How to Use DataTables in jQuery, Laravel, & Angular?

This is a quick start guide to learn how to use DataTables in jQuery, Laravel, and Angular.

What are DataTables?

DataTables is one of the most widely used JavaScript libraries for creating interactive tables. Whether you’re building admin dashboards, financial reports, e-commerce product lists, or data-heavy applications, DataTables can simplify data handling—but only when used efficiently.

This guide applies to:
✔ JavaScript/jQuery-based projects (default DataTables setup)
✔ Laravel 10 (PHP) projects (using Yajra DataTables for backend integration)
✔ Angular projects (using ngx-datatables or DataTables with HttpClient)

Who Uses DataTables the Most?

✔ Web developers & engineers – Creating dynamic tables for admin panels, dashboards, and user reports.
✔ Business analysts & data teams – Handling large datasets with sorting, searching, and filtering.
✔ E-commerce & SaaS platforms – Managing large inventories, customer lists, and performance analytics.
✔ Financial & healthcare apps – Displaying complex tabular data with real-time updates.

How to Use DataTables Efficiently?

But using DataTables incorrectly can lead to performance issues, laggy UI, or bloated scripts. Below are 10 expert tips to help you use DataTables efficiently while avoiding common mistakes.

🔹 Choose Between Client-Side and Server-Side Processing

DataTables can handle data in two ways: client-side (loading all data at once) or server-side (fetching data page by page). Choosing the right method depends on the dataset size and user interaction expectations.

When to Use It?

• JavaScript/jQuery: Use client-side processing (ajax) if your dataset has less than 5,000 rows and filtering/sorting is done within the browser.
• Laravel: Use server-side processing (serverSide: true) with Yajra DataTables for 10,000+ rows.
• Angular: Use RxJS-based pagination and filtering for large datasets.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery):

$('#example').DataTable({
    "processing": true,
    "serverSide": true,
    "ajax": "your-api-endpoint"
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra DataTables):

return DataTables::of(User::query())->make(true);

📌 Example (Angular – HttpClient):

this.http.get<DataTableResponse>('your-api-endpoint?page=1&pageSize=50')
  .subscribe(data => this.rows = data);

Mistake to Avoid: Fetching all data at once when it’s not necessary.

🔹 Optimize CSS for Better Performance

Large tables can lag due to excessive rendering, especially when styles are not optimized. Proper CSS can make scrolling and interaction smoother.

When to Use It?

• If your table has thousands of rows, and users experience lag when scrolling.
• When you need a responsive table but want to maintain smooth performance.

✅ JavaScript/Angular: Use a fixed row height for consistent rendering:

table.dataTable tbody tr {
    height: 40px;
}

✅ Laravel (Blade templates): Keep minimal CSS in the views to prevent rendering delays.

Mistake to Avoid: Using complex styles that slow down rendering, such as heavy shadows or unnecessary transitions.

🔹 Use deferRender: true to Speed Up Large Tables

By default, DataTables renders all rows at once, even those that are not visible. This can lead to slow page load times.

When to Use It?

• If your table contains 5,000+ rows and users experience slow initial rendering.
• When you want to speed up client-side table rendering.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery):

$('#example').DataTable({
    "deferRender": true
});

📌 Example (Angular – ngx-datatable):

<ngx-datatable [scrollbarV]="true"></ngx-datatable>

✅ Benefit: Loads only visible rows initially, improving performance.

Mistake to Avoid: Not enabling deferred rendering when handling large datasets, causing unnecessary lag.

🔹 Lazy Load Data Instead of Fetching Everything

Instead of loading an entire dataset upfront, lazy loading fetches only the required data dynamically, reducing memory usage and improving speed.

When to Use It?

• If your dataset exceeds 50,000+ records, and fetching all data at once isn’t feasible.
• When integrating with large databases that support paginated responses.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery – AJAX Pagination):

$('#example').DataTable({
    "ajax": "your-api-endpoint?page=1&pageSize=50"
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra Pagination):

return DataTables::of(User::query())->paginate(50);

📌 Example (Angular – HttpClient with Pagination):

this.http.get('your-api-endpoint?page=1&pageSize=50')
  .subscribe(data => this.rows = data);

✅ Ensures efficient data fetching, reducing unnecessary requests.

Mistake to Avoid: Fetching an entire dataset at once when not needed.

🔹 Use ColumnDefs to Optimize Table Rendering

Not all columns need sorting, searching, or visibility. Reducing unnecessary operations improves speed and enhances usability.

When to Use It?

• If some columns do not require sorting or searching, disabling them improves speed.
• When certain columns are only relevant on larger screens, hiding them on mobile improves usability.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery – Disable Sorting & Hide Columns):

$('#example').DataTable({
    "columnDefs": [
        { "orderable": false, "targets": [3, 4] },
        { "visible": false, "targets": [5] }
    ]
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra DataTables with Column Definitions):

return DataTables::of(User::query())
    ->editColumn('status', function ($user) {
        return $user->status ? 'Active' : 'Inactive';
    })
    ->removeColumn('internal_notes') // Hide a column
    ->make(true);

📌 Example (Angular – ngx-datatable with Conditional Column Visibility):

<ngx-datatable [columns]="[
    { name: 'ID', prop: 'id', sortable: false },
    { name: 'Name', prop: 'name' },
    { name: 'Email', prop: 'email', hide: isMobile }
]">
</ngx-datatable>

✅ Benefit: Reduces processing time and makes tables more readable and responsive.

Mistake to Avoid: Keeping all columns active even when they aren’t needed.

🔹 Enable Smart Pagination & Page Length Options

By default, DataTables loads a fixed number of rows per page (usually 10). Allowing users to customize how many rows they view improves navigation and enhances performance for large datasets.

