react-draggable vs react-resizable vs react-grid-layout
Drag and Drop Libraries for React Comparison
3 Years
react-draggablereact-resizablereact-grid-layoutSimilar Packages:
What's Drag and Drop Libraries for React?

Drag and Drop Libraries for React are specialized tools that enable developers to implement drag-and-drop functionality within their React applications. These libraries provide pre-built components and APIs that handle mouse or touch events, allowing users to click and drag elements across the interface, reorder items, or move them between different containers. They are particularly useful for creating interactive UIs, such as kanban boards, image galleries, or any application that requires dynamic element positioning. Popular drag-and-drop libraries for React include react-beautiful-dnd, react-dnd, and react-draggable, each offering unique features and customization options to suit various use cases.

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react-draggable2,902,696
9,231243 kB2432 months agoMIT
react-resizable1,369,637
2,534116 kB782 years agoMIT
react-grid-layout961,721
21,500508 kB2412 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-draggable vs react-resizable vs react-grid-layout

Draggable Elements

  • react-draggable:

    react-draggable allows you to make any DOM element draggable by wrapping it in a Draggable component. You can control its position, handle drag events, and customize the drag behavior with props like axis, handle, and grid.

  • react-resizable:

    react-resizable focuses on resizing elements. It provides a Resizable component that you can wrap around any element to make it resizable. You can define constraints, handle resize events, and customize the resize handles.

  • react-grid-layout:

    react-grid-layout enables dragging and resizing of grid items. Each item is placed in a grid cell, and you can specify its size and position. The library handles collisions, responsive layouts, and provides a drag-and-drop interface for rearranging items.

Grid Layout

  • react-draggable:

    react-draggable does not provide a grid layout by default. However, you can implement grid-like behavior by using the grid prop to snap the draggable element to a specified grid size during the drag operation.

  • react-resizable:

    react-resizable does not include a grid layout feature. It focuses solely on resizing elements, so you would need to implement any grid layout logic separately if required.

  • react-grid-layout:

    react-grid-layout is built around a grid layout system. It allows you to create a responsive grid where items can be placed in specific rows and columns. The layout is defined using a 12-column grid, and you can specify the size and position of each item.

Resizing

  • react-draggable:

    react-draggable does not support resizing elements. Its primary function is to enable dragging, so if you need resizing functionality, you will have to integrate another library or implement it yourself.

  • react-resizable:

    react-resizable specializes in resizing elements. It provides a simple API for making any element resizable, with customizable handles, constraints, and events. It is lightweight and easy to integrate into existing components.

  • react-grid-layout:

    react-grid-layout supports both dragging and resizing of grid items. You can configure each item to be resizable by setting the isResizable prop, allowing users to adjust the size of items within the grid.

Customization

  • react-draggable:

    react-draggable offers basic customization options for drag behavior, such as restricting movement to specific axes, defining drag bounds, and customizing the drag handle. However, it is relatively simple and does not provide extensive theming or styling options out of the box.

  • react-resizable:

    react-resizable allows for customization of the resize handles, constraints, and events. You can style the handles, define minimum and maximum sizes, and handle resize events to implement custom logic during resizing.

  • react-grid-layout:

    react-grid-layout is highly customizable, allowing you to define grid layouts, item sizes, and drag-and-drop behavior. You can customize the grid's appearance, responsiveness, and behavior through props and CSS, making it suitable for complex and dynamic layouts.

Accessibility

  • react-draggable:

    react-draggable provides basic accessibility features, but it is essential to ensure that draggable elements are keyboard-navigable and screen reader-friendly. You may need to implement additional ARIA attributes and keyboard handling for a fully accessible experience.

  • react-resizable:

    react-resizable does not have built-in accessibility features. You will need to add keyboard support and ARIA attributes to the resizable elements to make them accessible to all users.

