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James Parker
James Parker

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Getting Started with React Tooltip: Adding Tooltips to Your Components

#react #tooltip #webcomponents #tutorial

React Tooltip is a simple and flexible library for adding tooltips to React components. It provides an easy way to display helpful information when users hover over or focus on elements, improving the user experience with contextual hints and descriptions. This guide walks through setting up and creating tooltips using React Tooltip with React, from installation to a working implementation. This is part 40 of a series on using React Tooltip with React.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • Node.js version 14.0 or higher installed
  • npm, yarn, or pnpm package manager
  • A React project (version 16.8 or higher) or create-react-app setup
  • Basic knowledge of React components
  • Familiarity with JavaScript/TypeScript

Installation

Install React Tooltip using your preferred package manager:

npm install react-tooltip
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Or with yarn:

yarn add react-tooltip
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Or with pnpm:

pnpm add react-tooltip
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After installation, your package.json should include:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "react-tooltip": "^5.0.0",
    "react": "^18.0.0",
    "react-dom": "^18.0.0"
  }
}
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Project Setup

React Tooltip requires minimal setup. Import the CSS file in your main entry file:

// src/index.js
import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
import 'react-tooltip/dist/react-tooltip.css';
import App from './App';

const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root'));
root.render(
  <React.StrictMode>
    <App />
  </React.StrictMode>
);
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First Example / Basic Usage

Let's create a simple tooltip example. Create a new file src/TooltipExample.jsx:

// src/TooltipExample.jsx
import React from 'react';
import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';

function TooltipExample() {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '50px', textAlign: 'center' }}>
      <h2>Tooltip Examples</h2>
      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '20px', justifyContent: 'center', marginTop: '30px' }}>
        <button
          data-tooltip-id="my-tooltip"
          data-tooltip-content="This is a helpful tooltip!"
          style={{
            padding: '10px 20px',
            backgroundColor: '#007bff',
            color: 'white',
            border: 'none',
            borderRadius: '4px',
            cursor: 'pointer'
          }}
        >
          Hover me
        </button>
        <Tooltip id="my-tooltip" />
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default TooltipExample;
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Update your App.jsx:

// src/App.jsx
import React from 'react';
import TooltipExample from './TooltipExample';
import './App.css';

function App() {
  return (
    <div className="App">
      <TooltipExample />
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;
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This creates a basic tooltip that appears when you hover over the button.

Understanding the Basics

React Tooltip uses data attributes to connect elements with tooltips:

  • data-tooltip-id: Links the element to a specific tooltip
  • data-tooltip-content: The text content to display in the tooltip
  • Tooltip component: Renders the tooltip with the matching ID
  • Automatic positioning: Tooltips automatically position themselves

Key concepts:

  • Tooltip ID: Each tooltip needs a unique ID that matches the data-tooltip-id attribute
  • Data Attributes: Use data-tooltip-id and data-tooltip-content to connect elements to tooltips
  • Tooltip Component: Render <Tooltip id="..." /> for each tooltip you want to use
  • Hover/Focus: Tooltips appear on hover or focus by default
  • Positioning: Tooltips automatically position themselves to stay visible

Here's an example with multiple tooltips and different positions:

// src/MultipleTooltipsExample.jsx
import React from 'react';
import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';

function MultipleTooltipsExample() {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '50px' }}>
      <h2>Multiple Tooltips</h2>
      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '20px', marginTop: '30px' }}>
        <button
          data-tooltip-id="tooltip-1"
          data-tooltip-content="This is tooltip 1"
          style={{
            padding: '10px 20px',
            backgroundColor: '#28a745',
            color: 'white',
            border: 'none',
            borderRadius: '4px',
            cursor: 'pointer'
          }}
        >
          Button 1
        </button>
        <button
          data-tooltip-id="tooltip-2"
          data-tooltip-content="This is tooltip 2"
          style={{
            padding: '10px 20px',
            backgroundColor: '#dc3545',
            color: 'white',
            border: 'none',
            borderRadius: '4px',
            cursor: 'pointer'
          }}
        >
          Button 2
        </button>
        <button
          data-tooltip-id="tooltip-3"
          data-tooltip-content="This is tooltip 3"
          data-tooltip-place="bottom"
          style={{
            padding: '10px 20px',
            backgroundColor: '#ffc107',
            color: 'black',
            border: 'none',
            borderRadius: '4px',
            cursor: 'pointer'
          }}
        >
          Button 3 (Bottom)
        </button>
      </div>
      <Tooltip id="tooltip-1" />
      <Tooltip id="tooltip-2" />
      <Tooltip id="tooltip-3" />
    </div>
  );
}

