React Table Column Resizing: Implementation Guide & Best Libraries (2026)

Column ResizingTutorialComparison

Column resizing is essential for data-heavy applications. Learn how to implement resizable columns in React tables, compare the best libraries, and discover why proper column resizing is harder than it looks.

You're building a React application with a data table. Your users are viewing financial data, customer information, or inventory records—datasets with varying column widths. The "Description" column is too narrow, cutting off important text. The "ID" column is too wide, wasting precious screen space.

Column resizing solves this problem by letting users drag column borders to adjust widths according to their needs. It's a standard feature in Excel, Google Sheets, and professional data grids—and users expect it in modern web applications.

But implementing column resizing properly is surprisingly complex. You need to handle mouse events, calculate new widths, respect minimum and maximum constraints, work with auto-expanding columns, support touch devices, and maintain performance with large datasets.

This guide covers everything you need to know about column resizing in React tables: implementation approaches, library comparisons, and best practices for creating a smooth user experience.

Why Column Resizing Matters

Column resizing isn't just a "nice-to-have" feature—it's critical for usability in data-intensive applications:

User Control

Every user has different needs. Some need to see full email addresses, others prioritize status columns. Resizable columns give users control over their workspace.

Screen Real Estate

Different screens have different sizes. What works on a 27" monitor is cramped on a laptop. Resizable columns adapt to any screen size.

Data Visibility

Long text gets truncated with ellipsis. Users shouldn't need to hover or click to see full content—they can just widen the column.

Professional Feel

Users expect Excel-like functionality in professional applications. Resizable columns signal that your app is polished and production-ready.

Real-World Impact

In user testing, tables without column resizing consistently receive complaints:

  • "I can't see the full customer name"
  • "The ID column is taking up too much space"
  • "Why can't I make this column wider?"
  • "This feels like a prototype, not a real tool"

How Column Resizing Works

Column resizing involves several technical challenges that aren't immediately obvious:

1. The Resize Handle

The first challenge is creating a draggable handle between columns. This is typically a thin vertical area (4-8px wide) that:

  • Changes the cursor to indicate it's draggable (usually a resize cursor)
  • Captures mouse/touch events without interfering with header clicks
  • Provides visual feedback during the drag operation
  • Works on both desktop (mouse) and mobile (touch) devices

2. Width Calculation

As the user drags, you need to calculate the new column width based on mouse position. This involves:

React TSX
1// Simplified resize calculation
2const handleMouseMove = (e: MouseEvent) => {
3  const deltaX = e.clientX - startX;
4  const newWidth = Math.max(
5    minWidth,
6    Math.min(maxWidth, initialWidth + deltaX)
7  );
8  
9  // Update column width
10  setColumnWidth(columnId, newWidth);
11};

3. Constraint Handling

Columns need constraints to prevent them from becoming unusably small or unnecessarily large:

Width Constraints

  • minWidth: Prevents columns from becoming too narrow (typically 30-100px)
  • maxWidth: Prevents columns from dominating the table (optional)
  • Default width: Initial column width before user interaction

4. Auto-Expand Integration

The most complex scenario is combining column resizing with auto-expanding columns. When a user resizes one column, what happens to the others?

Two Common Approaches

Approach 1: Fixed Total Width

When one column grows, adjacent columns shrink proportionally to maintain the total table width. This is ideal for tables that should always fill their container.

Approach 2: Dynamic Total Width

Resizing a column changes the total table width, potentially adding horizontal scrolling. This gives users maximum control but can lead to awkward layouts.

5. Performance Considerations

Resizing triggers re-renders of potentially thousands of cells. Poor implementations cause laggy, janky dragging. Good implementations use:

  • Throttling/debouncing: Limit how often width updates occur during dragging
  • CSS transforms: Use CSS for visual feedback before committing width changes
  • Virtualization: Only render visible rows to minimize re-render cost
  • Memoization: Prevent unnecessary re-renders of unchanged cells

React Table Libraries with Column Resizing

Let's compare how popular React table libraries implement column resizing:

LibraryResizing SupportImplementationAuto-Expand
Simple TableBuilt-inOne propYes
TanStack TableColumn Sizing APIHeadless (build your own UI)Manual
AG GridBuilt-inresizable: trueYes
Material React TableBuilt-inenableColumnResizingYes
Ant Design TableBuilt-inresizable propLimited
TabulatorBuilt-inresizableColumnsYes
React Data GridBuilt-inresizable column propLimited

Key Takeaway

Most modern React table libraries support column resizing. The difference is in implementation complexity and integration with other features like auto-expanding columns. Simple Table and AG Grid offer the smoothest out-of-the-box experience, while TanStack Table requires more manual implementation.

