Bulk Select Actions

When to Use This Skill

Use when:

• Building a table/list with multi-select functionality
• Implementing bulk actions (delete, archive, export, status change)
• Need a floating action toolbar that appears on selection
• Want consistent selection UX across multiple tables

Tech Stack

Architecture Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Page Component (selection state owner)                     │
│  ├── selectedIds: Set<string>                               │
│  ├── onSelectionChange: (ids: Set<string>) => void          │
│  └── bulk action handlers                                   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │ Table Component                                      │    │
│  │ ┌─────┬─────────────────────────────────────────┐   │    │
│  │ │ ☑️  │ Header row with select-all checkbox      │   │    │
│  │ ├─────┼─────────────────────────────────────────┤   │    │
│  │ │ ☐  │ Row 1                                    │   │    │
│  │ │ ☑️  │ Row 2 (selected)                         │   │    │
│  │ │ ☑️  │ Row 3 (selected)                         │   │    │
│  │ │ ☐  │ Row 4                                    │   │    │
│  │ └─────┴─────────────────────────────────────────┘   │    │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │ Floating Toolbar (fixed bottom center, z-50)        │    │
│  │ ┌──────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬───────┐  │    │
│  │ │ 2 selected ✕ │  Action 1  │  Action 2  │ Delete│  │    │
│  │ └──────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴───────┘  │    │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Critical Patterns

1. Selection State Management (Page Level)

Selection state MUST live in the page component, not the table:

// page.tsx
"use client";

import { useState } from "react";

export default function ItemsPage() {
  const [selectedIds, setSelectedIds] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());

  // Clear selection when filters change
  const handleFilterChange = (value: string) => {
    setFilter(value);
    setSelectedIds(new Set());
  };

  return (
    <>
      <ItemsTable
        items={items}
        selectedIds={selectedIds}
       
      />
      <BulkActionsToolbar
        selectedIds={selectedIds}
        => setSelectedIds(new Set())}
        // ... action handlers
      />
    </>
  );
}

2. Checkbox Indeterminate State (CRITICAL)

Use the built-in checked prop with "indeterminate" value:

// ✅ CORRECT - Use built-in indeterminate prop
<Checkbox
  checked={allSelected ? true : someSelected ? "indeterminate" : false}
 
  aria-label="Select all"
/>

// ❌ WRONG - Manual ref approach (gets overwritten by Radix)
<Checkbox
  checked={allSelected}
  ref={(el) => {
    if (el) {
      (el as HTMLButtonElement).dataset.state = someSelected
        ? "indeterminate"
        : "checked";
    }
  }}
/>

3. Selection Logic

// Table component
const allSelected = items.length > 0 && items.every((item) => selectedIds.has(item.id));
const someSelected = items.some((item) => selectedIds.has(item.id)) && !allSelected;

const handleSelectAll = () => {
  if (allSelected) {
    onSelectionChange(new Set()); // Deselect all
  } else {
    onSelectionChange(new Set(items.map((item) => item.id))); // Select all
  }
};

const handleSelectOne = (id: string, checked: boolean) => {
  const newSet = new Set(selectedIds);
  if (checked) {
    newSet.add(id);
  } else {
    newSet.delete(id);
  }
  onSelectionChange(newSet);
};

4. Floating Toolbar Position & Animation

// CRITICAL: These exact classes for consistent UX
<div className="fixed bottom-6 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-50 animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-bottom-4 duration-200">
  <div className="flex items-center gap-2 bg-background border rounded-lg shadow-lg px-4 py-3">
    {/* Toolbar content */}
  </div>
</div>

5. Toolbar Structure

export function BulkActionsToolbar({
  selectedIds,
  onClearSelection,
  onAction1,
  onAction2,
  onDelete,
  isLoading = false,
}: BulkActionsToolbarProps) {
  const [deleteDialogOpen, setDeleteDialogOpen] = useState(false);
  const selectedCount = selectedIds.size;

  // Hide when nothing selected
  if (selectedCount === 0) {
    return null;
  }

  return (
    <>
      <div className="fixed bottom-6 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-50 animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-bottom-4 duration-200">
        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 bg-background border rounded-lg shadow-lg px-4 py-3">
          {/* Selected count with clear button */}
          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 pr-3 border-r">
            <span className="text-sm font-medium">
              {selectedCount} selected
            </span>
            <Button
              variant="ghost"
              size="sm"
              className="h-6 w-6 p-0"
             
            >
              <X className="h-4 w-4" />
            </Button>
          </div>

          {/* Action buttons */}
          <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={isLoading}>
            <Icon className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
            Action 1
          </Button>

          {/* Destructive action - always last, with confirmation */}
          <Button
            variant="outline"
            size="sm"
            => setDeleteDialogOpen(true)}
            disabled={isLoading}
            className="text-red-600 hover:text-red-700 hover:bg-red-50"
          >
            <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
            Delete
          </Button>
        </div>
      </div>

      {/* Confirmation dialog for destructive actions */}
      <AlertDialog open={deleteDialogOpen}
        <AlertDialogContent>
          <AlertDialogHeader>
            <AlertDialogTitle>Delete Items</AlertDialogTitle>
            <AlertDialogDescription>
              Are you sure you want to delete {selectedCount} item
              {selectedCount === 1 ? "" : "s"}? This action cannot be undone.
            </AlertDialogDescription>
          </AlertDialogHeader>
          <AlertDialogFooter>
            <AlertDialogCancel>Cancel</AlertDialogCancel>
            <AlertDialogAction
              => { onDelete(); setDeleteDialogOpen(false); }}
              className="bg-red-600 hover:bg-red-700"
            >
              Delete {selectedCount} Item{selectedCount === 1 ? "" : "s"}
            </AlertDialogAction>
          </AlertDialogFooter>
        </AlertDialogContent>
      </AlertDialog>
    </>
  );
}