export default MultipleTooltipsExample;
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Practical Example / Building Something Real

Let's build a form component with helpful tooltips:

// src/FormWithTooltips.jsx
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';

function FormWithTooltips() {
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
    username: '',
    email: '',
    password: ''
  });

  const handleInputChange = (e) => {
    const { name, value } = e.target;
    setFormData(prev => ({ ...prev, [name]: value }));
  };

  const handleSubmit = (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    console.log('Form submitted:', formData);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '20px', maxWidth: '500px', margin: '0 auto' }}>
      <h2>Registration Form with Tooltips</h2>
      <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
        <div style={{ marginBottom: '20px' }}>
          <label
            htmlFor="username"
            style={{
              display: 'block',
              marginBottom: '5px',
              fontWeight: '500'
            }}
          >
            Username
            <span
              data-tooltip-id="username-tooltip"
              data-tooltip-content="Username must be 3-20 characters long and contain only letters, numbers, and underscores"
              style={{
                marginLeft: '5px',
                color: '#007bff',
                cursor: 'help',
                fontSize: '14px'
              }}
            >
              ℹ️
            </span>
          </label>
          <input
            type="text"
            id="username"
            name="username"
            value={formData.username}
            onChange={handleInputChange}
            style={{
              width: '100%',
              padding: '8px',
              border: '1px solid #ddd',
              borderRadius: '4px',
              fontSize: '14px',
              boxSizing: 'border-box'
            }}
          />
          <Tooltip id="username-tooltip" />
        </div>

        <div style={{ marginBottom: '20px' }}>
          <label
            htmlFor="email"
            style={{
              display: 'block',
              marginBottom: '5px',
              fontWeight: '500'
            }}
          >
            Email
            <span
              data-tooltip-id="email-tooltip"
              data-tooltip-content="Enter a valid email address. We'll use this to send you important updates."
              style={{
                marginLeft: '5px',
                color: '#007bff',
                cursor: 'help',
                fontSize: '14px'
              }}
            >
              ℹ️
            </span>
          </label>
          <input
            type="email"
            id="email"
            name="email"
            value={formData.email}
            onChange={handleInputChange}
            style={{
              width: '100%',
              padding: '8px',
              border: '1px solid #ddd',
              borderRadius: '4px',
              fontSize: '14px',
              boxSizing: 'border-box'
            }}
          />
          <Tooltip id="email-tooltip" />
        </div>

        <div style={{ marginBottom: '20px' }}>
          <label
            htmlFor="password"
            style={{
              display: 'block',
              marginBottom: '5px',
              fontWeight: '500'
            }}
          >
            Password
            <span
              data-tooltip-id="password-tooltip"
              data-tooltip-content="Password must be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase, lowercase, number, and special character"
              style={{
                marginLeft: '5px',
                color: '#007bff',
                cursor: 'help',
                fontSize: '14px'
              }}
            >
              ℹ️
            </span>
          </label>
          <input
            type="password"
            id="password"
            name="password"
            value={formData.password}
            onChange={handleInputChange}
            style={{
              width: '100%',
              padding: '8px',
              border: '1px solid #ddd',
              borderRadius: '4px',
              fontSize: '14px',
              boxSizing: 'border-box'
            }}
          />
          <Tooltip id="password-tooltip" />
        </div>

        <button
          type="submit"
          style={{
            width: '100%',
            padding: '10px',
            backgroundColor: '#007bff',
            color: 'white',
            border: 'none',
            borderRadius: '4px',
            cursor: 'pointer',
            fontSize: '16px'
          }}
        >
          Submit
        </button>
      </form>
    </div>
  );
}

export default FormWithTooltips;
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Now create a component with icon tooltips:

