React Dropdown Libraries Comparison
react-select vs react-dropdown vs react-dropdown-select
1 Year
react-selectreact-dropdownreact-dropdown-selectSimilar Packages:
What's React Dropdown Libraries?

Dropdown libraries in React provide developers with customizable and flexible components for selecting options from a list. These libraries enhance user experience by offering various features such as multi-select capabilities, search functionality, and accessibility support. Each library has its unique strengths, catering to different use cases and developer preferences, making it essential to understand their differences when choosing one for a project.

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react-select4,952,14527,703724 kB4377 days agoMIT
react-dropdown69,96167024 kB110-MIT
react-dropdown-select34,222353186 kB2521 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-select vs react-dropdown vs react-dropdown-select

Customization

  • react-select:

    react-select excels in customization, offering a wide range of props to control the appearance and behavior of the dropdown. Developers can easily implement custom styles, components, and even animations, making it highly adaptable to various design systems.

  • react-dropdown:

    react-dropdown offers basic customization options, allowing developers to style the dropdown using CSS. However, it may not support extensive customization features out of the box, limiting its flexibility for complex designs.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    react-dropdown-select provides moderate customization capabilities, including the ability to customize the appearance of the dropdown and its options. It allows for some level of theming and styling, making it suitable for applications with specific design requirements.

Multi-Select Support

  • react-select:

    react-select also supports multi-select, providing a robust interface for selecting multiple options. It includes features like select all, custom option rendering, and better handling of large datasets, making it ideal for complex use cases.

  • react-dropdown:

    react-dropdown does not support multi-select functionality, making it suitable only for single-option selections. This limitation may hinder its usability in applications requiring multiple selections.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    react-dropdown-select supports multi-select out of the box, allowing users to select multiple options from the dropdown. This feature enhances user experience in scenarios where multiple selections are necessary, such as tagging or filtering.

Performance

  • react-select:

    react-select is optimized for performance, especially with large datasets. It supports features like lazy loading and virtualization, ensuring smooth interactions even with extensive option lists.

  • react-dropdown:

    react-dropdown is lightweight and performs well for simple use cases. However, it may struggle with performance when handling large datasets due to its lack of optimization features.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    react-dropdown-select maintains good performance with moderate datasets but may experience slowdowns with very large lists, as it lacks advanced virtualization techniques.

Accessibility

  • react-select:

    react-select is designed with accessibility in mind, providing built-in support for keyboard navigation and ARIA attributes. It aims to meet accessibility standards, making it a suitable choice for applications that prioritize inclusive design.

  • react-dropdown:

    react-dropdown has basic accessibility features but may require additional work to ensure compliance with accessibility standards, such as keyboard navigation and screen reader support.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    react-dropdown-select includes some accessibility features, but developers may need to implement additional enhancements to ensure full compliance with ARIA standards and keyboard navigation.

Learning Curve

  • react-select:

    react-select has a steeper learning curve compared to the others, given its extensive features and customization options. However, its comprehensive documentation and community support can help developers navigate its complexities.

  • react-dropdown:

    react-dropdown has a low learning curve, making it easy for beginners to implement and use. Its simplicity is a significant advantage for quick projects.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    react-dropdown-select has a moderate learning curve due to its additional features like multi-select and search. While still accessible, it may require some time to fully understand its capabilities.

How to Choose: react-select vs react-dropdown vs react-dropdown-select
  • react-select:

    Select react-select for a comprehensive and highly customizable dropdown solution. It offers extensive features such as async options loading, custom styling, and advanced accessibility support. This package is best for complex applications that require a robust dropdown component.

  • react-dropdown:

    Choose react-dropdown if you need a simple, lightweight dropdown component that is easy to integrate and requires minimal configuration. It is suitable for projects that do not require advanced features like multi-select or complex styling.

  • react-dropdown-select:

    Opt for react-dropdown-select if you require a dropdown that supports multi-selection and search functionality. This package is ideal for applications where users need to select multiple options from a long list, providing a more user-friendly experience.

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.