Bootstrap Responsive Table - How To Make Table Responsive In Bootstrap?

Bootstrap Responsive Table: In today’s digitally driven world, where access to information is expected to be seamless across a multitude of devices, ensuring your web content is adaptable and responsive isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. This principle is especially true for web developers dealing with data presentation.

Bootstrap provides an efficient and effective way to make tables responsive. Responsive tables ensure that your table data looks equally impressive on small devices like phones and tablets as it does on desktops, without losing its comprehensibility or requiring horizontal scrolling.

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Bootstrap Responsive Table Overview

Bootstrap responsive table component offers an efficient and straightforward solution to this challenge. Designed with mobile-first philosophy, it ensures that your tables look and work perfectly across all devices, from desktop monitors to smartphones.

The aim is not only to maintain the aesthetics but also to preserve the accessibility and integrity of data, no matter the screen size. Whether you’re a seasoned developer looking to brush up on the latest techniques or a beginner eager to learn the ropes of responsive web design, understanding how to utilize Bootstrap’s responsive tables will significantly enhance the quality and usability of your websites.

What is a Responsive Table?

Responsive tables enable smooth horizontal scrolling, allowing tables to adapt to different screen sizes effortlessly. You can achieve responsiveness across all viewports by enclosing a table with the .table-responsive class. Alternatively, you can specify a maximum breakpoint for responsiveness using .table-responsive{-sm|-md|-lg|-xl|-xxl}.

Responsive tables are commonly used in web applications, content management systems, data dashboards, e-commerce platforms, and various other contexts where tabular data needs to be presented and accessed across different devices. By leveraging responsive design principles and frameworks like Bootstrap, developers can create tables that offer a consistent and user-friendly experience across a wide range of devices and screen sizes.

How to Make Table Responsive in Bootstrap?

To make a table responsive in Bootstrap, you can use the responsive table classes provided by the framework. Bootstrap offers a class called table-responsive that you can add to the parent <div> wrapping your table. This class enables horizontal scrolling on smaller screens and ensures that the table remains readable.

Here’s an example:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<title>Responsive Table Example</title>

</head>

<body>

<thead>

<tr>

<th scope=”col”>First Name</th>

<th scope=”col”>Email</th>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>john@example.com</td>

</tr>

<!– Additional rows go here –>

</tbody>

</table>

</div>

</body>

</html>

In this example:

The table-responsive class is added to the <div> surrounding the table.
This class ensures that the table becomes horizontally scrollable on smaller screens.
The table itself has standard Bootstrap table classes (table) for styling.

This approach allows your table to adapt to different screen sizes while maintaining readability. Adjust the content and styling based on your specific requirements.

How To Create Bootstrap Responsive Table?

Creating a Bootstrap responsive table involves a few simple steps. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to create a responsive table using Bootstrap:

Step 1: Include Bootstrap CSS and JS Files

Ensure that you have included the Bootstrap CSS and JavaScript files in the <head> section of your HTML document. You can use the Bootstrap CDN or download the files locally. For simplicity, we’ll use the CDN in this example.

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<title>Responsive Table Example</title>

</head>

<body>

<!– Your content goes here –>

</body>

</html>

Step 2: Create a Container and a Table

Wrap your table inside a container and apply the table class to the table for Bootstrap styling.

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

</div>

Step 3: Add Table Header and Body

Inside the table, add the table header (<thead>) and body (<tbody>) sections with your column headers and data rows.

<thead>

<tr>

<th scope=”col”>First Name</th>

<th scope=”col”>Email</th>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>john@example.com</td>

</tr>

<!– Additional rows go here –>

</tbody>

</table>

Step 4: Customize and Populate Data

Customize the table content by adding your own column headers and data. Populate the <tbody> section with the relevant information.

Step 5: Test Responsiveness

Test the responsiveness of your table by resizing the browser window or using a mobile device. The table-responsive class ensures that the table remains readable on smaller screens.

Step 6: Further Customization (Optional)

If needed, you can further customize the styling and appearance of the table using Bootstrap classes or your own custom CSS.

That’s it! Following these steps will help you create a Bootstrap responsive table for your web application. Adjust the content and styling based on your specific requirements.

Also Read: Bootstrap Link In HTML – Using this page, Learn How to Add Bootstrap Links in HTML

How To Customize the Appearance of a Bootstrap Responsive Table?

Customizing the appearance of a Bootstrap responsive table involves applying additional Bootstrap classes or using custom CSS to achieve the desired styling. Below is an example code snippet demonstrating how to customize the appearance of a Bootstrap responsive table:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<style>

/* Custom CSS for table styling */

.custom-table {

border-collapse: separate;

border-spacing: 0 8px; /* Adjust the spacing between rows */

}

.custom-table th,

.custom-table td {

border: 1px solid #dee2e6;

padding: 12px; /* Adjust the padding for cells */

}

.custom-table th {

background-color: #f8f9fa; /* Header background color */

}

/* Optional: Add additional styling for different screen sizes */

@media (max-width: 576px) {

.custom-table th,

.custom-table td {

padding: 8px;

}

</style>

<title>Customized Responsive Table</title>

</head>

<body>

<thead>

<tr>

<th scope=”col”>First Name</th>

<th scope=”col”>Email</th>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>john@example.com</td>

</tr>

<!– Additional rows go here –>

</tbody>

</table>

</div>

</body>

</html>

In this example:

A custom CSS block is added in the <style> tag to define styles for the table.
The .custom-table class is applied to the table, introducing custom border spacing, padding, and background colors.
Additional styles are applied to table headers (th) and table cells (td).
Media queries are used to adjust styling for smaller screens, ensuring responsiveness.

