react-csv vs react-papaparse vs react-csv-downloader vs react-csv-reader
CSV Handling Libraries for React Comparison
1 Year
react-csvreact-papaparsereact-csv-downloaderreact-csv-readerSimilar Packages:
What's CSV Handling Libraries for React?

CSV handling libraries for React provide developers with tools to easily export and import CSV files within their applications. These libraries simplify the process of managing CSV data, enabling functionalities such as downloading data in CSV format, reading CSV files, and parsing CSV content into usable JavaScript objects. They are essential for applications that require data manipulation, reporting, or user data uploads, enhancing the user experience by streamlining data interactions.

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react-csv603,5431,17040.9 kB134-MIT
react-papaparse131,01138077.6 kB55a year agoMIT
react-csv-downloader27,440119124 kB32 months agoMIT
react-csv-reader26,07320194.8 kB102 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-csv vs react-papaparse vs react-csv-downloader vs react-csv-reader

Exporting Data to CSV

  • react-csv:

    react-csv provides a straightforward way to convert JavaScript arrays into downloadable CSV files. It supports basic configurations like file name and delimiter, making it easy to implement in any React application.

  • react-papaparse:

    N/A

  • react-csv-downloader:

    react-csv-downloader offers advanced exporting capabilities, including customizable headers and the ability to generate CSV content dynamically based on user interactions or data states, providing greater flexibility for developers.

  • react-csv-reader:

    N/A

Importing CSV Files

  • react-csv:

    N/A

  • react-papaparse:

    react-papaparse also supports importing CSV files, with a focus on performance and flexibility. It can handle large files efficiently and offers various parsing options, making it a strong choice for applications that require robust data import functionality.

  • react-csv-downloader:

    N/A

  • react-csv-reader:

    react-csv-reader specializes in importing CSV files, providing a user-friendly interface for file uploads and automatic parsing of CSV content into JavaScript objects, which simplifies data handling for developers.

Performance

  • react-csv:

    react-csv is lightweight and performs well for small to medium-sized datasets, making it suitable for applications with straightforward data export needs.

  • react-papaparse:

    react-papaparse excels in performance, particularly with large files, thanks to its streaming capabilities and efficient parsing algorithms, making it ideal for applications that handle significant amounts of CSV data.

  • react-csv-downloader:

    react-csv-downloader is optimized for performance with larger datasets, ensuring that CSV generation does not hinder the user experience even when dealing with extensive data.

  • react-csv-reader:

    react-csv-reader is efficient for smaller files but may struggle with very large datasets due to its simpler parsing approach.

Customization Options

  • react-csv:

    react-csv offers basic customization options for file name and delimiter but is limited in terms of advanced configurations.

  • react-papaparse:

    react-papaparse is highly customizable, offering various parsing options, delimiter settings, and error handling features, making it suitable for complex CSV processing requirements.

  • react-csv-downloader:

    react-csv-downloader provides extensive customization options, allowing developers to define headers, customize the CSV structure, and dynamically generate content based on application state.

  • react-csv-reader:

    react-csv-reader offers minimal customization, focusing primarily on file input and parsing without extensive configuration options.

Ease of Use

  • react-csv:

    react-csv is designed for simplicity, making it easy for developers to implement CSV exports with minimal setup and configuration.

  • react-papaparse:

    react-papaparse has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features, but offers comprehensive documentation and examples to aid developers in utilizing its capabilities effectively.

  • react-csv-downloader:

    react-csv-downloader is user-friendly, providing a clear API that allows for quick integration of advanced CSV download features without extensive boilerplate code.

  • react-csv-reader:

    react-csv-reader is straightforward to use for file uploads, but may require additional handling for parsed data, which could add complexity for some users.

How to Choose: react-csv vs react-papaparse vs react-csv-downloader vs react-csv-reader
  • react-csv:

    Choose react-csv if you need a straightforward solution for exporting data to CSV format. It provides a simple API for creating downloadable CSV files from arrays of data, making it ideal for applications where users need to export data easily.

  • react-papaparse:

    Use react-papaparse if you require a robust and flexible solution for both reading and writing CSV files. It offers extensive parsing options, performance optimizations, and the ability to handle large datasets efficiently, making it suitable for applications that deal with complex CSV data.

  • react-csv-downloader:

    Opt for react-csv-downloader if you want a more customizable CSV download experience. It allows for advanced configurations, such as custom headers and dynamic data generation, making it suitable for applications that require tailored CSV exports.

  • react-csv-reader:

    Select react-csv-reader when you need to read and parse CSV files uploaded by users. It provides a simple interface for handling file input and parsing CSV content, making it ideal for applications that allow users to import data.