Implementation: Simple Table

Simple Table makes column resizing incredibly easy. Just add one prop:

Basic Column Resizing

React TSX
1import { SimpleTable, HeaderObject } from "simple-table-core";
2import "simple-table-core/styles.css";
3

4const headers: HeaderObject[] = [
5  { 
6    accessor: "id", 
7    label: "ID", 
8    width: 60, 
9    type: "number" 
10  },
11  { 
12    accessor: "name", 
13    label: "Name", 
14    width: "1fr", 
15    minWidth: 100, 
16    type: "string" 
17  },
18  { 
19    accessor: "email", 
20    label: "Email", 
21    width: "1fr", 
22    minWidth: 150, 
23    type: "string" 
24  },
25  { 
26    accessor: "role", 
27    label: "Role", 
28    width: 150, 
29    type: "string" 
30  },
31];
32

33export default function ResizableTable({ data }) {
34  return (
35    <SimpleTable
36      columnResizing={true}  // That's it!
37      defaultHeaders={headers}
38      rows={data}
39      
40      height="500px"
41    />
42  );
43}

What You Get

  • Drag handles appear between columns
  • Smooth resize animation with visual feedback
  • Minimum width constraints are automatically respected
  • Works on both desktop (mouse) and mobile (touch)
  • Integrates seamlessly with sorting, filtering, and other features

Column Resizing with Auto-Expand

The real power comes when you combine column resizing with autoExpandColumns. This ensures your table always fills the container width, even after users resize columns:

React TSX
1<SimpleTable
2  columnResizing={true}
3  autoExpandColumns={true}  // Columns always fill container
4  defaultHeaders={headers}
5  rows={data}
6  
7  height="500px"
8/>
9

10// What happens:
11// 1. User drags a column border to resize
12// 2. The target column changes width
13// 3. Other columns automatically adjust proportionally
14// 4. Table always fills 100% of container width
15// 5. Minimum widths are respected (columns won't shrink below minWidth)

How Auto-Expand Works with Resizing

When you resize a column with autoExpandColumns enabled:

  1. Simple Table calculates the width change (delta)
  2. Adjacent columns compensate by shrinking/growing proportionally
  3. The algorithm respects each column's minimum width constraint
  4. The total table width remains constant (100% of container)

Read our deep dive on auto-expand columns to understand the sophisticated algorithm behind this feature.

Setting Width Constraints

Control how much users can resize columns using minWidth and maxWidth:

React TSX
1const headers: HeaderObject[] = [
2  { 
3    accessor: "id", 
4    label: "ID", 
5    width: 60,
6    minWidth: 40,      // Can't shrink below 40px
7    maxWidth: 100,     // Can't grow beyond 100px
8    type: "number" 
9  },
10  { 
11    accessor: "description", 
12    label: "Description", 
13    width: "1fr",
14    minWidth: 200,     // Ensure readability
15    type: "string" 
16  },
17  { 
18    accessor: "status", 
19    label: "Status", 
20    width: 120,
21    minWidth: 80,      // Prevent cramping
22    maxWidth: 200,     // Don't let it dominate
23    type: "string" 
24  },
25];

Best Practices

  • Always set minWidth: Prevents columns from becoming unusably narrow
  • Use maxWidth sparingly: Only when a column shouldn't dominate the table
  • Consider content: Text columns need more width than icons or numbers
  • Test on mobile: Minimum widths should work on small screens

Responsive Column Resizing

On mobile devices, you might want to disable auto-expand to allow horizontal scrolling:

React TSX
1import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
2

3export default function ResponsiveTable({ data }) {
4  const [isMobile, setIsMobile] = useState(false);
5

