Are Livewire data tables worth the trouble?

One popular application of Livewire is in creating dynamic tables for displaying data. Livewire table libraries have sprung up, offering pre-built components to streamline the process of creating feature-rich tables. However, as with any tool, there are trade-offs to consider.

While Livewire table libraries may seem appealing at first glance, they come with their own set of complexities and potential performance issues. There are two important points to consider before incorporating them into your project: complexity and performance.

Livewire table libraries often come with a plethora of features and customization options. While this can be advantageous for projects requiring extensive functionality, it also adds complexity to your codebase. If your project doesn't demand such sophistication, opting for a simpler solution might be more prudent. 

Livewire itself introduces overhead due to its server-side nature. Adding additional layers of complexity with table libraries can further impact performance. Complex data manipulation and rendering operations might result in slower page loads and decreased responsiveness, especially on larger datasets. 

If your application needs to display a relatively small amount of data, say less than a few hundreds records, you might find that simpler client-side solutions suffice. Technologies like vanilla javascript or frameworks such as vue.js can handle such tasks more efficiently without the need for server requests. 

And this isn't just limited to data tables; Also consider simpler components like drop-down menus or modal screens. Using livewire will be slower than just using javascript as it is easier to write code to update component state.