README for react-csv

Build Status Coverage Status

Build Status Coverage Status

Overview :

Generate a CSV file from given data.

This data can be an array of arrays, an array of literal objects, or strings.

Example :

import { CSVLink, CSVDownload } from "react-csv";

const csvData = [
  ["firstname", "lastname", "email"],
  ["Ahmed", "Tomi", "ah@smthing.co.com"],
  ["Raed", "Labes", "rl@smthing.co.com"],
  ["Yezzi", "Min l3b", "ymin@cocococo.com"]
];
<CSVLink data={csvData}>Download me</CSVLink>;
// or
<CSVDownload data={csvData} target="_blank" />;

For more examples, see here 👈🏼

Install

npm install react-csv --save;

Or for non-node developers, you can use CDN directly:

<script src="https://cdn.rawgit.com/abdennour/react-csv/6424b500/cdn/react-csv-latest.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

Components:

This package includes two components: CSVLink and CSVDownload.

0. Common Props:

The two components accept the following Props:

- data Props:

A required property that represents the CSV data. This data can be array of arrays, array of literal objects or string. This can also be a function that returns any of these things.

Example of Array of arrays

// Array of arrays. Each item is rendered as a CSV line
data = [
  ["firstname", "lastname", "email"],
  ["Ahmed", "Tomi", "ah@smthing.co.com"],
  ["Raed", "Labes", "rl@smthing.co.com"],
  ["Yezzi", "Min l3b", "ymin@cocococo.com"]
];

Example of array of literal objects

// Array of literal objects. Each item is rendered as CSV line however the order of fields will be defined by the headers props. If the headers props are not defined, the component will generate headers from each data item.
data = [
  { firstname: "Ahmed", lastname: "Tomi", email: "ah@smthing.co.com" },
  { firstname: "Raed", lastname: "Labes", email: "rl@smthing.co.com" },
  { firstname: "Yezzi", lastname: "Min l3b", email: "ymin@cocococo.com" }
];

Example of strings

// A string can be used if the data is already formatted correctly

data = `firstname,lastname
Ahmed,Tomi
Raed,Labes
Yezzi,Min l3b
`;

// or using 3rd party package
import json2csv from "json2csv";
data = json2csv(arrayOfLiteralObjects);

Example of function returning data

// this function just returns a basic array, but you could also map or return some recently downloaded data in state
function dataFromAsyncProcess() {
  return [
    { firstname: "Ahmed", lastname: "Tomi", email: "ah@smthing.co.com" },
    { firstname: "Raed", lastname: "Labes", email: "rl@smthing.co.com" },
    { firstname: "Yezzi", lastname: "Min l3b", email: "ymin@cocococo.com" }
  ];
}

- headers Props:

Specifying headers helps to define an order of the CSV fields. The csv content will be generated accordingly.

Notes :

  • The meaning of headers with data of type Array is to order fields AND prepend those headers at the top of the CSV content.
  • The meaning of headers with data of type String data is only prepending those headers as the first line of the CSV content.
Custom Header Labels

Custom header labels can be used when converting data of type Object to CSV by having the header array itself be an array of literal objects of the form:

{ label: /* Label to display at the top of the CSV */, key: /* Key to the data */ }

If the header array is an array of strings, the header labels will be the same as the keys used to index the data objects.

Example:

import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

headers = [
  { label: "First Name", key: "firstname" },
  { label: "Last Name", key: "lastname" },
  { label: "Email", key: "email" }
];

data = [
  { firstname: "Ahmed", lastname: "Tomi", email: "ah@smthing.co.com" },
  { firstname: "Raed", lastname: "Labes", email: "rl@smthing.co.com" },
  { firstname: "Yezzi", lastname: "Min l3b", email: "ymin@cocococo.com" }
];

<CSVLink data={data} headers={headers}>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;
Nested JSON data

It is possible to reference nested strings in your data using dot notation

headers = [
  { label: 'First Name', key: 'details.firstName' },
  { label: 'Last Name', key: 'details.lastName' },
  { label: 'Job', key: 'job' },
];

data = [
  { details: { firstName: 'Ahmed', lastName: 'Tomi' }, job: 'manager'},
  { details: { firstName: 'John', lastName: 'Jones' }, job: 'developer'},
];

Note: if at any point the nested keys passed do not exist then looks for key with dot notation in the object.

