Enhancing User Experience: Dynamically Adjusting Table Height in React Applications

 

In modern web applications, especially dashboards and management tools, tables play a critical role in displaying large datasets. A common challenge arises when ensuring tables optimally utilize available screen space without manual intervention or awkward scrolling experiences.

Here’s an elegant solution to dynamically adjust table height in React, enhancing usability and responsiveness:

Implementing Dynamic Table Height

1. Defining Table Height State

Start by defining a state variable to store the calculated table height:

const [tableHeight, setTableHeight] = useState(0);

2. Calculating Available Height Dynamically

Use a React useEffect hook to calculate and update table height based on window size:

useEffect(() => {
  const updateTableHeight = () => {
    const headerAndControlsHeight = 200; // Adjust based on your actual layout
    const windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
    const availableHeight = windowHeight - headerAndControlsHeight;
    setTableHeight(Math.max(400, availableHeight)); // Ensures a minimum height of 400px
  };
  updateTableHeight();
    window.addEventListener('resize', updateTableHeight);
    return () => window.removeEventListener('resize', updateTableHeight);
}, []);

In this setup:

• headerAndControlsHeight represents combined heights of headers, search bars, or pagination controls.
• A minimum height ensures usability on very small screens.

3. Applying Dynamic Height to the Table

Apply the calculated height directly to your table component’s scroll property:

<Table
  dataSource={data}
  columns={columns}
  scroll={{ x: 'max-content', y: tableHeight }}
  bordered
  sticky
  pagination={{ pageSize, total: totalCount }}
  loading={isLoading}
/>

This approach ensures:

• The table always fills the maximum possible vertical space.
• The header remains fixed and always visible.
• Responsive design that adapts gracefully to window resizing.

Benefits of This Approach

• Improved UX: Users experience smooth scrolling without unnecessary whitespace.
• Responsive Design: Table adapts seamlessly across devices and screen sizes.
• Maintainability: Simple and clean implementation makes future adjustments straightforward.

By implementing this method, you create an intuitive, flexible user interface that dynamically accommodates various screen sizes, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.