react-native-picker-select vs react-native-dropdown-picker
React Native Picker Libraries Comparison
1 Year
react-native-picker-selectreact-native-dropdown-pickerSimilar Packages:
What's React Native Picker Libraries?

Picker libraries in React Native are essential for creating dropdown menus that allow users to select from a list of options. These libraries enhance user experience by providing intuitive and interactive ways to select values in mobile applications. They cater to various design requirements and user interactions, making it easier for developers to implement selection features in their apps. Choosing the right picker library can significantly impact the usability and aesthetics of the application, as well as the overall development experience.

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react-native-picker-select61,0071,77845.8 kB915 months agoMIT
react-native-dropdown-picker49,2851,007161 kB1632 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-native-picker-select vs react-native-dropdown-picker

Customization

  • react-native-picker-select:

    react-native-picker-select provides basic customization options primarily focused on styling the dropdown and its items. While it allows some level of customization, it is less flexible compared to react-native-dropdown-picker. This library is designed for simplicity, making it easy to implement but with limited advanced customization features.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    react-native-dropdown-picker offers extensive customization options, allowing developers to modify styles, colors, and behaviors of the dropdown. It supports custom components for items, enabling unique designs that fit the app's theme. Additionally, it provides features like multi-select and search, enhancing user interaction and experience.

Performance

  • react-native-picker-select:

    react-native-picker-select is lightweight and performs well in most scenarios. It leverages native components, which can lead to better performance on mobile devices. The simplicity of the library contributes to its efficiency, making it a good choice for applications that prioritize speed and responsiveness.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    react-native-dropdown-picker is optimized for performance, especially when handling large datasets. It employs efficient rendering techniques to ensure smooth interactions and quick response times, even with complex dropdowns. However, the performance may vary based on the level of customization applied.

User Experience

  • react-native-picker-select:

    react-native-picker-select focuses on providing a straightforward user experience with a simple dropdown interface. It is easy to use and understand, making it suitable for applications that require quick selections without overwhelming the user. However, it may lack some of the advanced features that enhance user engagement.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    react-native-dropdown-picker enhances user experience through features like multi-select, search, and customizable animations. These features make it easier for users to find and select options, especially in applications with extensive lists. The overall interaction is designed to be intuitive and engaging, improving the usability of the app.

Integration

  • react-native-picker-select:

    react-native-picker-select is designed for easy integration with React Native applications. It is compatible with both functional and class components and works well with React Native's built-in components. Its simplicity makes it a quick drop-in solution for developers looking to implement a basic picker without extensive setup.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    react-native-dropdown-picker can be easily integrated into various React Native projects, supporting both functional and class components. It works well with state management libraries, making it a versatile choice for different application architectures. The library's flexibility allows developers to adapt it to various use cases seamlessly.

Community and Support

  • react-native-picker-select:

    react-native-picker-select has a solid community base and is well-documented, offering clear instructions and examples for implementation. While it may not have as many features as react-native-dropdown-picker, it is widely used and supported, ensuring that developers can find help and resources when needed.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    react-native-dropdown-picker has a growing community and is actively maintained, with regular updates and improvements. The documentation is comprehensive, providing examples and guidance for developers. Community support is available through GitHub issues and discussions, making it easier to find solutions to common problems.

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

    Choose react-native-picker-select if you prefer a simpler, lightweight solution that integrates seamlessly with React Native's native components. It is suitable for straightforward use cases where you want a quick implementation with minimal configuration and a focus on performance.

  • react-native-dropdown-picker:

    Choose react-native-dropdown-picker if you need a highly customizable dropdown with built-in support for multi-select options, search functionality, and a rich set of styling options. It is ideal for applications that require a more complex selection interface and user-friendly features.

README for react-native-picker-select

react-native-picker-select

npm version npm downloads Test Coverage build

A Picker component for React Native which emulates the native <select> interfaces for iOS and Android

For iOS, by default we are wrapping an unstyled TextInput component. You can then pass down styles to customize it to your needs.

For Android, by default we are using the native Picker component. If you prefer, you can set useNativeAndroidPickerStyle to false, which will also render an unstyled TextInput component. You can then pass down styles to customize it to your needs.

For either platform, you can alternatively pass down a child element of your choice that will be wrapped in a touchable area.

iOS Example Android Example

View examples on snack.expo.io

Getting Started

Installing

This package is built around and depends on @react-native-picker/picker. Please make sure you install it correctly (as seen below in installation steps).

npm install react-native-picker-select

# React Native users
npm install @react-native-picker/picker
npx pod-install

# Expo
expo install @react-native-picker/picker

Basic Usage

import RNPickerSelect from 'react-native-picker-select';

export const Dropdown = () => {
  return (
    <RNPickerSelect
      onValueChange={(value) => console.log(value)}
      items={[
        { label: 'Football', value: 'football' },
        { label: 'Baseball', value: 'baseball' },
        { label: 'Hockey', value: 'hockey' },
      ]}
    />
  );
};

Versioning

| Version | Notes | | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | >= 8.0.0 | Uses @react-native-picker/picker. React Native 0.60 or above. If using Expo, SDK38 or above. | | >= 3.0.0 | React v16.3 or above. | | < 3.0.0 | React v16.2 or below. |

