Find an alternative solution

Oct 13, 2025 by thesweetdesigns.com 75 views

Describe the Bug

When using the selectableRowSelected prop in combination with the onSelectedRowsChange prop in the DataTable component from react-data-table-component, a strange and fatal behavior occurs. The two props work great on their own, but when used together, they cause an infinite loop (re-render) as soon as the table loads.

Debugging and Analysis

After debugging, it was found that the fault occurs when updating the independent state that keeps the rows selected. The strange thing is that the state is never used in the application, and neither is a useEffect hook. However, the behavior of the table changes based on how the state is updated.

Test Cases

The following test cases were conducted to reproduce the issue:

Test Case 1: Updating State with Selected Rows

Update the state with the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange.
Result: Infinite loop (Max update depth exceeded)

Test Case 2: Updating State with Empty Array

Update the state with an empty array via onSelectedRowsChange trigger.
Result: Infinite loop (Max update depth exceeded)

Test Case 3: Updating State with String

Update the state with any string via onSelectedRowsChange trigger.
Result: No errors, and the selection works as expected. However, it is impossible to get the selected rows.

Test Case 4: Updating State with Stringified Selected Rows

Update the state by stringifying the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange.
Result: No infinite loop, but it is impossible to select new rows. The state keeps only the stringified selected rows defined by selectableRowSelected.

Code Sandbox

A code sandbox has been created to reproduce the issue: https://codesandbox.io/p/sandbox/throbbing-currying-gy9x78

Code

import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import DataTable from "react-data-table-component";

const SampleDataTable = () => {
  const data = [
    { id: 1, name: "John Doe", age: 28, profession: "Engineer" },
    { id: 2, name: "Jane Smith", age: 32, profession: "Designer" },
    { id: 3, name: "Bob Johnson", age: 45, profession: "Manager" },
  ];

  const columns = [
    { name: "ID", selector: "id", sortable: true },
    { name: "Name", selector: "name", sortable: true },
    { name: "Age", selector: "age", sortable: true },
    { name: "Profession", selector: "profession", sortable: true },
  ];

  const [selectedItems, setSelectedItems] = useState([]);

  const handleSelectedRowsChange = ({ selectedRows }) => {
    setSelectedItems(selectedRows);
  };

  const defaultSelectedRows = (row) => row.id > 2;

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Sample Data Table {selectedItems.length}</h2>
      <DataTable
        columns={columns}
        data={data}
        selectableRows={true}
        selectableRowsHighlight
        pagination
        highlightOnHover
        onSelectedRowsChange={handleSelectedRowsChange}
        selectableRowSelected={defaultSelectedRows}
      />
    </div>
  );
};

export default SampleDataTable;

Conclusion

The issue is caused by the combination of selectableRowSelected and onSelectedRowsChange props in the DataTable component. When used together, they cause an infinite loop (re-render) as soon as the table loads. The state is never used in the application, but the behavior of the table changes based on how the state is updated. To fix the issue, it is recommended to use one of the props or to find an alternative solution that does not involve using both props together.

Recommendations

Use one of the props (selectableRowSelected or onSelectedRowsChange) instead of using both together.
Find an alternative solution that does not involve using both props together.
Update the state with the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange instead of updating it with an empty array or a string.
Use a different approach to handle the selection of rows in the table.
Infinite Loop Caused by SelectableRowSelected + onSelectedRowsChange: Q&A ====================================================================================

Q: What is the issue with using selectableRowSelected and onSelectedRowsChange together?

A: The issue is that when you use both selectableRowSelected and onSelectedRowsChange together, it causes an infinite loop (re-render) as soon as the table loads. This is because the state is being updated based on the selected rows, which in turn causes the table to re-render, and so on.

Q: Why is the state being updated even though it's not being used in the application?

A: The state is being updated because the onSelectedRowsChange prop is being triggered when the user selects a row. This prop updates the state with the selected rows, which in turn causes the table to re-render. Even though the state is not being used in the application, the fact that it's being updated causes the table to re-render, leading to an infinite loop.

Q: What are the test cases that demonstrate the issue?

A: There are four test cases that demonstrate the issue:

Test Case 1: Updating State with Selected Rows: Update the state with the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange. Result: Infinite loop (Max update depth exceeded)
Test Case 2: Updating State with Empty Array: Update the state with an empty array via onSelectedRowsChange trigger. Result: Infinite loop (Max update depth exceeded)
Test Case 3: Updating State with String: Update the state with any string via onSelectedRowsChange trigger. Result: No errors, and the selection works as expected. However, it is impossible to get the selected rows.
Test Case 4: Updating State with Stringified Selected Rows: Update the state by stringifying the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange. Result: No infinite loop, but it is impossible to select new rows. The state keeps only the stringified selected rows defined by selectableRowSelected.

Q: How can I reproduce the issue?

A: You can reproduce the issue by using the code sandbox provided: https://codesandbox.io/p/sandbox/throbbing-currying-gy9x78

Q: What are the possible solutions to this issue?

A: There are several possible solutions to this issue:

Use one of the props: Use either selectableRowSelected or onSelectedRowsChange instead of using both together.
Find an alternative solution: Find an alternative solution that does not involve using both props together.
Update the state with the selected rows: Update the state with the selected rows provided by onSelectedRowsChange instead of updating it with an empty array or a string.
Use a different approach: Use a different approach to handle the selection of rows in the table.

Q: What are the best practices to avoid this issue in the future?

A: To avoid this issue in the future, follow these best practices:

Use props carefully: Use props carefully and make sure you understand their behavior.
Test your code: Test your code thoroughly to catch any issues before they become problems.
Use a debugger: Use a debugger to step through your code and understand what's happening.
Read the documentation: Read the documentation for the library or framework you're using to understand its behavior and any potential issues.

Q: What are the common mistakes that lead to this issue?

A: The common mistakes that lead to this issue are:

Using both props together: Using both selectableRowSelected and onSelectedRowsChange together without understanding their behavior.
Not testing the code: Not testing the code thoroughly to catch any issues before they become problems.
Not using a debugger: Not using a debugger to step through the code and understand what's happening.
Not reading the documentation: Not reading the documentation for the library or framework being used to understand its behavior and any potential issues.