Best React Libraries for Admin Panels

When you search for the top React UI libraries, you often find recommendations for popular choices like Ant Design (AntD) and Material UI. While these libraries offer many features and components, they can be heavyweight and challenging to customize to specific needs. Through years of experience as a web developer, I've found that some alternative libraries provide more tailored solutions that can be highly performant, lightweight, and flexible.

1. TanStack Query:

Powerful Asynchronous State Management for TS/JS and React

One of the most essential parts of building an admin panel is handling data efficiently. TanStack Query (formerly known as React Query) is a powerful library for managing asynchronous data in React applications. It's designed to fetch, cache, sync, and update server state effortlessly. TanStack Query is especially popular for handling APIs, making it a perfect fit for admin panels that rely on data fetching and manipulation.

TanStack Query’s intelligent caching system helps reduce network requests, enhances performance, and provides a smooth user experience. Moreover, it supports real-time data synchronization and background refreshing, making it ideal for applications that require constant data updates, like admin dashboards.

Key Features of TanStack Query

• Caching and Background Syncing: Automatically caches and updates data, minimizing network calls.
• Out-of-the-box support for Pagination: Easily paginate large datasets.
• Reactivity: Reacts to dependency changes to fetch fresh data.

const { isPending, error, data } = useQuery({
    queryKey: ['repoData'],
    queryFn: () =>
      fetch('https://api.github.com/repos/TanStack/query').then((res) =>
        res.json(),
      ),
  })

2. TanStack Table:

Robust Data Handling with a Small Bundle Size

When it comes to handling large datasets and presenting them effectively in admin panels, TanStack Table (previously React Table) stands out as one of the best React admin panel libraries for tabular data. Unlike many other table libraries that offer complex APIs and can be heavy, TanStack Table provides a minimalistic API surface while supporting powerful features like sorting, filtering, pagination, and grouping.

Key Features of TanStack Table

• Lightweight and Flexible: Small footprint but highly customizable and extensible.
• Advanced Data Manipulation: Supports sorting, filtering, grouping, and aggregation.
• Performance-Oriented: Handles large data sets easily, making it one of the best React chart UI libraries when combined with chart components.

For building an admin panel that relies heavily on data tables, TanStack Table is a top choice due to its combination of power and lightweight design.

const table = useReactTable({
  data,
  columns,
  getCoreRowModel: getCoreRowModel(),
});

3. React Hook Form:

Efficient and Lightweight Form Handling

Handling forms in React can be cumbersome, especially in large applications with numerous form fields and validations. React Hook Form is a lightweight library that significantly reduces the amount of code you need to write. It minimizes unnecessary re-renders, making form handling faster and more efficient.

React Hook Form is designed to leverage standard HTML markup and a constraint-based validation API, so it integrates seamlessly with native form elements. This makes it ideal for creating accessible, fast, and reliable forms in admin panels.

Key Features of React Hook Form

• HTML Standard Compliance: Uses standard HTML form elements, making it accessible.
• Lightweight and No Dependencies: Very small in size with zero dependencies, making it an excellent choice for performance-focused projects.
• Performance-Optimized: Minimizes re-renders, improving performance significantly.

  const { handleSubmit, reset, watch, control, register } = useForm({
    defaultValues,
  })
  const onSubmit = (data) => console.log(data)

4. Zustand for State Management:

State management is crucial for any dynamic React application, especially for admin panels where state management can get complex. Zustand is a state management library known for its simplicity and scalability. With a minimalistic approach, it provides a comfortable API based on hooks, avoiding boilerplate code common in other state management solutions.

Zustand’s performance and scalability make it ideal for admin panels that require both client-side and global state management without sacrificing speed. Its ease of integration into existing projects also makes it one of the best accessible React UI components for state management.

Key Features of Zustand

• Minimalistic API: Simple and flexible with a hook-based API.
• Scalable: Supports both small and large applications.
• Non-intrusive: Integrates well with any React app without disrupting existing setups.

import { create } from 'zustand'

const useStore = create((set) => ({
  count: 1,
  inc: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
}))

function Counter() {
  const { count, inc } = useStore()
  return (
    <div>
      <span>{count}</span>
      <button onClick={inc}>one up</button>
    </div>
  )
}

5. @dnd-kit for Drag and Drop: Lightweight, Modular, and Accessible

If you’re looking for the best React animation UI libraries to add drag-and-drop functionality to your admin panel, @dnd-kit is an excellent option. Its lightweight design and modularity make it easy to create a seamless, accessible experience.

Key Features of @dnd-kit

• Lightweight and Modular: Small bundle size with the option to import only the parts you need.
• Accessibility-Focused: Designed with accessibility in mind, making it suitable for a wide audience.
• Customizable and Flexible: Easily extendable to fit unique project requirements.

Conclusion

Building an admin panel in React can be a rewarding challenge, and choosing the right libraries can significantly impact your project's performance, accessibility, and usability, and scalability. From handling asynchronous data fetching with TanStack Query to rendering complex tables with TanStack Table, this list provides some of the best React admin panel libraries for creating highly functional and maintainable interfaces. Additionally, React Hook Form stands out among the best React form UI libraries for efficient and lightweight form management, while Zustand offers a flexible state management solution. Finally, for intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, @dnd-kit delivers both performance and accessibility.