Props

| Name | Description | Details | | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | onValueChange | Callback which returns value, index | required
function | | items | The items for the component to render
- Each item should be in the following format:
{label: 'Orange', value: 'orange', key: 'orange', color: 'orange', inputLabel: 'Orange!', testID: 'e2e-orange'}
- label and value are required
- key, color, testID, and inputLabel are optional
- key will be set to equal label if not included
- value can be any data type
- If inputLabel exists, the TextInput will display that value instead of the label | required
array | | placeholder | - An override for the default placeholder object with a label of Select an item... and a value of null
- An empty object can be used if you'd like to disable the placeholder entirely | object | | disabled | Disables interaction with the component | boolean | | value | Will attempt to locate a matching item from the items array by checking each item's value property. If found, it will update the component to show that item as selected. If the value is not found, it will default to the first item. WARNING: do not use this attribute on iOS if you plan to allow the user to modify the value from within the Picker, use itemKey instead. | any | | itemKey | Will attempt to locate a matching item from the items array by checking each item's key property. If found, it will update the component to show that item as selected. If the key is not found, it will attempt to find a matching item by value as above. | string, number | | style | Style overrides for most parts of the component.
More details in styling | object | | darkTheme
iOS only | Use the dark theme for the Picker. | boolean | | pickerProps | Additional props to pass to the Picker (some props are used in core functionality so use this carefully) | object | | Icon | Custom icon component to be rendered.
More details in styling | Component | | textInputProps | Additional props to pass to the TextInput (some props are used in core functionality so use this carefully). This is iOS only unless useNativeAndroidPickerStyle={false}. | object | | touchableWrapperProps | Additional props to pass to the touchable wrapping the TextInput (some props are used in core functionality so use this carefully) | object | | onOpen()
| Callback triggered right before the opening of the picker
Not supported when useNativeAndroidPickerStyle={true} | function | | useNativeAndroidPickerStyle
Android only | The component defaults to using the native Android Picker in its un-selected state. Setting this flag to false will mimic the default iOS presentation where a tappable TextInput is displayed.
More details in styling | boolean | | fixAndroidTouchableBug
Android only | Experimental flag to fix issue #354 | boolean | | InputAccessoryView
iOS only | Replace the InputAcessoryView section (bar with tabbing arrown and Done button) of the opened picker with your own custom component. Can also return null here to hide completely. While this bar is typical on select elements on the web, the interface guidelines does not include it. View the snack to see examples on how this can be customized. | Component | | doneText
iOS only | "Done" default text on the modal. Can be overwritten here | string | | onUpArrow() / onDownArrow()
iOS only | Presence enables the corresponding arrow
- Closes the picker
- Calls the callback provided | function | | onDonePress()
iOS only | Callback when the 'Done' button is pressed | function | | onClose(Bool)
iOS only | Callback triggered right before the closing of the picker. It has one boolean parameter indicating if the done button was pressed or not | function | | modalProps
iOS only | Additional props to pass to the Modal (some props are used in core functionality so use this carefully) | object | | touchableDoneProps
iOS only | Additional props to pass to the Done touchable (some props are used in core functionality so use this carefully) | object |

Styling

All properties mentioned below must be nested under the style prop. Examples of different styling options can be found on the example snack.

iOS-specific

  • The component wraps a TextInput without styling. You can target the TextInput styling with inputIOS.
  • Other styles that can be modified for iOS are named inputIOSContainer, placeholder, viewContainer, chevronContainer, chevron, chevronUp, chevronDown, chevronActive, done, modalViewTop, modalViewMiddle, and modalViewBottom

Android-specific

  • The native Picker in its inactive state acts looks similar to a TextInput, but it has limitations on custom styling. Any styling that is possible can be applied via inputAndroid.
  • You can add some styling customization to the active-state native Picker, but that requires modifying some xml files
  • If you set the prop useNativeAndroidPickerStyle to false, the component will allow a few other style objects: inputAndroidContainer, placeholder, and inputAndroid
  • Other styles that can be modified for Android are named headlessAndroidContainer and viewContainer

Web-specific

  • The component creates a select tag
  • The styling of this select tag can be modified using a nested object with the key inputWeb

Icon

  • If a component is passed in via the Icon prop - it will be rendered with { position: 'absolute', right: 0 } applied to its wrapping container. You can modify these values and add additional spacing to position the icon as needed by modifying iconContainer. You'll probably also want to add some paddingRight to your input styling to avoid any longer text appearing behind the icon.
  • You can pass a component of your choosing (css, image, svg, etc..) for use as the icon. For ease of use, consider a library such as react-native-shapes or react-native-vector-icons.
  • Examples of different icons and their usage can be found on the example snack.

Accessibility

If you need to add accessibility props to the rendered component, you may use pickerProps and touchableWrapperProps to pass these through.

pickerProps accepts an object of props that get passed directly to the native <Picker /> component. touchableWrapperProps also accepts an object of props, but this gets passed to a <TouchableOpacity /> that toggles the visibility of the picker.*note: touchableWrapperProps is not supported on web or when useNativeAndroidPickerStyle={true}

Accessibility Example

In the example below, we render the picker with supplementary description text, but for screen readers, we omit this by passing just the title to the accessibilityLabel prop.

const selectedItem = {
  title: 'Selected item title',
  description: 'Secondary long descriptive text ...',
};

export const Dropdown = () => {
  return (
    <RNPickerSelect
      pickerProps={{
        accessibilityLabel: selectedItem.title,
      }}
    >
      <Text>{selectedItem.title}</Text>
      <Text>{selectedItem.description}</Text>
    </RNPickerSelect>
  );
};

Testing

Test suite included. This component has been used and tested since React Native v0.51.

BrowserStack

License

react-native-picker-select is MIT licensed and built with :heart: in Austin, TX by the team at LawnStarter