6. Row Checkbox - Prevent Row Click

<TableRow
  className="cursor-pointer"
  => onRowClick(item.id)}
>
  <TableCell => e.stopPropagation()}>
    <Checkbox
      checked={selectedIds.has(item.id)}
      => handleSelectOne(item.id, !!checked)}
      aria-label={`Select ${item.name}`}
    />
  </TableCell>
  {/* ... other cells */}
</TableRow>

7. Conditional Actions Based on Item State

// Check selected items' states for conditional actions
const selectedItems = items.filter((item) => selectedIds.has(item.id));
const allDraft = selectedItems.every((item) => item.status === "DRAFT");
const allPublished = selectedItems.every((item) => item.status === "PUBLISHED");

// Only show "Publish" if all selected are DRAFT
{allDraft && (
  <Button variant="outline" size="sm"
    <Globe className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
    Publish
  </Button>
)}

// Only show "Close" if all selected are PUBLISHED
{allPublished && (
  <Button variant="outline" size="sm"
    <XCircle className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
    Close
  </Button>
)}

Table Component Props Interface

interface SelectableTableProps<T extends { id: string }> {
  items: T[];
  isLoading?: boolean;
  selectedIds: Set<string>;
  onSelectionChange: (ids: Set<string>) => void;
  onRowClick?: (id: string) => void;
}

Toolbar Component Props Interface

interface BulkActionsToolbarProps {
  selectedIds: Set<string>;
  onClearSelection: () => void;
  isLoading?: boolean;
  // Add specific action handlers as needed
}

Styling Patterns

Checkbox Column Width

<TableHead className="w-12">
  <Checkbox ... />
</TableHead>

Clear Selection Button

<Button
  variant="ghost"
  size="sm"
  className="h-6 w-6 p-0"  // Compact square button
 
>
  <X className="h-4 w-4" />
</Button>

Destructive Action Button

<Button
  variant="outline"
  size="sm"
  className="text-red-600 hover:text-red-700 hover:bg-red-50"
>
  <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
  Delete
</Button>

Confirmation Dialog Action

<AlertDialogAction className="bg-red-600 hover:bg-red-700">
  Delete {count} Item{count === 1 ? "" : "s"}
</AlertDialogAction>

Selected Count Section (with separator)

<div className="flex items-center gap-2 pr-3 border-r">
  <span className="text-sm font-medium">{count} selected</span>
  <ClearButton />
</div>

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using useEffect to clear selection on filter change

// WRONG - ESLint error, causes cascading renders
useEffect(() => {
  setSelectedIds(new Set());
}, [filter]);

✅ Clear selection in the filter handler

// CORRECT - Clear inline when filter changes
const handleFilterChange = (value: string) => {
  setFilter(value);
  setSelectedIds(new Set());
};

❌ Selection state in table component

// WRONG - State should be lifted to page
function Table() {
  const [selectedIds, setSelectedIds] = useState(new Set());
  // ...
}

✅ Selection state in page component

// CORRECT - Page owns state, passes to children
function Page() {
  const [selectedIds, setSelectedIds] = useState(new Set());
  return (
    <>
      <Table selectedIds={selectedIds} />
      <Toolbar selectedIds={selectedIds} => setSelectedIds(new Set())} />
    </>
  );
}

❌ Missing stopPropagation on row checkbox

// WRONG - Clicking checkbox also triggers row click
<TableRow
  <TableCell>
    <Checkbox />
  </TableCell>
</TableRow>

✅ Stop propagation on checkbox cell

// CORRECT - Checkbox click doesn't bubble to row
<TableRow
  <TableCell => e.stopPropagation()}>
    <Checkbox />
  </TableCell>
</TableRow>

❌ No confirmation for destructive bulk actions

// WRONG - Dangerous actions need confirmation
<Button All</Button>

✅ Always confirm destructive actions

// CORRECT - AlertDialog for confirmation
<Button => setDeleteDialogOpen(true)}>Delete</Button>
<AlertDialog open={deleteDialogOpen}>
  {/* Confirmation content */}
</AlertDialog>

File Structure

src/
├── app/
│   └── (dashboard)/
│       └── dashboard/
│           └── items/
│               └── page.tsx           # Selection state owner
├── components/
│   └── items/
│       ├── items-table.tsx            # Table with checkboxes
│       ├── items-bulk-actions-toolbar.tsx  # Floating toolbar
│       └── index.ts                   # Exports
└── hooks/
    └── use-items.ts                   # Include bulk mutation hooks

Bulk Mutation Hooks Pattern

// hooks/use-items.ts
export function useBulkDeleteItems(teamId?: string) {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  return useMutation({
    mutationFn: async (ids: string[]) => {
      const response = await fetch(`/api/teams/${teamId}/items/bulk-delete`, {
        method: "POST",
        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
        body: JSON.stringify({ ids }),
      });
      if (!response.ok) throw new Error("Failed to delete items");
      return response.json();
    },
    onSuccess: () => {
      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["items", teamId] });
    },
  });
}

Related Asset Files

Checklist

• Selection state lives in page component (not table)
• Checkbox uses checked={allSelected ? true : someSelected ? "indeterminate" : false}
• Floating toolbar has fixed bottom-6 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-50
• Toolbar has animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-bottom-4 duration-200
• Toolbar returns null when selectedCount === 0
• Row checkbox cell has onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
• Selected count section has border-r separator
• Destructive action has confirmation dialog
• Destructive button has text-red-600 hover:text-red-700 hover:bg-red-50
• Confirmation action has bg-red-600 hover:bg-red-700
• Selection clears when filters change (in handler, not useEffect)
• Bulk mutation hooks invalidate queries on success