When to Use It?

• If your dataset contains thousands of rows and users need to control pagination.
• When allowing users to view all data on a single page might be beneficial.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery – Custom Pagination & Page Length):

$('#example').DataTable({
    "lengthMenu": [[10, 50, 100, -1], [10, 50, 100, "All"]],
    "pageLength": 50
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra DataTables with Custom Pagination):

return DataTables::of(User::query())
    ->paginate(request('length', 50)); // Default page length is 50

📌 Example (Angular – ngx-datatable with Page Length Options):

<ngx-datatable 
    [rows]="rows" 
    [columnMode]="'force'" 
    [headerHeight]="50" 
    [rowHeight]="'auto'"
    [limit]="50">
</ngx-datatable>

✅ Benefit: Users can control how much data they want to see at once, improving user experience and performance.

Mistake to Avoid: Fixing page size to 10 or 25 rows when users may prefer larger options.

🔹 Optimize Search & Filtering for Large Data

By default, DataTables applies global search on all columns, which can slow down performance for large datasets. Instead, enabling column-specific filtering makes searches more efficient.

When to Use It?

• If your table has multiple searchable columns, and you want to allow precise filtering.
• When dealing with thousands of rows, where global search may be slow.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery – Column-Specific Search):

$('#example tfoot th').each(function () {
    var title = $(this).text();
    $(this).html('<input type="text" placeholder="Search '+title+'" />');
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra DataTables with Column Filtering):

return DataTables::of(User::query())
    ->filterColumn('email', function($query, $keyword) {
        $query->where('email', 'like', "%{$keyword}%");
    })
    ->make(true);

📌 Example (Angular – Custom Filter with RxJS & DataTables):

applyFilter(event: Event, column: string) {
    const filterValue = (event.target as HTMLInputElement).value.trim().toLowerCase();
    this.filteredData = this.data.filter(row => row[column].toLowerCase().includes(filterValue));
}

✅ Benefit: Improves search accuracy and performance while reducing unnecessary queries.

Mistake to Avoid: Using only global search when column-specific searches are more effective.

🔹 Minify JavaScript & CSS for Faster Load Times

DataTables and its dependencies can add extra file size to your project. Minifying and compressing them reduces load time and improves performance.

When to Use It?

• When deploying a production application that loads external libraries.
• If your DataTables setup includes multiple CSS and JavaScript files, reducing their size improves efficiency.

📌 How to Minify (JavaScript & CSS)?
Use tools like Terser, UglifyJS, or CSSNano to compress files before deployment:

uglifyjs datatables.js -o datatables.min.js  
cssnano datatables.css datatables.min.css  

📌 Example (Laravel – Mix for Minification):

mix.js('resources/js/datatables.js', 'public/js').minify();
mix.css('resources/css/datatables.css', 'public/css').minify();

📌 Example (Angular – CLI Minification Automatically Applied in Production Build):

ng build --prod

✅ Benefit: Reduces file size, speeds up page loads, and improves overall performance.

Mistake to Avoid: Using uncompressed DataTables files in production, increasing load times.

🔹 Cache AJAX Responses for Faster Loading

If your dataset rarely updates, caching AJAX responses in localStorage reduces API calls and speeds up loading times for returning users.

When to Use It?

• If the data does not change frequently (e.g., archived data, reports, product catalogs).
• When you want to reduce server load and API call frequency.

📌 Example (JavaScript – LocalStorage Cache):

const cacheKey = "tableData";
const cacheExpiry = 3600 * 1000; // 1 hour expiration
function fetchData(callback) {
    let cached = localStorage.getItem(cacheKey);
    if (cached) {
        callback(JSON.parse(cached));
    } else {
        $.getJSON("your-api-endpoint", function(data) {
            localStorage.setItem(cacheKey, JSON.stringify(data));
            callback(data);
        });
    }
}

📌 Example (Laravel – Cache Queries):

$users = Cache::remember('users', 3600, function() {
    return User::all();
});

📌 Example (Angular – RxJS Cache Mechanism):

this.dataCache$ = this.http.get('your-api-endpoint').pipe(
    shareReplay(1),
    debounceTime(60000)
);

✅ Benefit: Reduces redundant API calls and improves performance.

Best Practices:

• If you expect frequent updates, consider IndexedDB instead of localStorage.
• Provide a manual refresh button for users to clear the cache when needed.

Mistake to Avoid: Using caching for real-time data, which could mislead users with outdated information.

🔹 Use Custom Buttons for Exporting Data

Instead of enabling all export options (CSV, Excel, PDF), allowing users to select specific formats makes the UI cleaner and improves usability.

When to Use It?

• If your table supports exporting, but should let users choose their preferred format instead of displaying all options at once.
• When working with reporting dashboards where downloads are frequent.

📌 Example (JavaScript/jQuery):

$('#example').DataTable({
    dom: 'Bfrtip',
    buttons: [ 'copy', 'csv', 'excel' ]
});

📌 Example (Laravel – Yajra DataTables with Buttons Extension):

return DataTables::of(User::query())->addColumn('action', function ($user) {
    return '<button class="export-btn">Export</button>';
})->make(true);

📌 Example (Angular – ngx-datatable with Export Button):

<button (click)="exportToCSV()">Export to CSV</button>
<ngx-datatable [rows]="rows"></ngx-datatable>

✅ Benefit: Keeps the UI clean, improves usability, and speeds up table rendering.

Mistake to Avoid: Displaying all export buttons by default, making the UI look cluttered.

Any Questions on How to Use DataTables?

Using DataTables efficiently saves time, improves performance, and enhances user experience. 🚀

💡 Have more DataTables tricks? Share them in the comments!
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