Also Read: Bootstrap Menu – Last Chance to Master Bootstrap Menu Creation

Bootstrap Responsive Table Examples

Here are a few examples of Bootstrap responsive tables with different features and styles:

Example 1: Basic Responsive Table

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<title>Basic Responsive Table</title>

</head>

<body>

<thead>

<tr>

<th scope=”col”>First Name</th>

<th scope=”col”>Email</th>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>john@example.com</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>Smith</td>

<td>jane@example.com</td>

</tr>

<!– Additional rows go here –>

</tbody>

</table>

</div>

</body>

</html>

Example 2: Striped Responsive Table

<!– Add the “table-striped” class for striped rows –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 3: Hoverable Rows

<!– Add the “table-hover” class for hoverable rows –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 4: Bordered Table

<!– Add the “table-bordered” class for a bordered table –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 5: Condensed Table

<!– Add the “table-condensed” class for a condensed table –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 6: Dark-themed Responsive Table

<!– Add the “table-dark” class for a dark-themed table –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 7: Small-sized Responsive Table

<!– Add the “table-sm” class for a smaller-sized table –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 8: Zebra-striped Responsive Table

<!– Add both “table-striped” and “table-dark” classes for a zebra-striped effect –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Example 9: Responsive Table with Contextual Classes

<!– Apply Bootstrap contextual classes for different row styles –>

<thead>

<tr>

<th scope=”col”>Status</th>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<td>Active</td>

</tr>

<td>Pending</td>

</tr>

<td>Smith</td>

<td>Inactive</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Example 10: Responsive Table with Hoverable Contextual Classes

<!– Add “table-hover” for hoverable rows with contextual classes –>

<!– Table content goes here –>

</table>

Also Read: Bootstrap Registration Form – Read more: Dive into Bootstrap Registration Form Creation

Uses of Bootstrap Responsive Table

Bootstrap responsive tables are a valuable tool in web development, providing several benefits and use cases. Here are some of the primary uses of Bootstrap responsive tables:

1) Mobile-Friendly Design:

Use Case: Bootstrap responsive tables are crucial for creating mobile-friendly designs.
Benefits: They adapt to different screen sizes, ensuring that tables remain readable and user-friendly on smaller devices such as smartphones and tablets.

2) Data Presentation:

Use Case: Displaying tabular data on websites or web applications.
Benefits: Responsive tables ensure that users can access and view data efficiently regardless of the device they are using. This is especially important for data-intensive applications.

3) Dashboard Layouts:

Use Case: Building dashboards or admin panels that present complex data sets.
Benefits: Responsive tables help maintain the integrity of the data presentation, even when viewed on screens with limited horizontal space.

4) E-commerce Product Listings:

Use Case: Displaying product information in online stores.
Benefits: Users shopping on various devices can easily browse and compare product details without sacrificing the user experience.

5) Financial and Analytics Tools:

Use Case: Developing financial dashboards or analytics tools.
Benefits: Responsive tables are essential for presenting financial data and analytics reports, ensuring accessibility across different devices.

6) Content Management Systems (CMS):

Use Case: Managing and displaying content in CMS applications.
Benefits: Responsive tables enhance the user experience when managing content in systems where tabular data is prevalent.

7) Reservation and Booking Systems:

Use Case: Implementing reservation and booking interfaces.
Benefits: Responsive tables facilitate the display of available dates, times, and booking details, making the process seamless for users on various devices.

8) Educational Platforms:

Use Case: Presenting course schedules, academic data, or exam results.
Benefits: Students and educators can easily access and review information on educational platforms, ensuring a consistent experience across devices.

9) Event Management:

Use Case: Displaying event schedules, attendees, or ticket information.
Benefits: Responsive tables provide a user-friendly interface for managing and viewing event-related data.

10) Project Management Tools:

Use Case: Visualizing project timelines, tasks, and resource allocation.
Benefits: Project managers and team members can efficiently track and manage project-related information, whether in the office or on the go.

In summary, Bootstrap responsive tables are versatile components that enhance the accessibility and usability of tabular data across a wide range of web applications and scenarios. They play a crucial role in creating a consistent and user-friendly experience for visitors accessing content on different devices.

Bootstrap Responsive Table FAQ's

What is a Bootstrap responsive table?

A Bootstrap responsive table is a table that adapts its layout to different screen sizes, ensuring optimal viewing and usability on devices ranging from desktops to smartphones. It utilizes Bootstrap's table-responsive class to enable horizontal scrolling on smaller screens.

How do I make a table responsive in Bootstrap?

To make a table responsive in Bootstrap, add the table-responsive class to the parent

wrapping your table. This class ensures that the table becomes horizontally scrollable on smaller screens, maintaining readability.

Can I use the Bootstrap responsive table class with any table?

Yes, you can use the table-responsive class with any HTML table. Simply add the class to the parent container wrapping your table, and Bootstrap will handle the responsive behavior.

Does the responsive table class impact the styling of the table?

The table-responsive class primarily focuses on making the table horizontally scrollable on smaller screens. It doesn't significantly impact the styling of the table itself, allowing you to maintain Bootstrap's default or customized table styles.

How can I customize the appearance of a Bootstrap responsive table?

You can customize the appearance of a Bootstrap responsive table by applying additional Bootstrap table classes or your own custom CSS. Bootstrap provides a variety of styling options for tables that you can leverage to achieve the desired look.