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JavaScript Data Grid Configuration options

Table of contents

Customize Handsontable with configuration options.

About configuration options

Configuration options let you customize your Handsontable instance.

To apply configuration options, pass them as a second argument of the Handsontable constructor, using the object literal notation:

const container = document.getElementById('example');

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  // configuration options, in the object literal notation
  licenseKey: "non-commercial-and-evaluation",
  data: Handsontable.helper.createSpreadsheetData(5, 10),
  width: 400,
  height: 300,
  colHeaders: true,
  rowHeaders: true,
  customBorders: true,
  dropdownMenu: true,
  multiColumnSorting: true,
  filters: true,
  manualRowMove: true,
});

Depending on your needs, you can apply configuration options to different elements of your grid, such as:

For the full list of available configuration options, see the configuration options' API reference.

Cascading configuration

Handsontable's configuration cascades down:

When you modify the mid-level column options (using the columns option):

  • The options that you change overwrite the top-level grid options.
  • The options that you change cascade down to the bottom-level cell options.
  • Any unchanged options are inherited from the top-level grid options.

When you modify the bottom-level cell options (using the cell option):

  • The options that you change overwrite the top-level grid options.
  • The options that you change overwrite the mid-level column options.
  • Any unchanged options are inherited from the mid-level column options or the top-level grid options.

When you modify any options with the cells function, the changes overwrite all other options.

TIP

The cells option is a function invoked before Handsontable's rendering cycle. Implemented incorrectly, it can slow Handsontable down. Use the cells option only if the cell option, the columns option, and the setCellMeta() method don't meet your needs.

For more details on Handsontable's cascading configuration, see the MetaManager class (opens new window).

Plugin options

Configuration options can come from:

If you use Handsontable through modules: to use an option that comes from a Handsontable plugin, you need to import and register that plugin when initializing your Handsontable instance.

To find out if an option comes from a plugin, check the Category label in the configuration options' API reference.

Setting grid options

To apply configuration options to the entire grid:

  • Pass your options as a second argument of the Handsontable constructor, using the object literal notation.

For example, to set the entire grid's width and height:

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  // top-level grid options that apply to the entire grid
  width: 400,
  height: 300
});

TIP

If you use Handsontable through modules: to use an option that comes from a Handsontable plugin, import and register that plugin when initializing your Handsontable instance.

Example

To configure each cell in the grid as read-only, apply the readOnly option as a top-level grid option.

The top-level grid options cascade down:

  • To the mid-level column options
  • To the bottom-level cell options

As a result, each cell in the grid is read-only:

    Setting column options

    To apply configuration options to an individual column (or a range of columns), use the columns option.

    const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  columns: [
    {},
    {},
    // column options, apply to each cell of the third (by physical index) column
    {
      readOnly: true,
    },
  ],
});

    TIP

    If you use Handsontable through modules: to use an option that comes from a Handsontable plugin, import and register that plugin when initializing your Handsontable instance.

    Example

    In the example below, the columns option is set to a function.

    The function applies the readOnly: true option to each column that has a physical index of either 2 or 8.

    The modified mid-level column options:

    • Overwrite the top-level grid options
    • Cascade down to the bottom-level cell options

    As a result, each cell in the third and ninth columns is read-only:

      Setting row options

      To apply configuration options to an individual row (or a range of rows), use the cells option.

      Any options modified through cells overwrite all other options.

      TIP

      The cells option is a function invoked before Handsontable's rendering cycle. Implemented incorrectly, it can slow Handsontable down. Use the cells option only if the cell option, the columns option, and the setCellMeta() method don't meet your needs.

      The function can take three arguments:

      • row: a row coordinate (a physical index)
      • col: a column coordinate (a physical index)
      • prop: if your data is an array of objects, prop is a property name for a column's data source object.
        If your data is an array of arrays, prop is the same as col.
      const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  // the `cells` options overwrite all other options
  cells(row, col, prop) {
    if (row === 1 || row === 4) {
      return {
        // row options, apply to each cell of the first row
        // and to each cell of the fourth row
        readOnly: true,
      };
    }
  }
});

      TIP

      If you use Handsontable through modules: to use an option that comes from a Handsontable plugin, import and register that plugin when initializing your Handsontable instance.