6  useEffect(() => {
7    const checkMobile = () => setIsMobile(window.innerWidth < 768);
8    checkMobile();
9    window.addEventListener("resize", checkMobile);
10    return () => window.removeEventListener("resize", checkMobile);
11  }, []);
12

13  return (
14    <SimpleTable
15      columnResizing={true}
16      autoExpandColumns={!isMobile}  // Disable on mobile
17      defaultHeaders={headers}
18      rows={data}
19      
20      height="500px"
21    />
22  );
23}

Implementation: TanStack Table

TanStack Table provides a Column Sizing API, but you need to build the UI yourself. Here's what that looks like:

React TSX
1import { useReactTable, getCoreRowModel, ColumnDef } from "@tanstack/react-table";
2import { useState } from "react";
3

4export default function TanStackResizableTable({ data }) {
5  const [columnSizing, setColumnSizing] = useState({});
6

7  const columns: ColumnDef<any>[] = [
8    {
9      accessorKey: "id",
10      header: "ID",
11      size: 60,
12      minSize: 40,
13      maxSize: 100,
14    },
15    {
16      accessorKey: "name",
17      header: "Name",
18      size: 200,
19      minSize: 100,
20    },
21    // ... more columns
22  ];
23

24  const table = useReactTable({
25    data,
26    columns,
27    getCoreRowModel: getCoreRowModel(),
28    columnResizeMode: "onChange",
29    state: {
30      columnSizing,
31    },
32    onColumnSizingChange: setColumnSizing,
33  });
34

35  return (
36    <table>
37      <thead>
38        {table.getHeaderGroups().map((headerGroup) => (
39          <tr key={headerGroup.id}>
40            {headerGroup.headers.map((header) => (
41              <th
42                key={header.id}
43                style={{ width: header.getSize() }}
44              >
45                {header.column.columnDef.header}
46                
47                {/* YOU MUST BUILD THIS RESIZE HANDLE */}
48                <div
49                  onMouseDown={header.getResizeHandler()}
50                  onTouchStart={header.getResizeHandler()}
51                  className="resizer"
52                  style={{
53                    position: "absolute",
54                    right: 0,
55                    top: 0,
56                    height: "100%",
57                    width: "5px",
58                    cursor: "col-resize",
59                    userSelect: "none",
60                    touchAction: "none",
61                  }}
62                />
63              </th>
64            ))}
65          </tr>
66        ))}
67      </thead>
68      {/* ... tbody implementation ... */}
69    </table>
70  );
71}

TanStack Table Trade-offs

Pros:

  • Complete control over UI and behavior
  • Powerful Column Sizing API with state management
  • Flexible integration with your design system

Cons:

  • Must build resize handles, styling, and interactions yourself
  • No built-in auto-expand logic (you implement it)
  • More code to write and maintain
  • Steeper learning curve

For a detailed comparison of TanStack Table's headless approach vs Simple Table's batteries-included approach, read our TanStack Table vs Simple Table comparison.

Implementation: AG Grid

AG Grid offers powerful column resizing, but it comes with a hefty price tag for advanced features:

React TSX
1import { AgGridReact } from "ag-grid-react";
2import "ag-grid-community/styles/ag-grid.css";
3import "ag-grid-community/styles/ag-theme-alpine.css";
4

5export default function AGGridResizableTable({ data }) {
6  const columnDefs = [
7    { 
8      field: "id", 
9      headerName: "ID",
10      width: 60,
11      minWidth: 40,
12      maxWidth: 100,
13      resizable: true  // Enable per-column
14    },
15    { 
16      field: "name", 
17      headerName: "Name",
18      width: 200,
19      minWidth: 100,
20      resizable: true,
21      flex: 1  // Auto-expand behavior
22    },
23    // ... more columns
24  ];
25

26  return (
27    <div className="ag-theme-alpine" style={{ height: 500 }}>
28      <AgGridReact
29        columnDefs={columnDefs}
30        rowData={data}
31        defaultColDef={{
32          resizable: true  // Or enable globally
33        }}
34      />
35    </div>
36  );
37}

AG Grid Pricing Warning

While column resizing is free in AG Grid Community, many related features require an Enterprise license:

  • $999/developer/year for AG Grid Enterprise
  • Advanced column features (grouping, pivoting) are enterprise-only
  • For a 5-developer team: $4,995/year

Read our complete AG Grid pricing breakdown to understand the full cost.