  • react-grid-layout:

    react-grid-layout has some accessibility features, but like react-draggable, it requires additional work to ensure that grid items are accessible via keyboard and assistive technologies. Implementing proper focus management and ARIA roles is crucial for accessibility.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

  • react-draggable:

    Simple Draggable Example with react-draggable

    import React from 'react';
    import Draggable from 'react-draggable';
    
    const DraggableComponent = () => {
      return (
        <Draggable>
          <div style={{ width: '100px', height: '100px', background: 'lightblue' }}>
            Drag me!
          </div>
        </Draggable>
      );
    };
    
    export default DraggableComponent;
    
  • react-resizable:

    Resizable Component Example with react-resizable

    import React from 'react';
    import { ResizableBox } from 'react-resizable';
    import 'react-resizable/css/styles.css';
    
    const ResizableComponent = () => {
      return (
        <ResizableBox width={200} height={100} minConstraints={[100, 50]} maxConstraints={[300, 200]}>
          <div style={{ background: 'lightblue', width: '100%', height: '100%' }}>
            Resize me!
          </div>
        </ResizableBox>
      );
    };
    
    export default ResizableComponent;
    
  • react-grid-layout:

    Grid Layout with Draggable and Resizable Items

    import React from 'react';
    import { WidthProvider, Responsive } from 'react-grid-layout';
    import 'react-grid-layout/css/styles.css';
    import 'react-resizable/css/styles.css';
    
    const ResponsiveGridLayout = WidthProvider(Responsive);
    
    const MyGrid = () => {
      const layout = [
        { i: 'a', x: 0, y: 0, w: 1, h: 2, isResizable: true },
        { i: 'b', x: 1, y: 0, w: 1, h: 2, isResizable: true },
        { i: 'c', x: 0, y: 2, w: 2, h: 1, isResizable: true },
      ];
    
      return (
        <ResponsiveGridLayout layout={layout} cols={{ lg: 2 }} rowHeight={30}>
          <div key="a" style={{ background: 'lightcoral' }}>Item A</div>
          <div key="b" style={{ background: 'lightgreen' }}>Item B</div>
          <div key="c" style={{ background: 'lightblue' }}>Item C</div>
        </ResponsiveGridLayout>
      );
    };
    
    export default MyGrid;
    
How to Choose: react-draggable vs react-resizable vs react-grid-layout
  • react-draggable:

    Choose react-draggable if you need a simple and lightweight solution for making individual elements draggable. It is ideal for projects where you want to add drag-and-drop functionality to specific components without the overhead of a more complex layout system.

  • react-resizable:

    Choose react-resizable if your primary focus is on making elements resizable rather than draggable. This library is best for scenarios where you want to allow users to adjust the size of specific components, such as images, panels, or containers, while keeping their position fixed.

  • react-grid-layout:

    Choose react-grid-layout if you need a comprehensive grid layout system with built-in support for dragging, resizing, and rearranging items within a grid. It is perfect for applications that require a structured layout with multiple draggable and resizable elements, such as dashboards or design tools.

README for react-draggable

React-Draggable

TravisCI Build Status Appveyor Build Status npm downloads gzip size version

A simple component for making elements draggable.

<Draggable>
  <div>I can now be moved around!</div>
</Draggable>

|Version | Compatibility| |------------|--------------| |4.x | React 16.3+ | |3.x | React 15-16 | |2.x | React 0.14 - 15 | |1.x | React 0.13 - 0.14 | |0.x | React 0.10 - 0.13 |


Technical Documentation

Installing

$ npm install react-draggable

If you aren't using browserify/webpack, a UMD version of react-draggable is available. It is updated per-release only. This bundle is also what is loaded when installing from npm. It expects external React and ReactDOM.

If you want a UMD version of the latest master revision, you can generate it yourself from master by cloning this repository and running $ make. This will create umd dist files in the dist/ folder.

Exports

The default export is <Draggable>. At the .DraggableCore property is <DraggableCore>. Here's how to use it:

// ES6
import Draggable from 'react-draggable'; // The default
import {DraggableCore} from 'react-draggable'; // <DraggableCore>
import Draggable, {DraggableCore} from 'react-draggable'; // Both at the same time

// CommonJS
let Draggable = require('react-draggable');
let DraggableCore = Draggable.DraggableCore;

<Draggable>

A <Draggable> element wraps an existing element and extends it with new event handlers and styles. It does not create a wrapper element in the DOM.

Draggable items are moved using CSS Transforms. This allows items to be dragged regardless of their current positioning (relative, absolute, or static). Elements can also be moved between drags without incident.

If the item you are dragging already has a CSS Transform applied, it will be overwritten by <Draggable>. Use an intermediate wrapper (<Draggable><span>...</span></Draggable>) in this case.

