---
url: /datatable/interactivity
name: Sorting, Filtering, Selecting, and Paging Natively
description:
    "`dash_table.DataTable` is an interactive table that supports rich styling,
    conditional formatting, editing, sorting, filtering, and more."
languages:
  - python
  - julia
---

# ![](/assets/images/language_icons/f-sharp_50px.svg) DataTable Interactivity

`DataTable` includes several features for modifying and transforming
the view of the data. These include:

- Sorting by column (`sort_action='native'`)
- Filtering by column (`filter_action='native'`)
- Editing the cells (`editable=True`)
- Deleting rows (`row_deletable=True`)
- Deleting columns (`columns[i].deletable=True`)
- Selecting rows (`row_selectable='single' | 'multi'`)
- Selecting columns (`column_selectable='single' | 'multi'` and `columns[i].selectable=True`)
- Paging front-end (`page_action='native'`)
- Hiding columns (`hidden_columns=[]`)

A quick note on filtering. We have defined our own
syntax for performing filtering operations. Here are some
examples for this particular dataset:

- Enter `Asia` in the "continent" column
- Enter `> 5000` in the "gdpPercap" column
- Enter `< 80` in the `lifeExp` column

> Note: simple strings can be entered plain, but if you have
> spaces or special characters (including `-`, particularly in dates)
> you need to wrap them in quotes.
> Single quotes `'`, double quotes `"`, or backticks `\\` all work.
> <dccLink href="/datatable/filtering" children="Full filter syntax reference"/>

By default, these transformations are done clientside.
Your Dash callbacks can respond to these modifications
by listening to the `data` property as an `Input`.

Note that if `data` is an `Input` then the entire
`data` will be passed over the network: if your dataframe is large,
then this will become slow. For large dataframes, you can perform the
<dccLink href="/datatable/callbacks" children="sorting or filtering in Python instead"/>.

{{example interactivity_connected_to_graph}}

{{oss {{dash-club}} }}

## Row IDs

When using transformations - sorting, filtering, pagination - it can be
difficult to match up rows - visible rows, selected rows, active rows -
to the original data, because row indices may not have their original
meaning. To simplify this logic we've added support for **Row IDs**.
Each row of data can have an `'id'` key, which should contain a string
or a number.
If you want to display these values you can include a column with
`id='id'`, but normally they stay hidden.
All properties that list certain rows by index also have variants
listing row IDs:
- `derived_virtual_indices` / `derived_virtual_row_ids`: the order of
rows across all pages (for front-end paging) after filtering and
sorting.
- `derived_viewport_indices` / `derived_viewport_row_ids`: the order of
rows on the currently visible page.
- `selected_rows` / `selected_row_ids`: when `row_selectable` is
enabled and there is a checkbox next to each row, these are the
selected rows. Note that even filtered-out or paged-out rows can remain
selected.
- `derived_virtual_selected_rows` / `derived_virtual_selected_row_ids`:
the set of selected rows after filtering and sorting, across all pages
- `derived_viewport_selected_rows` /
`derived_viewport_selected_row_ids`: the set of selected rows on the
currently visible page.

Often several of these properties contain the same data, but in other
cases it's important to choose the right one for the specific user
interaction you have in mind. Do you want to respond to selected rows
even when they're not on the current page? Even when they're filtered
out?

There are also properties that reference specific cells in the table.
Along with the row and column indices, these include the row and
column IDs of the cell:
- `active_cell`: this is the data cell the user has put the cursor on,
by clicking and/or arrow keys. It's a dictionary with keys:
    - `row`: the row index  - may be affected by sorting,
    filtering, or paging transformations.
    - `column`: the column index 
    - `row_id`: the `id` field of the row, which always stays with it
    during transformations.
    - `column_id`: the `id` field of the column.
- `start_cell`: if the user selects multiple cells, by shift-click or
shift-arrow-keys, this is where the selection was initiated. Has the
same form as `active_cell`, and usually the same value although after
selecting a region the user can change `active_cell` by pressing
`<tab>` or `<enter>` to cycle through the selected cells.
- `end_cell`: the corner of the selected region opposite `start_cell`.
Also has the same form as `active_cell`.
- `selected_cells`: an array of dicts, each one with the form of
`active_cell`, listing each selected cell.

Here's the same example, plus active cell highlighting, implemented
using row IDs.
One advantage here is that we don't need to pass the entire data set
back, we can just pass the IDs.
Even the full set of IDs is only necessary in order to sync with
sorting and filtering.

{{example interactivity_row_ids}}

## Update Filter Placeholder Text

> This feature is available in Dash 2.7 and later.

By default, the filter fields, located above each column, display the placeholder text `filter data...`.
Update filter placeholder text by setting `placeholder_text` on `filter_options` on the table or individual columns.
In this example, we update the `placeholder_text` for the table to be `Filter column...`:

{{example change_placeholder}}

