Rendering Buttons in Material Table with React

Introduction to Material Table in React

Material Table is a versatile and powerful component that allows React developers to build responsive data tables using Material Design principles. This table component is not only aesthetically pleasing but also packs a rich set of features to enhance user interaction. From sorting and filtering to pagination and editing, Material Table offers a comprehensive solution for displaying and managing large sets of data effectively.

In this tutorial, we will focus specifically on rendering buttons in Material Table for React applications. Whether you want to perform actions like editing, deleting, or any other interaction within the rows of the table, knowing how to render buttons effectively can greatly enhance user experience and functionality.

We will go through step-by-step instructions, providing clear examples and code snippets along the way. You’ll learn how to define button actions within the table, customize their appearance, and handle user interactions seamlessly.

Setting Up Your React Application

Before diving into rendering buttons, let’s ensure you have a solid setup for your React application. If you haven’t already, you can create a new React app using Create React App by running the following command:

npx create-react-app my-material-table-app

Once your app is set up, navigate into your project directory:

cd my-material-table-app

Next, we need to install Material Table and Material UI core libraries. Run the following command to install them:

npm install material-table @mui/material @emotion/react @emotion/styled

With your environment ready, you can start implementing the Material Table component in your application.

Basic Structure of Material Table

Now that we have our application set up, let’s create a basic Material Table to work with. First, import the necessary components in your main application file, usually found at src/App.js. Below is a simple implementation:

import React from 'react';
import MaterialTable from 'material-table';

function App() {
  return (
    

      
    

  );
}

export default App;

In this example, we’ve defined a table with a title and specified columns, but we haven’t populated it with data yet. Next, let’s set up some mock data to use.

Creating Mock Data

For demonstration purposes, we will create some mock data that can be used in our table. You can define the data in the same App.js file as follows:

const data = [
  { name: 'John', surname: 'Doe', birthYear: 1985, birthPlace: 'New York' },
  { name: 'Jane', surname: 'Smith', birthYear: 1990, birthPlace: 'Los Angeles' },
  { name: 'Bob', surname: 'Johnson', birthYear: 1995, birthPlace: 'Chicago' },
];

Now, let’s use this data in our MaterialTable component:

data={data}

As a result, our table is now populated with some entries. You can add more rows to the mock data as needed for your project.

Rendering Action Buttons in Table Rows

One of the greatest features of Material Table is its ability to render action buttons directly within the table rows. These buttons can perform various operations like editing and deleting data entries. To implement this, we will use the render function provided in the columns definition.

Let’s add an ‘Actions’ column to our table where we will render two buttons – ‘Edit’ and ‘Delete’. Here’s how to modify the columns array:

columns={[
  { title: 'Name', field: 'name' },
  { title: 'Surname', field: 'surname' },
  { title: 'Birth Year', field: 'birthYear', type: 'numeric' },
  { title: 'Birth Place', field: 'birthPlace' },
  {
    title: 'Actions',
    render: rowData => (
      

        
        
      

    ),
  },
]} />

In this code, handleEdit and handleDelete are functions we need to define that will handle the respective actions when buttons are clicked.

Defining Button Action Handlers

Now it’s time to define the logic for our action buttons. You can add these functions inside the App component:

const handleEdit = (rowData) => {
  alert('Editing ' + rowData.name);
};

const handleDelete = (rowData) => {
  alert('Deleting ' + rowData.name);
};

In this simple implementation, we are using JavaScript alert to confirm the action. In a real-world scenario, you might replace this with a more sophisticated modal dialog or a form interface that captures the user’s input for editing.

With this setup, clicking on the ‘Edit’ button will show an alert saying which entry is being edited, while the ‘Delete’ button will similarly confirm the deletion action.

Styling Your Buttons

As developers, we often seek to create not just functional components but also components that are visually appealing. To enhance the look of our buttons, we can apply some basic CSS styles. You might want to create a simple CSS file (e.g., App.css) and link it to your component:

.action-button {
  padding: 8px 12px;
  margin: 0 5px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 4px;
  background-color: #3f51b5;
  color: white;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.action-button:hover {
  background-color: #303f9f;
}

Next, apply this class to your buttons in the render function:

This styling enhances user interaction and provides a better visual hierarchy for the action buttons in your Material Table.

Handling Table State and Updates

Once you’ve set up your action buttons, you may want to manage the state of your table, especially after editing or deleting entries. React offers efficient state management mechanisms, and we can use hooks such as useState to dynamically update our table data.

Let’s modify our existing setup to include state management for the data:

const [tableData, setTableData] = useState(data);

Now we need to update our MaterialTable to use tableData: 

<MaterialTable 
  ... 
  data={tableData} 
/>

Next, we need to modify the handleDelete function to remove the entry from the state when the delete action is confirmed:

const handleDelete = (rowData) => {
  setTableData(prevData => prevData.filter(item => item !== rowData));
};

This code filters out the entry that matches the clicked rowData, effectively removing it from the table.

Advanced Button Functionality

For more advanced functionality, such as editing the values of a row, you may consider implementing a modal component that allows for seamless edits without navigating away from the table. You can integrate Material-UI Dialog components for a better user experience.

Here’s a brief example of how you can set up a dialog for editing:

const [openDialog, setOpenDialog] = useState(false);
const [editableRowData, setEditableRowData] = useState(null);

const handleEdit = (rowData) => {
  setEditableRowData(rowData);
  setOpenDialog(true);
};

return (
  

     setOpenDialog(false)}> 
      Edit Entry
      
         setEditableRowData({...editableRowData, name: e.target.value})} />
        
      
      
        
        
      
    
  

);

This implementation allows for a richer user experience, helping users to perform actions in a more controlled and user-friendly manner.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we explored how to render buttons in a Material Table using React. From setting up a basic table to defining action handlers and enhancing user experience through styling and modal dialogs, we covered a comprehensive range of features that will help you maximize the utility of Material Table in your React applications.

By following these guidelines, you can create dynamic and engaging data tables that not only present data effectively but also allow for interactivity through action buttons. Remember to always consider user experience and style when implementing such components in your applications.

Now, go ahead and experiment with your own implementations. Rendering buttons in Material Table opens a world of possibilities for creating responsive and engaging web applications with React.

Related Posts

Scroll to Top