Draggable Usage

View the Demo and its source for more.

import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
import Draggable from 'react-draggable';

class App extends React.Component {

  eventLogger = (e: MouseEvent, data: Object) => {
    console.log('Event: ', e);
    console.log('Data: ', data);
  };

  render() {
    return (
      <Draggable
        axis="x"
        handle=".handle"
        defaultPosition={{x: 0, y: 0}}
        position={null}
        grid={[25, 25]}
        scale={1}
        onStart={this.handleStart}
        onDrag={this.handleDrag}
        onStop={this.handleStop}>
        <div>
          <div className="handle">Drag from here</div>
          <div>This readme is really dragging on...</div>
        </div>
      </Draggable>
    );
  }
}

ReactDOM.render(<App/>, document.body);

Draggable API

The <Draggable/> component transparently adds draggability to its children.

Note: Only a single child is allowed or an Error will be thrown.

For the <Draggable/> component to correctly attach itself to its child, the child element must provide support for the following props:

  • style is used to give the transform css to the child.
  • className is used to apply the proper classes to the object being dragged.
  • onMouseDown, onMouseUp, onTouchStart, and onTouchEnd are used to keep track of dragging state.

React.DOM elements support the above properties by default, so you may use those elements as children without any changes. If you wish to use a React component you created, you'll need to be sure to transfer prop.

<Draggable> Props:

//
// Types:
//
type DraggableEventHandler = (e: Event, data: DraggableData) => void | false;
type DraggableData = {
  node: HTMLElement,
  // lastX + deltaX === x
  x: number, y: number,
  deltaX: number, deltaY: number,
  lastX: number, lastY: number
};

//
// Props:
//
{
// If set to `true`, will allow dragging on non left-button clicks.
allowAnyClick: boolean,

// Default `false` and default behavior before 4.5.0.
// If set to `true`, the 'touchstart' event will not be prevented,
// which will allow scrolling inside containers. We recommend
// using the 'handle' / 'cancel' props when possible instead of enabling this.
// 
// See https://github.com/react-grid-layout/react-draggable/issues/728
allowMobileScroll: boolean,

// Determines which axis the draggable can move. This only affects
// flushing to the DOM. Callbacks will still include all values.
// Accepted values:
// - `both` allows movement horizontally and vertically (default).
// - `x` limits movement to horizontal axis.
// - `y` limits movement to vertical axis.
// - 'none' stops all movement.
axis: string,

// Specifies movement boundaries. Accepted values:
// - `parent` restricts movement within the node's offsetParent
//    (nearest node with position relative or absolute), or
// - a selector, restricts movement within the targeted node
// - An object with `left, top, right, and bottom` properties.
//   These indicate how far in each direction the draggable
//   can be moved.
bounds: {left?: number, top?: number, right?: number, bottom?: number} | string,

// Specifies a selector to be used to prevent drag initialization. The string is passed to
// Element.matches, so it's possible to use multiple selectors like `.first, .second`.
// Example: '.body'
cancel: string,

// Class names for draggable UI.
// Default to 'react-draggable', 'react-draggable-dragging', and 'react-draggable-dragged'
defaultClassName: string,
defaultClassNameDragging: string,
defaultClassNameDragged: string,

// Specifies the `x` and `y` that the dragged item should start at.
// This is generally not necessary to use (you can use absolute or relative
// positioning of the child directly), but can be helpful for uniformity in
// your callbacks and with css transforms.
defaultPosition: {x: number, y: number},

// If true, will not call any drag handlers.
disabled: boolean,

// Default `true`. Adds "user-select: none" while dragging to avoid selecting text.
enableUserSelectHack: boolean,

// Specifies the x and y that dragging should snap to.
grid: [number, number],

// Specifies a selector to be used as the handle that initiates drag.
// Example: '.handle'
handle: string,

// If desired, you can provide your own offsetParent for drag calculations.
// By default, we use the Draggable's offsetParent. This can be useful for elements
// with odd display types or floats.
offsetParent: HTMLElement,

// Called whenever the user mouses down. Called regardless of handle or
// disabled status.
onMouseDown: (e: MouseEvent) => void,

// Called when dragging starts. If `false` is returned any handler,
// the action will cancel.
onStart: DraggableEventHandler,

