Syncfusion React Grid

Syncfusion React Grid

The Syncfusion React Grid is a comprehensive, feature-rich component for displaying and manipulating tabular data. It provides extensive functionality for data binding, paging, sorting, filtering, grouping, editing, exporting, scrolling modes, row/column customization, and advanced state management to handle datasets of any size and complexity efficiently.

⚠️ Security & Trust Boundary

• The Grid skill does not perform any remote data access.
• All external API interaction is handled by a separate DataManager skill outside this skill’s trust boundary.

Table of Contents

• When to Use This Skill
• Component Overview
• Mandatory Rules for Inbuilt API
• Feature/Skill Navigation Guide
• Quick Start Example

When to Use This Skill

Use the Syncfusion React Grid when you need to:

• Display tabular data with rows and columns in a React application
• Handle large datasets efficiently with paging, virtual scrolling, or infinite scrolling
• Enable sorting, filtering, and searching for single or multiple columns
• Edit data inline with multiple edit modes (Inline, Batch, Dialog)
• Export data to Excel or PDF formats with customization
• Group and aggregate data with summaries and calculations
• Customize rows and cells with templates and styling
• Manage complex column configurations (frozen columns, spanning, reordering, resizing)
• Optimize performance when rendering thousands of records
• Persist grid state for user preferences and configuration
• Provide responsive data views for different screen sizes

Component Overview

The Grid component provides:

• Data Binding: Support for local arrays, remote data sources, and DataManager integration
• Paging: Client-side pagination with customizable page size and navigation
• Sorting: Single and multi-column sorting with custom comparers
• Filtering: Multiple filter modes (Filter Bar, Filter Menu, Excel-like filter)
• Searching: Global search across columns
• Grouping: Group data by columns with aggregates and lazy loading
• Selection: Row, cell, and column selection with checkbox support
• Editing: Inline, Batch, and Dialog modes with validation and templates
• Aggregates: Sum, Average, Count, Min, Max with footer, group, and caption display
• Exporting: Excel and PDF export with templates and server-side support
• Scrolling: Standard, Virtual, and Infinite scrolling modes
• Row Customization: Templates, detail views, drag-drop, pinning, spanning
• Column Customization: Templates, resizing, reordering, freezing, spanning
• Performance: Optimized rendering for large datasets
• Responsive Design: Adaptive layouts for different screen sizes
• Module System: Feature-based modules to reduce bundle size

Mandatory Rules for Inbuilt API

CRITICAL: Follow these rules when using Grid's inbuilt API (137+ methods, 65+ events, 95+ properties):

Rule 1: Module Injection Required for Feature Methods

Methods only work if their module is injected. No error thrown if module missing.

Rule 2: Properties vs Methods - Know the Difference

• Properties: Set via JSX props (<GridComponent allowPaging={true} />)
• Methods: Call via ref (gridRef.current.goToPage(2))
• Can't set properties via methods or call methods via props

📄 Full Properties API Reference: references/properties-configuration.md 📄 Full Methods API Reference: references/programmatic-api.md 📄 Full Events API Reference: references/events-catalog.md 📄 Backend Integration: references/adaptors.md

Feature Navigation Guide

Getting Started & Setup

📄 Read: references/getting-started.md

• Installation and package setup
• Basic component initialization
• CSS imports and theme configuration
• Simple data binding example
• Module injection

Data Management

📄 Read: references/data-binding.md

• Local data binding with arrays
• Remote data with DataManager
• Loading indicators (Spinner, Shimmer)
• Data source configuration

Column Configuration

📄 Read: references/columns.md

• Column definition and properties
• Column types (string, number, date, boolean, checkbox)
• Column width and auto-fit
• Column templates and custom rendering
• Column features (spanning, reordering, resizing, freezing)

Aggregation & Summaries

📄 Read: references/aggregates.md

• Footer aggregates (Sum, Avg, Count, Min, Max, etc.)
• Group footer aggregates
• Group caption aggregates
• Custom aggregate functions
• Reactive aggregate updates

Navigation & Pagination

📄 Read: references/paging.md

• Enable and configure paging
• Page size and navigation
• Page change events
• Customizing pager UI
• Query string integration

Sorting Data

📄 Read: references/sorting.md

• Single and multi-column sorting
• Sort direction control
• Initial sort configuration
• Custom comparers
• Prevent sorting for specific columns

Filtering

Start here: 📄 Read references/filter-setup.md — Enable filtering, choose filter type (FilterBar, Menu, Excel, CheckBox)

Choose your type:

• 📄 Read references/filter-types.md — All 3 filter types: FilterBar (inline text), Menu (operators), Excel (checkboxes)
• 📄 Read references/filter-operators.md — All 21+ operators, syntax, wildcards, AND/OR logic

Searching

📄 Read: references/searching.md

• Grid search functionality
• Global search across columns
• Search with filter integration
• Case-sensitive search options

