • react-select:

    React Select boasts a large community and extensive documentation, providing ample resources, examples, and third-party integrations, making it a reliable choice for developers.

  • downshift:

    Downshift has a dedicated community and is well-maintained, but it may not have as large a user base as some other libraries, which can affect the availability of third-party resources and examples.

  • react-autosuggest:

    React Autosuggest has a decent community and support, with a good amount of documentation and examples available, making it easier for developers to find help.

  • react-autocomplete:

    React Autocomplete has a smaller community and fewer resources compared to other libraries, which may limit support options for developers.

How to Choose: react-select vs downshift vs react-autosuggest vs react-autocomplete
  • react-select:

    Use React Select when you need a powerful and feature-rich dropdown component that supports multi-select, async options, and custom styling. It is best for complex forms where users need to select from a large dataset or require advanced features like search and filtering.

  • downshift:

    Choose Downshift if you need a highly customizable and flexible solution that allows for complete control over the rendering and behavior of the autocomplete component. It is ideal for developers who want to build a tailored experience and are comfortable managing state and accessibility features manually.

  • react-autosuggest:

    Opt for React Autosuggest if you want a library that provides a balance between customization and ease of use. It offers a good set of features out of the box, including suggestions based on user input and keyboard navigation, making it a solid choice for most applications.

  • react-autocomplete:

    Select React Autocomplete for a straightforward and simple implementation when you need basic autocomplete functionality without extensive customization. It is suitable for projects where quick setup and ease of use are priorities, and you don't require advanced features.

README for react-select

NPM CircleCI Coverage Status Supported by Thinkmill

React-Select

The Select control for React. Initially built for use in KeystoneJS.

See react-select.com for live demos and comprehensive docs.

React Select is funded by Thinkmill and Atlassian. It represents a whole new approach to developing powerful React.js components that just work out of the box, while being extremely customisable.

For the story behind this component, watch Jed's talk at React Conf 2019 - building React Select

Features include:

  • Flexible approach to data, with customisable functions
  • Extensible styling API with emotion
  • Component Injection API for complete control over the UI behaviour
  • Controllable state props and modular architecture
  • Long-requested features like option groups, portal support, animation, and more

Using an older version?

Installation and usage

The easiest way to use react-select is to install it from npm and build it into your app with Webpack.

yarn add react-select

Then use it in your app:

With React Component

import React from 'react';
import Select from 'react-select';

const options = [
  { value: 'chocolate', label: 'Chocolate' },
  { value: 'strawberry', label: 'Strawberry' },
  { value: 'vanilla', label: 'Vanilla' },
];

class App extends React.Component {
  state = {
    selectedOption: null,
  };
  handleChange = (selectedOption) => {
    this.setState({ selectedOption }, () =>
      console.log(`Option selected:`, this.state.selectedOption)
    );
  };
  render() {
    const { selectedOption } = this.state;

    return (
      <Select
        value={selectedOption}
        onChange={this.handleChange}
        options={options}
      />
    );
  }
}

With React Hooks

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import Select from 'react-select';

const options = [
  { value: 'chocolate', label: 'Chocolate' },
  { value: 'strawberry', label: 'Strawberry' },
  { value: 'vanilla', label: 'Vanilla' },
];

export default function App() {
  const [selectedOption, setSelectedOption] = useState(null);

  return (
    <div className="App">
      <Select
        defaultValue={selectedOption}
        onChange={setSelectedOption}
        options={options}
      />
    </div>
  );
}

Props

Common props you may want to specify include:

  • autoFocus - focus the control when it mounts
  • className - apply a className to the control
  • classNamePrefix - apply classNames to inner elements with the given prefix
  • isDisabled - disable the control
  • isMulti - allow the user to select multiple values
  • isSearchable - allow the user to search for matching options
  • name - generate an HTML input with this name, containing the current value
  • onChange - subscribe to change events
  • options - specify the options the user can select from
  • placeholder - change the text displayed when no option is selected
  • noOptionsMessage - ({ inputValue: string }) => string | null - Text to display when there are no options
  • value - control the current value

See the props documentation for complete documentation on the props react-select supports.

Controllable Props

You can control the following props by providing values for them. If you don't, react-select will manage them for you.

  • value / onChange - specify the current value of the control
  • menuIsOpen / onMenuOpen / onMenuClose - control whether the menu is open
  • inputValue / onInputChange - control the value of the search input (changing this will update the available options)

If you don't provide these props, you can set the initial value of the state they control:

  • defaultValue - set the initial value of the control
  • defaultMenuIsOpen - set the initial open value of the menu
  • defaultInputValue - set the initial value of the search input

Methods

React-select exposes two public methods:

  • focus() - focus the control programmatically
  • blur() - blur the control programmatically

Customisation

Check the docs for more information on:

TypeScript

The v5 release represents a rewrite from JavaScript to TypeScript. The types for v4 and earlier releases are available at @types. See the TypeScript guide for how to use the types starting with v5.

Thanks

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project. It's been a wild ride.

If you like React Select, you should follow me on twitter!

Shout out to Joss Mackison, Charles Lee, Ben Conolly, Tom Walker, Nathan Bierema, Eric Bonow, Emma Hamilton, Dave Brotherstone, Brian Vaughn, and the Atlassian Design System team who along with many other contributors have made this possible ❤️

License

MIT Licensed. Copyright (c) Jed Watson 2022.