      Example

      In the example below, the cells option sets each cell in the first and fourth row as readOnly.

      Options modified through cells overwrite all other options.

        Setting cell options

        To apply configuration options to individual cells, use the cell option.

        const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  cell: [
    {
      // cell options, apply only to a cell with coordinates (0, 0)
      row: 0,
      col: 0,
      readOnly: true,
    },
    {
      // cell options, apply only to a cell with coordinates (1, 1)
      row: 1,
      col: 1,
      readOnly: true,
    }
  ],
});

        TIP

        If you use Handsontable through modules: to use an option that comes from a Handsontable plugin, import and register that plugin when initializing your Handsontable instance.

        Example

        In the example below, the cell option sets cell A1(0, 0) and cell B2(1, 1) as readOnly.

        The modified cell options:

        • Overwrite the top-level grid options
        • Overwrite mid-level column options

          Reading cell options

          When Handsontable is running, you can check a cell's current options, using the getCellMeta() method.

          The getCellMeta() method returns an object with:

          For example:

          const container = document.querySelector('example');

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  // top-level grid options that apply to the entire grid
  data: Handsontable.helper.createSpreadsheetData(5, 10),
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
  width: 'auto',
  height: 'auto',
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  // in the top-level grid options, all cells are read-only
  readOnly: false,
  cell: [
    {
      // bottom-level cell options overwrite the top-level grid options
      // apply only to a cell with coordinates (1, 1)
      row: 1,
      col: 1,
      readOnly: true,
    }
  ]
});

// for cell (0, 0), the `readOnly` option is the default (`false`)
// returns `false`
hot.getCellMeta(0, 0).readOnly;

// for cell (1, 1), the `cell` option overwrote the default `readOnly` value
// returns `true`
hot.getCellMeta(1, 1).readOnly;

          Changing cell options

          When Handsontable is running, you can change the initial cell options, using the setCellMeta() method.

          For example:

          const container = document.querySelector('example');

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  // top-level grid options that apply to the entire grid
  data: Handsontable.helper.createSpreadsheetData(5, 10),
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
  width: 'auto',
  height: 'auto',
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  // in the top-level grid options, all cells are read-only
  readOnly: false,
  cell: [
    {
      // bottom-level cell options overwrite the top-level grid options
      // apply only to a cell with coordinates (1, 1)
      row: 1,
      col: 1,
      readOnly: true,
    }
  ]
});

// for cell (0, 0), the `readOnly` option is the default (`false`)
// returns `false`
hot.getCellMeta(0, 0).readOnly;

// for cell (1, 1), the `cell` option overwrote the default `readOnly` value
// returns `true`
hot.getCellMeta(1, 1).readOnly;

          Implementing custom logic

          You can apply configuration options to individual grid elements (columns, rows, cells), based on any logic you implement, using the cells option.

          The cells option overwrites all other options.

          TIP

          The cells option is a function invoked before Handsontable's rendering cycle. Implemented incorrectly, it can slow Handsontable down. Use the cells option only if the cell option, the columns option, and the setCellMeta() method don't meet your needs.

          The function can take three arguments:

          • row: a row coordinate (a physical index)
          • col: a column coordinate (a physical index)
          • prop: if your data is an array of objects, prop is a property name for a column's data source object.
            If your data is an array of arrays, prop is the same as col.
          const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  cells(row, col) {
    if ((row === 1 || row === 5) && col === 1) {
      return {
        readOnly: true,
      };
    }
  }
});

          Example

          In the example below, the modified cells options overwrite the top-level grid options.

            Configuration example

            In the example below, some cells are read-only, and some cells are editable:

            • By default, all cells are read-only (as set in the top-level grid options).
            • For the first column, the mid-level column options overwrite the top-level grid options.
              As a result, the first column cells are editable.
            • For cell A1 (0, 0), the bottom-level cell options overwrite both the mid-level column options, and the top-level grid options.
              As a result, cell A1 (0, 0) is read-only, despite being part of the editable first column.
            • For cell C3 (3, 3), the cells option overwrites all other options.
              As a result, cell C3 (3, 3) is editable, despite not being part of the editable first column.

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