What are the advantages and disadvantages of using remote sorting and grouping in Ext JS data grids?

1 Remote sorting and grouping

Remote sorting and grouping are techniques that delegate the data processing tasks to the server, instead of the client. This means that the data grid only requests and displays the data that matches the current sort order and group settings, and the server handles the rest. Remote sorting and grouping can improve the performance and responsiveness of the data grid, especially when dealing with large or dynamic data sets. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as increased network traffic, server load, and dependency on the server availability and consistency.

2 How to enable remote sorting and grouping

To enable remote sorting and grouping in Ext JS data grids, you need to configure the store that provides the data to the grid. The store has two properties that control the sorting and grouping behavior: remoteSort and remoteGroup. By setting them to true, you tell the store to send the sort and group parameters to the server, and expect the server to return the data accordingly. You also need to ensure that the server can handle these parameters, and return the data in the correct format and order.

3 How to customize remote sorting and grouping

You can customize the remote sorting and grouping behavior by using various options and events provided by Ext JS. For example, you can use the sortParam and groupParam properties of the store to specify the names of the parameters that are sent to the server. You can also use the beforeload event of the store to modify the parameters before they are sent, or the load event to manipulate the data after they are received. You can also use the sorterFn and grouperFn properties of the store to define custom sorting and grouping functions that are applied on the client side, after the data is received from the server.

4 Advantages of remote sorting and grouping

The main advantage of remote sorting and grouping is that they can reduce the amount of data that is transferred and processed by the client. This can improve the performance and responsiveness of the data grid, as well as the user experience. For example, remote sorting and grouping can enable faster and smoother paging, as the data grid only needs to request and display one page of data at a time, instead of loading and sorting the entire data set. Remote sorting and grouping can also handle large or dynamic data sets more efficiently, as the data grid does not need to update or re-sort the data every time it changes on the server.

5 Disadvantages of remote sorting and grouping

The main disadvantage of remote sorting and grouping is that they can increase the network traffic, server load, and dependency on the server. This can affect the performance and reliability of the data grid, as well as the user experience. For example, remote sorting and grouping can cause delays or errors if the network connection is slow or unstable, or if the server is overloaded or unavailable. Remote sorting and grouping can also limit the flexibility and functionality of the data grid, as the data grid cannot perform local sorting or grouping, or apply custom filters or calculations on the data.

6 How to decide when to use remote sorting and grouping

When determining whether to use remote sorting and grouping, there is no definitive answer as it depends on various factors, such as the size and complexity of the data set, the frequency and type of data changes, the network and server conditions, and user expectations. Generally, remote sorting and grouping should be used when the data set is large or dynamic, and the data grid needs to display only a subset of data at a time. On the other hand, local sorting and grouping is better when the data set is small or static, or when the data grid needs to display all or most of the data at once. Additionally, a combination of remote and local sorting and grouping may be used if the data set is moderate or mixed, allowing for a balance between performance and functionality.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?