react-inspector vs react-virtualized vs react-json-view vs react-json-tree vs react-devtools-inline
React Development Tools Comparison
1 Year
react-inspectorreact-virtualizedreact-json-viewreact-json-treereact-devtools-inlineSimilar Packages:
What's React Development Tools?

These packages serve as tools for inspecting and debugging React applications, providing developers with a variety of ways to visualize and manipulate data structures, component hierarchies, and performance metrics. They enhance the development experience by offering insights into the state and props of components, making it easier to identify issues and optimize performance.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
react-inspector2,291,282799251 kB362 years agoMIT
react-virtualized1,104,82326,7932.24 MB14 months agoMIT
react-json-view769,1863,570-1814 years agoMIT
react-json-tree434,55614,19163.2 kB2073 months agoMIT
react-devtools-inline217,867235,59424.9 MB1,05414 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-inspector vs react-virtualized vs react-json-view vs react-json-tree vs react-devtools-inline

Integration

  • react-inspector:

    react-inspector can be easily integrated into your React app, providing a dedicated inspector component that can be styled and customized according to your needs. It allows for a more tailored debugging experience.

  • react-virtualized:

    react-virtualized requires some setup but offers extensive customization options for rendering lists and tables. It is designed for performance and can be integrated into existing applications with careful consideration of data structures.

  • react-json-view:

    react-json-view offers straightforward integration, enabling you to display JSON data with just a few lines of code. It supports customization options for styling and behavior, making it flexible for various use cases.

  • react-json-tree:

    react-json-tree is designed for easy integration, allowing you to drop it into your project with minimal setup. It provides a clean representation of JSON data with customizable themes and styles.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    react-devtools-inline integrates seamlessly into your React application, allowing you to inspect components without leaving the app. This inline approach makes it easy to debug while maintaining focus on your development environment.

Performance Optimization

  • react-inspector:

    react-inspector is optimized for performance, allowing you to inspect large component trees without noticeable lag. It uses efficient rendering techniques to handle complex structures.

  • react-virtualized:

    react-virtualized excels in performance optimization by only rendering visible items in lists and tables. This approach significantly reduces the rendering load, making it ideal for applications with large datasets.

  • react-json-view:

    react-json-view is designed to handle large JSON objects efficiently, allowing for quick rendering and interaction. It minimizes performance hits by rendering only what is necessary.

  • react-json-tree:

    react-json-tree is lightweight and performs well even with large JSON objects. It efficiently renders only the visible parts of the data structure, ensuring a responsive UI.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    react-devtools-inline does not significantly impact application performance as it runs in the development environment. It allows for quick inspections without the overhead of external tools.

Customization

  • react-inspector:

    react-inspector is highly customizable, allowing you to modify styles, themes, and even the way data is displayed. This flexibility makes it suitable for various applications and developer preferences.

  • react-virtualized:

    react-virtualized offers a high degree of customization for rendering lists and tables, including the ability to define row heights, column widths, and scrolling behavior, making it adaptable to different use cases.

  • react-json-view:

    react-json-view allows for extensive customization, including the ability to edit JSON data inline. Developers can also customize the display format and styling to match their application's aesthetic.

  • react-json-tree:

    react-json-tree provides several customization options, including themes and styling, enabling developers to tailor the appearance of JSON data to fit their application's design.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    react-devtools-inline offers limited customization options as it focuses on providing a consistent debugging experience. However, it allows for some configuration through its settings.

Ease of Use

  • react-inspector:

    react-inspector has a moderate learning curve, but once familiar, developers find it intuitive to navigate and inspect component hierarchies.

  • react-virtualized:

    react-virtualized may require a bit more effort to set up due to its complexity, but it offers powerful tools for managing large datasets effectively once understood.

  • react-json-view:

    react-json-view is designed for ease of use, allowing developers to quickly display and edit JSON data with minimal setup. Its interactive features enhance usability.

  • react-json-tree:

    react-json-tree is straightforward to use, providing a simple API for displaying JSON data. Developers can quickly integrate it into their projects without extensive documentation.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    react-devtools-inline is user-friendly and easy to use, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels. Its inline nature simplifies the debugging process.

Use Case Scenarios

  • react-inspector:

    react-inspector is ideal for applications with complex component hierarchies where deep inspection of props and state is necessary for debugging.

  • react-virtualized:

    react-virtualized is essential for applications displaying large lists or tables, ensuring smooth scrolling and performance even with extensive datasets.

  • react-json-view:

    react-json-view is suitable for applications that require interactive JSON editing, allowing developers to manipulate data directly in the UI for testing and debugging purposes.

  • react-json-tree:

    react-json-tree is perfect for applications that handle JSON data extensively, providing a clear and organized view of data structures for easier debugging.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    react-devtools-inline is best used during the development phase for quick inspections and debugging of component states and props without switching contexts.

How to Choose: react-inspector vs react-virtualized vs react-json-view vs react-json-tree vs react-devtools-inline
  • react-inspector:

    Select react-inspector when you need a powerful and customizable component inspector that allows for deep inspection of React component trees and their props. It is particularly useful for complex applications with nested components.

  • react-virtualized:

    Choose react-virtualized for applications that require efficient rendering of large lists or tables. It optimizes performance by only rendering visible items, making it suitable for applications with extensive datasets.