Grouping Data

📄 Read: references/grouping.md

• Enable grouping by columns
• Group by multiple columns
• Caption templates
• Group footer aggregates
• Lazy-load grouping for performance

Selection

📄 Read: references/selection.md

• Row, cell, column selection modes
• Checkbox selection
• Multiple selection handling
• Selection events and methods
• Programmatic selection

Editing

📄 Read: references/editing.md

• Enable editing (allowEditing, allowAdding, allowDeleting)
• Edit modes: Inline, Batch, Dialog
• Edit triggers (double-click, toolbar, keyboard)
• Custom edit templates
• Validation rules and error handling
• Primary key configuration

⚠️ isPrimaryKey={true} is required on the key column — editing silently fails without it.

Row Features

📄 Read: references/row.md

• Row templates
• Detail templates (expand/collapse)
• Row drag and drop
• Row pinning
• Row spanning
• Row selection and events

Exporting

📄 Read: references/excel-export.md

• Basic Excel export functionality
• Export options and configuration
• Exporting with column templates
• Server-side export
• Formatting and styling in exports

📄 Read: references/pdf-export.md

• PDF export setup
• Headers and footers
• Export options and customization
• Exporting with templates
• Server-side PDF export
• Page orientation and sizing

Scrolling Modes

📄 Read: references/scrolling.md

• Standard scrolling
• Virtual scrolling (performance optimization)
• Infinite scrolling
• Scrollbar customization
• Height and width configuration

⚠️ height is required — scroll is silently disabled without it. Do NOT combine with allowPaging in virtual scrolling and infinite scrolling.

Freezing & Pinning

📄 Read: references/frozen.md

• Freeze columns
• Freeze rows
• Freeze headers
• Row pinning
• Frozen column behavior

Toolbar

📄 Read: references/toolbar.md

• Built-in toolbar items
• Custom toolbar buttons
• Toolbar icons and events
• Edit toolbar integration
• Toolbar item templates

Context Menu

📄 Read: references/context-menu.md

• Built-in context menu items
• Custom context menus
• Context menu configuration
• Context menu events

Cell Operations

📄 Read: references/cell.md

• Cell editing and selection
• Cell templates
• Cell value formatting
• Cell ranges and operations
• Cell focus and navigation

📄 Read: references/clipboard.md

• Copy and paste functionality
• Clipboard events
• Custom clipboard actions
• Copy column headers
• Paste from external sources

Printing

📄 Read: references/print.md

• Print grid
• Print templates
• Print customization
• Print specific rows/columns
• Print orientation and sizing

Styling & Appearance

📄 Read: references/style-and-appearance.md

• CSS customization
• Themes (Material, Bootstrap, Fabric)
• Dark mode support
• Inline styling and classes
• Custom color schemes
• Component size modes

⚠️ rowDataBound and queryCellInfo fire on every render — no API calls inside them. ❌ Never add both a column template and a rowDataBound handler targeting the same field — this produces duplicate, conflicting styling logic.

Hierarchy & Nested Data

📄 Read: references/hierarchy-grid.md

• Parent-child data structures
• Child grid
• Expand and collapse behavior
• Nested grid templates
• Detail row templates
• Hierarchical data configuration

Adaptive Mode

📄 Read: references/adaptive.md

• enableAdaptiveUI: Render filter, sort, column chooser, and edit dialogs in full-screen mode for better mobile usability. Apply e-bigger class to parent element.
• Vertical row rendering: Set rowRenderingMode="Vertical" to display row elements vertically instead of horizontally (default is Horizontal).
• Vertical rendering features: Supports paging, sorting, filtering, selection, dialog editing, aggregates, infinite scroll, and toolbar options.
• rowRenderingMode note: Column Menu (grouping, sorting, autofit, filter, column chooser) only works in Horizontal mode.
• AdaptiveUIMode property: Use "Mobile" to render adaptive layout only on mobile screens, or "Both" (default) for both mobile and desktop.
• Mobile screen optimization: Render adaptive dialogs and vertical layouts automatically when enableAdaptiveUI is enabled.

Configuration Management

📄 Read: references/global-local.md

• Global grid settings
• Local column configuration
• Configuration precedence
• Configuration merging

📄 Read: references/state-management.md

• Persist grid state
• Save and restore grid state manually
• Restore grid to initial state
• Prevent specific properties from persisting
• Persist column templates and header text

⚠️ Rule: enablePersistence={true} must be enable when use state management in grid.

Module System & Architecture

📄 Read: references/modules.md

• Grid module architecture and feature-based modules
• 30+ available modules and their dependencies
• Module injection patterns
• Feature-module mapping
• Bundle optimization and lazy loading
• Conditional module loading
• Every feature in the Syncfusion React Grid requires explicit module injection via <Inject services={[...]} />. Without injection, the feature is silently ignored — no error is thrown.

