Guide · Open source
How to use react-virtualized for long lists and tables
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
react-virtualized is a set of React components for showing long lists and tabular data without rendering every row at once. This guide explains what it does, what you need before starting, how to get the code, and when it is a good fit. After reading, you will know whether it suits your React project and where to find the live examples.
react-virtualizedbvaughn/react-virtualized · ★ 27.1k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Confirm your stack. Make sure your project uses React and Node.js, since these are the listed prerequisites.
- 2Clone the repository. Run the git clone command from the README to get the source code locally.
- 3Open the documentation. Visit the documentation site to review the live examples before writing code.
- 4Pick a list or table to virtualize. Choose a long list or data table in your app that renders many rows, where virtualization will make a difference.
- 5Compare alternatives if needed. Look at react-window and TanStack Virtual if you want a different windowing approach or an actively evolving option.
What react-virtualized does
Rendering thousands of rows at once creates thousands of DOM elements, which can slow a page down. react-virtualized renders only the items that are currently visible, so the page stays responsive as the data set grows.
The project describes itself as React components for efficiently rendering large lists and tabular data. Developers use it inside their own React applications.
Check the prerequisites before you start
The library is built for React, so your project needs React. The prerequisites listed for this project are Node.js and React.
If your project does not use React, this library is not the right tool, because its components are written for React.
- Node.js
- React
Get the source code
The README gives a git clone command to fetch the repository. Run it in the terminal from the folder where you want the project to live.
The project's install method is listed as a package manager. The README excerpt used for this page does not show a package-manager command, so check the documentation site for the exact steps.
git clone https://github.com/bvaughn/react-virtualizedFind working examples in the documentation
The project's documentation site includes live examples. These are the fastest way to see how the components behave with real data before you wire them into your own app.
Use the examples as a reference while you build. The README excerpt used for this page does not include usage code, so do not assume an API from this guide alone.
- Open https://react-virtualized-docs.vercel.app for the documentation and live examples.
Decide if virtualization is worth it for your page
Virtualization adds complexity. It helps most when a list or table has many rows. For a small page with only a few dozen items, a normal render is usually simpler and may be enough.
The README does not describe the current maintenance status of the project. If you need a newer, actively evolving option, compare it with the alternatives listed below.
- Good fit: long lists, data tables or grids with many rows in a React app.
- Poor fit: pages with only a few dozen items, or non-React projects.
- Compare before choosing: react-window and TanStack Virtual.
What people use it for
- Displaying long lists of items in a React app without rendering every row at once.
- Building data tables or grids that contain many rows.
- Adding a component-based windowing approach to an existing React interface.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install react-virtualized?
The README shows a git clone command to get the repository. The install method is listed as a package manager, but the README excerpt used for this page does not show that command, so check the documentation site for the exact steps.
What are the requirements for react-virtualized?
The listed prerequisites are Node.js and React. The components are built for React, so projects that do not use React are not a good match.
Is react-virtualized free to use?
The project is released under the MIT licence. Check the licence file in the repository for the full terms before using it in your product.
What are the alternatives to react-virtualized?
The comparable projects listed are react-window and TanStack Virtual. Both are windowing options for React, so compare them against your own list or table needs.
Is react-virtualized still maintained?
The README does not describe the current maintenance status of the project. If you need an actively evolving library, check recent activity in the repository before choosing it.
Does react-virtualized perform better than react-window or TanStack Virtual?
The source material does not include benchmarks or a direct comparison, so this guide cannot say which is faster. Test each option with your own data set.
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Our verdict
react-virtualized suits React developers who need to show long lists or large tables without slowing the page down. Pick something else if your project does not use React, if your page only has a few dozen items, or if you need a library with clearly current maintenance, in which case react-window or TanStack Virtual are worth comparing.
Install options & downloads