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Pitfall #1: Janky Resize Performance

Problem: Dragging feels laggy because every mouse movement triggers a full table re-render.

Solution: Use throttling/debouncing or CSS transforms for visual feedback before committing width changes. Good libraries handle this automatically.

Pitfall #2: Columns Become Too Narrow

Problem: Users can shrink columns to 10px, making content unreadable.

Solution: Always set reasonable minWidth values (typically 50-100px for text columns, 30-50px for icons/numbers).

Pitfall #3: Mobile Touch Not Working

Problem: Column resizing works on desktop but not on mobile devices.

Solution: Ensure your resize handles support both onMouseDown and onTouchStart events. Libraries like Simple Table handle this automatically.

Pitfall #4: Auto-Expand Conflicts

Problem: When using auto-expand, resizing one column causes unexpected behavior in others.

Solution: Use a library with built-in auto-expand support (Simple Table, AG Grid) or implement sophisticated compensation logic yourself.

Pitfall #5: Resize Handle Too Small

Problem: Users struggle to grab the resize handle because it's only 1-2px wide.

Solution: Make the interactive area 6-10px wide, even if the visual indicator is thinner. This improves usability without cluttering the UI.

Best Practices for Column Resizing

Visual Feedback

Show clear visual feedback during resizing: change cursor, highlight the column border, or show a ghost column. Users should know exactly what's happening.

Sensible Defaults

Set default column widths that work for most users. They can adjust if needed, but shouldn't have to resize every column just to see their data.

Persist User Preferences

Save column widths to localStorage or user preferences. Users shouldn't have to resize columns every time they visit your app.

Double-Click to Auto-Size

Let users double-click a resize handle to auto-fit the column to its content. This is an Excel convention that power users expect.

Mobile Considerations

On small screens, consider disabling auto-expand and allowing horizontal scrolling. Cramped columns are worse than scrolling on mobile.

Accessibility

Ensure resize handles are keyboard accessible. Users should be able to resize columns using arrow keys, not just mouse/touch.

Which Library Should You Choose?

Here's a quick decision guide based on your needs:

Choose Simple Table if:

  • You want column resizing to work out-of-the-box with one prop
  • You need auto-expand columns that integrate seamlessly with resizing
  • You want zero dependencies and a tiny bundle size
  • You need a complete solution without building UI components
  • You want to ship fast without wrestling with configuration

Choose TanStack Table if:

  • You need complete control over the resize UI and behavior
  • You're building a custom design system and want headless logic
  • You enjoy building UI components from scratch
  • You have time to implement auto-expand logic yourself
  • You need framework-agnostic table logic (React, Vue, Solid, etc.)

Choose AG Grid if:

  • You need enterprise features like pivoting and advanced grouping
  • Your company has budget for $999/developer/year licenses
  • You're building a complex financial or analytics dashboard
  • You need Excel-like functionality with enterprise support

Note: If you don't need enterprise features, consider free AG Grid alternatives that offer similar functionality without the cost.

Choose Material React Table if:

  • You're already using Material-UI in your app
  • You want TanStack Table power with pre-built Material Design components
  • You're okay with a larger bundle size for the convenience
  • You need your table to match Material-UI's design language

Conclusion: Column Resizing Done Right

Column resizing is a fundamental feature for data-heavy applications. Users expect it, and implementing it properly makes the difference between a frustrating experience and a professional, polished application.

While the feature seems simple on the surface, proper implementation involves handling mouse/touch events, managing width constraints, integrating with auto-expand logic, and maintaining performance. The good news is that modern React table libraries handle most of this complexity for you.

Simple Table offers the easiest path: enable column resizing with one prop, and it works seamlessly with auto-expanding columns, sorting, filtering, and all other features. No configuration, no UI building, no headaches.

Ready to add column resizing to your React app? Check out Simple Table's column resizing documentation and see how easy it can be.

Ready to add column resizing to your React table?

Simple Table makes column resizing effortless with just one prop. Get drag-to-resize, auto-expand integration, and smooth performance out of the box. No configuration, no UI building, no headaches.

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