⚠️ Rule: <Inject services={[...]} /> must be the last child inside <GridComponent>.

Data Connectivity & Adaptors

📄 Read: references/adaptors.md

• 7 adaptor types for backend integration
• UrlAdaptor, ODataV4Adaptor, WebApiAdaptor, GraphQLAdaptor
• Custom adaptors and RemoteSaveAdaptor
• Backend configuration examples (C#, Node.js)
• Request/response format specifications
• Error handling and adaptor comparison

Performance Optimization

📄 Read: references/performance.md

• Virtual scrolling for 10,000+ records
• Infinite scrolling and progressive loading
• Memory management and cleanup strategies
• Bundle size optimization
• Event debouncing and throttling
• Performance benchmarking and monitoring

Accessibility & Compliance

📄 Read: references/accessibility.md

• WCAG 2.2 and Section 508 compliance
• WAI-ARIA implementation and screen readers
• Keyboard navigation (Tab, arrows, Enter, Escape)
• Color contrast and focus management
• Accessibility testing tools (axe, NVDA, JAWS)
• Semantic HTML practices

Data Validation

📄 Read: references/validation.md

• Built-in validators (required, min, max, pattern)
• Custom validation functions
• Async validation with server checks
• Validation events and error display
• Server-side validation with ASP.NET
• Validation rules by column type

Command Column & Row Actions

📄 Read: references/command-column.md

• Built-in commands (Edit, Delete, Save, Cancel)
• Custom command buttons
• Role-based and status-based commands
• Command click events
• Conditional command visibility
• CSS styling and icons

Localization & Internationalization

📄 Read: references/localization.md

• Multi-language support (60+ languages)
• Locale setup and culture configuration
• Number, date, and currency formatting
• RTL support (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi)
• Custom localization and translation
• Language switcher implementation

Responsive Design & Mobile

📄 Read: references/responsive-design.md

• Adaptive UI for mobile/tablet/desktop
• Responsive media queries and breakpoints
• Column visibility hiding rules
• Touch interactions (swipe, long-press)
• Mobile optimization strategies
• Device-specific styling patterns

API Reference & Properties

📄 Read: references/properties-configuration.md

• All 95+ configurable properties organized by category
• Quick reference table for quick lookup
• When to use each property
• Module requirements per property

Programmatic Control (Methods)

📄 Read: references/programmatic-api.md

• All 137+ Grid methods by category (data, row, column, sort, filter, group, page, edit, export)
• Method signatures and parameters
• Return values and usage patterns
• Module requirements per method

Event Communication (Events)

📄 Read: references/events-catalog.md

• All 65+ Grid events with timing and use cases
• Wire actionBegin to cancel or mutate before an action (args.cancel = true, args.data.field = value)
• Wire actionComplete to react after (API call, toast, refresh, toolbar restore)
• Must wire actionFailure for error handling
• Use args.requestType to identify the action

Advanced Patterns & Real-World Scenarios

📄 Real-Time Updates: references/real-time-updates.md

• Auto-refresh, WebSocket, and SignalR integration patterns
• Push vs. pull data strategies
• Connection management and reconnection logic

📄 Performance Monitoring: references/performance-monitoring.md

• Measure grid operation times
• Identify rendering bottlenecks
• Optimization checklist
• Memory usage tracking

📄 Testing Grids: references/testing-grids.md

• Unit testing with Jest and React Testing Library
• Integration testing scenarios
• Snapshot testing
• Best practices for grid testing

Quick Start Example

import { ColumnDirective, ColumnsDirective, GridComponent, Inject, Page, Sort, Filter } from '@syncfusion/ej2-react-grids';
import React from 'react';
import '../styles/App.css';

const gridRef = useRef<GridComponent | null>(null);
// Sample data
const data = [
  {
    OrderID: 10248,
    CustomerID: 'VINET',
    EmployeeID: 5,
    OrderDate: new Date(1996, 6, 4)
  },
  {
    OrderID: 10249,
    CustomerID: 'TOMSP',
    EmployeeID: 6,
    OrderDate: new Date(1996, 6, 5)
  },
];

function App() {
  return (
    <GridComponent
      ref={gridRef}
      dataSource={data}
      allowPaging={true}
      allowSorting={true}
      allowFiltering={true}
      pageSettings={{ pageSize: 10 }}
    >
      <ColumnsDirective>
        <ColumnDirective field='OrderID' headerText='Order ID' width='100' textAlign='Right' />
        <ColumnDirective field='CustomerID' headerText='Customer' width='120' />
        <ColumnDirective field='OrderDate' headerText='Order Date' width='130' type='date' format='yMd' />
      </ColumnsDirective>
      <Inject services={[Page, Sort, Filter]} />
    </GridComponent>
  );
}

export default App;