- separator Props:

Following a request to add this feature , from 1.0.1 release, react-csv supports separator props which is equals by default a comma , .

import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink data={array} separator={";"}>
    Download me
</CSVLink>

/*
    "foo";"bar"
    "a";"b"
 */

- enclosingCharacter Props:

Following a request to add this feature, react-csv supports an enclosingCharacter prop which defaults to ".

import {CSVLink} from 'react-csv';

<CSVLink data={array} enclosingCharacter={`'`}>
    Download me
</CSVLink>

/*
    'foo','bar'
    'a','b'
 */

1. CSVLink Component:

It renders a hyperlink and clicking on it will trigger the download action of the CSV document.

It does not accept only data and headers props, but it also renders all props of HTMLAnchor tag. (className, target,....)

- filename Props:

filename is another props restricted to CSVLink. It specifies the filename of the downloaded CSV.

example

import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink
  data={data}
  filename={"my-file.csv"}
  className="btn btn-primary"
  target="_blank"
>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;

- onClick Props:

onClick is another props restricted to CSVLink.

If it is defined, it means 3 things:

1 - It will run at the top of the click handling logic.

2 - [Sync] If it returns an explicit false, the return will be interpreted as a claim to stop the click handling, then, the next logic will not be executed if so.

3 - [Async] If it is async, "done" argument must be called if you want to invoke the handling of the component. (check examples below)

4 - [Async] If it is async (includes api call, timeout,... ) and it calls done with false will be interpreted as a claim to stop the click handling, then, the next logic will not be executed if so.

examples

  1. 🔬 Sync + Proceed
import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink
  data={data}
  onClick={() => {
    console.log("You click the link"); // 👍🏻 Your click handling logic
  }}
>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;
  1. 🔬 Sync + Don't Proceed
import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink
  data={data}
  onClick={event => {
    console.log("You click the link");
    return false; // 👍🏻 You are stopping the handling of component
  }}
>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;
  1. 🔬 Async + Proceed
import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink
  data={data}
  asyncOnClick={true}
  onClick={(event, done) => {
    axios.post("/spy/user").then(() => {
      done(); // REQUIRED to invoke the logic of component
    });
  }}
>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;
  1. 🔬 Async + Don't Proceed
import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

<CSVLink
  data={data}
  asyncOnClick={true}
  onClick={(event, done) => {
    axios.post("/spy/user").then(() => {
      done(false); // Don't Proceed
    });
  }}
>
  Download me
</CSVLink>;
  • 🔬 Async + data function
import { CSVLink } from "react-csv";

export default class DownloadUserCSVButton extends React.Component {
  constructor(props: {}) {
      super(props);

      this.state = {
        listOfUsers: [],
        loading: false
      };
  }

  getUsers = (event, done) => {
    if(!this.state.loading) {
      this.setState({
        loading: true
      });
      axios.get("/api/users").then((userListJson) => {
        this.setState({
          listOfUsers: userListJson,
          loading: false
        });
        done(true); // Proceed and get data from dataFromListOfUsersState function
      }).catch(() => {
        this.setState({
          loading: false
        });
        done(false);
      });
    }
  }

  dataFromListOfUsersState = () => {
    return this.state.listOfUsers;
  }

  render() {
    const {loading} = this.state;
    return <CSVLink
      data={this.dataFromListOfUsersState}
      asyncOnClick={true}
      onClick={this.getUsers}
    >
      {loading ? 'Loading csv...' : 'Download me'}
    </CSVLink>;
  }
}

2. CSVDownload Component:

It triggers downloading ONLY on mounting the component. so , be careful to render this component whenever it is needed.

It does not accept only data and headers props , but also , it takes advantage of all arguments of window.open function known that its signature is :

window.open(ARG0, target, specs, replace);

Thus, target, specs and replace Props are available .

example

import { CSVDownload } from "react-csv";

<CSVDownload data={data} target="_blank" />;

For non-node developers, they have to use CDN version :

 <script src="https://cdn.rawgit.com/abdennour/react-csv/6424b500/cdn/react-csv-latest.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

 <script type="text/babel">
   const {CSVDownload, CSVLink} = ReactCSV;// or window.ReactCSV

   const element= (<CSVDownload data={data} target="_blank" />);

   ReactDOM.render(element, document.querySelector('#app'));
 </script>

Contribution :

  • Unit-tests must cover at least 90% of code .

  • Write documentation of the new class, function, method, attribute ..so on.. following JSDoc syntax.

  • Add an example for the new feature to sample-site.

  • docker-compose run --rm npm start runs the sample-site

  • docker-compose run --rm npm run docgen generates documentation in HTML output.

  • docker-compose run --rm npm run cdn generate a bundle to be used as CDN

Donation

If this project help you reduce time to develop, you can give me a cup of coffee 🍵 :)

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