  • react-json-view:

    Use react-json-view when you need an interactive and editable JSON viewer that allows for inline editing of JSON data. This package is beneficial for debugging and manipulating JSON data directly in the UI.

  • react-json-tree:

    Opt for react-json-tree if you require a straightforward way to visualize JSON data structures in a tree format. It is perfect for applications that deal heavily with JSON data and need a clear representation of nested objects.

  • react-devtools-inline:

    Choose react-devtools-inline if you want an integrated debugging experience directly in your application without needing to switch to a separate browser tool. It is ideal for quick inspections and debugging during development.

README for react-inspector

react-inspector

build status npm version npm downloads

Power of Browser DevTools inspectors right inside your React app. Check out the interactive playground or storybook.

''

''

''

Install

NPM:

npm install react-inspector

Recommended versions:

  • version 3.0.2: If you are using React 16.8.4 or later.
  • version 2.3.1: If you are using an earlier version of React.

Getting started

<Inspector />

A shorthand for the inspectors.

  • <Inspector/> is equivalent to <ObjectInspector> or <DOMInspector> if inspecting a DOM Node.
  • <Inspector table/> is equivalent to <TableInspector>.

<ObjectInspector />

Like console.log. Consider this as a glorified version of <pre>JSON.stringify(data, null, 2)</pre>.

How it works

Tree state is saved at root. If you click to expand some elements in the hierarchy, the state will be preserved after the element is unmounted.

API

The component accepts the following props:

data: PropTypes.any: the Javascript object you would like to inspect

name: PropTypes.string: specify the optional name of the root node, default to undefined

expandLevel: PropTypes.number: an integer specifying to which level the tree should be initially expanded

expandPaths: PropTypes.oneOfType([PropTypes.string, PropTypes.array]): an array containing all the paths that should be expanded when the component is initialized, or a string of just one path

  • The path string is similar to JSONPath.
    • It is a dot separated string like $.foo.bar. $.foo.bar expands the path $.foo.bar where $ refers to the root node. Note that it only expands that single node (but not all its parents and the root node). Instead, you should use expandPaths={['$', '$.foo', '$.foo.bar']} to expand all the way to the $.foo.bar node.
    • You can refer to array index paths using ['$', '$.1']
    • You can use wildcard to expand all paths on a specific level
      • For example, to expand all first level and second level nodes, use ['$', '$.*'] (equivalent to expandLevel={2})
  • the results are merged with expandLevel

showNonenumerable: PropTypes.bool: show non-enumerable properties

sortObjectKeys: PropTypes.oneOfType([PropTypes.bool, PropTypes.func]): Sort object keys with optional compare function

When sortObjectKeys={true} is provided, keys of objects are sorted in alphabetical order except for arrays.

nodeRenderer: PropTypes.func: Use a custom nodeRenderer to render the object properties (optional)

  • Instead of using the default nodeRenderer, you can provide a custom function for rendering object properties. The default nodeRender looks like this:

    import { ObjectRootLabel, ObjectLabel } from 'react-inspector'
    
    const defaultNodeRenderer = ({ depth, name, data, isNonenumerable, expanded }) =>
      depth === 0
        ? <ObjectRootLabel name={name} data={data} />
        : <ObjectLabel name={name} data={data} isNonenumerable={isNonenumerable} />;
    

<TableInspector />

Like console.table.

API

The component accepts the following props:

data: PropTypes.oneOfType([PropTypes.array, PropTypes.object]): the Javascript object you would like to inspect, either an array or an object

columns: PropTypes.array: An array of the names of the columns you'd like to display in the table

<DOMInspector />

API

The component accepts the following props:

data: PropTypes.object: the DOM Node you would like to inspect

Usage

import { ObjectInspector, TableInspector } from 'react-inspector';

// or use the shorthand
import { Inspector } from 'react-inspector';

const MyComponent = ({ data }) =>
  <div>
    <ObjectInspector data={data} />
    <TableInspector data={data} />

    <Inspector data={data} />
    <Inspector table data={data} />
  </div>

let data = { /* ... */ };

ReactDOM.render(
  <MyComponent data={data} />,
  document.getElementById('root')
);

Try embedding the inspectors inside a component's render() method to provide a live view for its props/state (Works even better with hot reloading).

More Examples

Check out the storybook for more examples.

npm install && npm run storybook

Open http://localhost:9001/

Theme

By specifying the theme prop you can customize the inspectors. theme prop can be

  1. a string referring to a preset theme ("chromeLight" or "chromeDark", default to "chromeLight")
  2. or a custom object that provides the necessary variables. Checkout src/styles/themes for possible theme variables.

Example 1: Using a preset theme:

<Inspector theme="chromeDark" data={{a: 'a', b: 'b'}}/>

Example 2: changing the tree node indentation by inheriting the chrome light theme:

import { chromeLight } from 'react-inspector'

<Inspector theme={{...chromeLight, ...({ TREENODE_PADDING_LEFT: 20 })}} data={{a: 'a', b: 'b'}}/>

Roadmap

Type of inspectors:

  • [x] Tree style
    • [x] common objects
    • [x] DOM nodes
  • [x] Table style
    • [ ] Column resizer
  • [ ] Group style

Contribution

Contribution is welcome. Past contributors

Additional

  • If you intend to capture console.logs, you may want to look at console-feed.
  • react-object-inspector package will be deprecated. <ObjectInspector/> is now part of the new package react-inspector.
  • Why inline style? This document summarizes it well.