// Called while dragging.
onDrag: DraggableEventHandler,

// Called when dragging stops.
onStop: DraggableEventHandler,

// If running in React Strict mode, ReactDOM.findDOMNode() is deprecated.
// Unfortunately, in order for <Draggable> to work properly, we need raw access
// to the underlying DOM node. If you want to avoid the warning, pass a `nodeRef`
// as in this example:
//
// function MyComponent() {
//   const nodeRef = React.useRef(null);
//   return (
//     <Draggable nodeRef={nodeRef}>
//       <div ref={nodeRef}>Example Target</div>
//     </Draggable>
//   );
// }
//
// This can be used for arbitrarily nested components, so long as the ref ends up
// pointing to the actual child DOM node and not a custom component.
//
// For rich components, you need to both forward the ref *and props* to the underlying DOM
// element. Props must be forwarded so that DOM event handlers can be attached. 
// For example:
//
//   const Component1 = React.forwardRef(function (props, ref) {
//     return <div {...props} ref={ref}>Nested component</div>;
//   });
//
//   const nodeRef = React.useRef(null);
//   <DraggableCore onDrag={onDrag} nodeRef={nodeRef}>
//     <Component1 ref={nodeRef} />
//   </DraggableCore>
//
// Thanks to react-transition-group for the inspiration.
//
// `nodeRef` is also available on <DraggableCore>.
nodeRef: React.Ref<typeof React.Component>,

// Much like React form elements, if this property is present, the item
// becomes 'controlled' and is not responsive to user input. Use `position`
// if you need to have direct control of the element.
position: {x: number, y: number}

// A position offset to start with. Useful for giving an initial position
// to the element. Differs from `defaultPosition` in that it does not
// affect the position returned in draggable callbacks, and in that it
// accepts strings, like `{x: '10%', y: '10%'}`.
positionOffset: {x: number | string, y: number | string},

// Specifies the scale of the canvas your are dragging this element on. This allows
// you to, for example, get the correct drag deltas while you are zoomed in or out via
// a transform or matrix in the parent of this element.
scale: number
}

Note that sending className, style, or transform as properties will error - set them on the child element directly.

Controlled vs. Uncontrolled

<Draggable> is a 'batteries-included' component that manages its own state. If you want to completely control the lifecycle of the component, use <DraggableCore>.

For some users, they may want the nice state management that <Draggable> provides, but occasionally want to programmatically reposition their components. <Draggable> allows this customization via a system that is similar to how React handles form components.

If the prop position: {x: number, y: number} is defined, the <Draggable> will ignore its internal state and use the provided position instead. Alternatively, you can seed the position using defaultPosition. Technically, since <Draggable> works only on position deltas, you could also seed the initial position using CSS top/left.

We make one modification to the React philosophy here - we still allow dragging while a component is controlled. We then expect you to use at least an onDrag or onStop handler to synchronize state.

To disable dragging while controlled, send the prop disabled={true} - at this point the <Draggable> will operate like a completely static component.

<DraggableCore>

For users that require absolute control, a <DraggableCore> element is available. This is useful as an abstraction over touch and mouse events, but with full control. <DraggableCore> has no internal state.

See React-Resizable and React-Grid-Layout for some usage examples.

<DraggableCore> is a useful building block for other libraries that simply want to abstract browser-specific quirks and receive callbacks when a user attempts to move an element. It does not set styles or transforms on itself and thus must have callbacks attached to be useful.

DraggableCore API

<DraggableCore> takes a limited subset of options:

{
  allowAnyClick: boolean,
  allowMobileScroll: boolean,
  cancel: string,
  disabled: boolean,
  enableUserSelectHack: boolean,
  offsetParent: HTMLElement,
  grid: [number, number],
  handle: string,
  onStart: DraggableEventHandler,
  onDrag: DraggableEventHandler,
  onStop: DraggableEventHandler,
  onMouseDown: (e: MouseEvent) => void,
  scale: number
}

Note that there is no start position. <DraggableCore> simply calls drag handlers with the below parameters, indicating its position (as inferred from the underlying MouseEvent) and deltas. It is up to the parent to set actual positions on <DraggableCore>.

Drag callbacks (onStart, onDrag, onStop) are called with the same arguments as <Draggable>.


Contributing

  • Fork the project
  • Run the project in development mode: $ npm run dev
  • Make changes.
  • Add appropriate tests
  • $ npm test
  • If tests don't pass, make them pass.
  • Update README with appropriate docs.
  • Commit and PR

Release checklist

  • Update CHANGELOG
  • make release-patch, make release-minor, or make-release-major
  • make publish

License

MIT