// src/IconTooltipsExample.jsx
import React from 'react';
import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';

function IconTooltipsExample() {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '50px', textAlign: 'center' }}>
      <h2>Icon Tooltips</h2>
      <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '30px', justifyContent: 'center', marginTop: '30px' }}>
        <div
          data-tooltip-id="save-tooltip"
          data-tooltip-content="Save your work"
          style={{
            width: '50px',
            height: '50px',
            backgroundColor: '#28a745',
            borderRadius: '50%',
            display: 'flex',
            alignItems: 'center',
            justifyContent: 'center',
            cursor: 'pointer',
            fontSize: '24px'
          }}
        >
          💾
        </div>
        <div
          data-tooltip-id="delete-tooltip"
          data-tooltip-content="Delete this item"
          style={{
            width: '50px',
            height: '50px',
            backgroundColor: '#dc3545',
            borderRadius: '50%',
            display: 'flex',
            alignItems: 'center',
            justifyContent: 'center',
            cursor: 'pointer',
            fontSize: '24px'
          }}
        >
          🗑️
        </div>
        <div
          data-tooltip-id="edit-tooltip"
          data-tooltip-content="Edit this item"
          style={{
            width: '50px',
            height: '50px',
            backgroundColor: '#ffc107',
            borderRadius: '50%',
            display: 'flex',
            alignItems: 'center',
            justifyContent: 'center',
            cursor: 'pointer',
            fontSize: '24px'
          }}
        >
          ✏️
        </div>
      </div>
      <Tooltip id="save-tooltip" />
      <Tooltip id="delete-tooltip" />
      <Tooltip id="edit-tooltip" />
    </div>
  );
}

export default IconTooltipsExample;
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Update your App.jsx:

// src/App.jsx
import React from 'react';
import FormWithTooltips from './FormWithTooltips';
import IconTooltipsExample from './IconTooltipsExample';
import './App.css';

function App() {
  return (
    <div className="App">
      <FormWithTooltips />
      <IconTooltipsExample />
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;
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This example demonstrates:

  • Form fields with helpful tooltips
  • Icon buttons with tooltips
  • Multiple tooltips on the same page
  • Different tooltip positions
  • Accessible tooltip implementation

Common Issues / Troubleshooting

  1. Tooltips not displaying: Make sure you've imported the CSS file (import 'react-tooltip/dist/react-tooltip.css'). Also ensure the Tooltip component is rendered with the correct ID matching the data-tooltip-id attribute.

  2. Tooltip ID mismatch: The data-tooltip-id attribute must exactly match the id prop on the Tooltip component. Check for typos or case sensitivity issues.

  3. Tooltips not appearing on hover: Ensure the element with data-tooltip-id is interactive (button, link, or has appropriate event handlers). Some elements may need cursor: pointer style.

  4. Tooltip positioning issues: Use the data-tooltip-place attribute to control positioning. Available values: 'top', 'right', 'bottom', 'left'. The tooltip will automatically adjust if it would go off-screen.

  5. Multiple tooltips: Each tooltip needs its own unique ID and corresponding Tooltip component. You can reuse the same tooltip ID on multiple elements if they should show the same content.

  6. Styling conflicts: If tooltips don't look right, check for CSS conflicts. You can override tooltip styles using the className prop on the Tooltip component.

Next Steps

Now that you have a basic understanding of React Tooltip:

  • Learn about advanced positioning options
  • Explore custom styling and theming
  • Implement dynamic tooltip content
  • Add tooltips to complex components
  • Learn about accessibility features
  • Learn about other tooltip libraries (react-tooltip, @floating-ui/react)
  • Check the official repository: https://github.com/wwayne/react-tooltip
  • Look for part 41 of this series for more advanced topics

Summary

You've successfully set up React Tooltip in your React application and created tooltips for form fields and icon buttons. React Tooltip provides a simple, accessible way to add helpful hints and contextual information to your UI elements.

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