react-window vs react-virtuoso vs react-infinite-scroll-component
React Virtualization Libraries Comparison
1 Year
react-windowreact-virtuosoreact-infinite-scroll-componentSimilar Packages:
What's React Virtualization Libraries?

React virtualization libraries are designed to efficiently render large lists of data by only displaying the items that are currently visible in the viewport. This approach significantly improves performance and user experience by reducing the number of DOM nodes rendered at any given time. Each of these libraries offers unique features and optimizations tailored for different use cases, making them suitable for various applications that require handling extensive datasets.

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react-window2,877,30016,389896 kB24 months agoMIT
react-virtuoso916,3655,631193 kB3917 days agoMIT
react-infinite-scroll-component761,3802,963-1964 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-window vs react-virtuoso vs react-infinite-scroll-component

Performance Optimization

  • react-window:

    React Window is designed for high performance with fixed-height lists. It only renders the items that fit within the viewport, significantly reducing the number of DOM nodes and improving rendering speed, especially for large datasets.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Virtuoso excels in performance by implementing windowing, which only renders items that are visible in the viewport. It can handle thousands of items efficiently, ensuring minimal rendering overhead and a responsive interface.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This package optimizes performance by loading additional data as the user scrolls, minimizing the number of items rendered at once. It maintains a smooth user experience even with large datasets by leveraging lazy loading techniques.

Ease of Use

  • react-window:

    React Window is straightforward and easy to use, especially for developers familiar with React. Its simple API allows for quick integration into projects, making it a great choice for those looking for a no-fuss solution.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Virtuoso offers a rich set of features but comes with a steeper learning curve due to its flexibility and customization options. It may require more initial setup and understanding of its API to leverage its full potential.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This library is user-friendly and requires minimal setup, making it accessible for developers who want to implement infinite scrolling quickly without diving deep into configuration or complex logic.

Customization

  • react-window:

    React Window offers limited customization compared to Virtuoso but is still flexible enough for most use cases. It allows for some degree of customization in item rendering, making it suitable for simpler applications.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Virtuoso shines in customization, allowing developers to define item heights, customize scrolling behavior, and integrate complex layouts. This makes it ideal for applications that require tailored solutions for displaying data.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    While it provides basic infinite scrolling functionality, customization options are somewhat limited compared to others. It is best suited for standard use cases where advanced features are not required.

Item Height Handling

  • react-window:

    React Window is optimized for fixed-height items, which simplifies the rendering process. It is best suited for lists where item heights are consistent, ensuring efficient performance.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Virtuoso supports variable item heights, allowing for dynamic content rendering. This feature is particularly useful for applications displaying diverse data types or layouts, enhancing the user experience.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This package does not inherently manage item heights, which can lead to performance issues if items vary significantly in size. It is best used with uniform item heights to ensure optimal performance.

Community and Support

  • react-window:

    React Window benefits from a strong community and is widely used, ensuring ample resources, tutorials, and support are available for developers looking to implement it.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Virtuoso has a growing community and offers extensive documentation, making it easier for developers to find support and examples for implementing its features effectively.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This package has a moderate community and support base, with sufficient resources and documentation available for common use cases and issues.

How to Choose: react-window vs react-virtuoso vs react-infinite-scroll-component
  • react-window:

    Select React Window for a lightweight and efficient solution focused on rendering large lists with fixed item heights. It is simpler than Virtuoso and provides a straightforward API, making it a great choice for applications that prioritize performance without needing extensive customization.

  • react-virtuoso:

    Opt for Virtuoso if you require a highly customizable and performant solution for rendering large lists. It offers features like variable item heights, windowing, and support for both vertical and horizontal scrolling, making it suitable for complex layouts and applications that demand flexibility.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    Choose this package if you need a simple implementation of infinite scrolling for your lists. It is easy to set up and works well for scenarios where new data is loaded as the user scrolls down, making it ideal for feeds or lists where data is continuously appended.

README for react-window

react-window

React components for efficiently rendering large lists and tabular data

If you like this project, 🎉 become a sponsor or ☕ buy me a coffee


React window works by only rendering part of a large data set (just enough to fill the viewport). This helps address some common performance bottlenecks:

  1. It reduces the amount of work (and time) required to render the initial view and to process updates.
  2. It reduces the memory footprint by avoiding over-allocation of DOM nodes.

Sponsors

The following wonderful companies have sponsored react-window:

Learn more about becoming a sponsor!

Install

# Yarn
yarn add react-window

# NPM
npm install --save react-window

Usage

Learn more at react-window.now.sh:

Related libraries

  • react-virtualized-auto-sizer: HOC that grows to fit all of the available space and passes the width and height values to its child.
  • react-window-infinite-loader: Helps break large data sets down into chunks that can be just-in-time loaded as they are scrolled into view. It can also be used to create infinite loading lists (e.g. Facebook or Twitter).
  • react-vtree: Lightweight and flexible solution to render large tree structures (e.g., file system).

Frequently asked questions

How is react-window different from react-virtualized?

I wrote react-virtualized several years ago. At the time, I was new to both React and the concept of windowing. Because of this, I made a few API decisions that I later came to regret. One of these was adding too many non-essential features and components. Once you add something to an open source project, removing it is pretty painful for users.

react-window is a complete rewrite of react-virtualized. I didn't try to solve as many problems or support as many use cases. Instead I focused on making the package smaller1 and faster. I also put a lot of thought into making the API (and documentation) as beginner-friendly as possible (with the caveat that windowing is still kind of an advanced use case).

If react-window provides the functionality your project needs, I would strongly recommend using it instead of react-virtualized. However if you need features that only react-virtualized provides, you have two options:

  1. Use react-virtualized. (It's still widely used by a lot of successful projects!)
  2. Create a component that decorates one of the react-window primitives and adds the functionality you need. You may even want to release this component to NPM (as its own, standalone package)! 🙂

1 - Adding a react-virtualized list to a CRA project increases the (gzipped) build size by ~33.5 KB. Adding a react-window list to a CRA project increases the (gzipped) build size by <2 KB.

Can a list or a grid fill 100% the width or height of a page?

Yes. I recommend using the react-virtualized-auto-sizer package:

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 29 08 pm

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Why is my list blank when I scroll?

If your list looks something like this...

...then you probably forgot to use the style parameter! Libraries like react-window work by absolutely positioning the list items (via an inline style), so don't forget to attach it to the DOM element you render!

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 21 48 pm

Can I lazy load data for my list?

Yes. I recommend using the react-window-infinite-loader package:

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 32 32 pm

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I attach custom properties or event handlers?

Yes, using the outerElementType prop.

Screen Shot 2019-03-12 at 8 58 09 AM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I add padding to the top and bottom of a list?

Yes, although it requires a bit of inline styling.

Screen Shot 2019-06-02 at 8 38 18 PM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I add gutter or padding between items?

Yes, although it requires a bit of inline styling.

Screen Shot 2019-03-26 at 6 33 56 PM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Does this library support "sticky" items?

Yes, although it requires a small amount of user code. Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

License

MIT © bvaughn