preact-compose-with-tanstack-pacer

name	preact/compose-with-tanstack-pacer
description	Use `@tanstack/preact-pacer` to debounce / throttle the high-frequency writes that drive an interactive table: column filter inputs and column resize state. Pattern: import `useDebouncedCallback` from `@tanstack/preact-pacer/debouncer` (or `useThrottledCallback` for resize), wrap your `column.setFilterValue` / `table.setColumnSizing` calls, and let the table's expensive row-model recompute happen on the trailing edge. Routing keywords: preact-pacer, debounce filter, throttle resize, useDebouncedCallback, performant filtering.
type	composition
library	tanstack-table
framework	preact
library_version	9.0.0-alpha.48
requires	["filtering","column-layout"]
sources	["TanStack/table:examples/preact/filters/","TanStack/table:examples/preact/column-resizing-performant/","TanStack/table:examples/react/with-tanstack-form/"]

Filtering and column resizing fire a lot of events. Each column.setFilterValue(...) invalidates filteredRowModel, then paginatedRowModel, then re-renders subscribed components. For large tables that is the difference between a snappy UI and a janky one. Debounce or throttle the writes with @tanstack/preact-pacer.

Install

npm install @tanstack/preact-pacer

Pattern 1 — Debounced column filter input

Render the input value from local state (immediate visual feedback) and push the value into the table on a debounce.

import { useState } from 'preact/hooks'
import { useDebouncedCallback } from '@tanstack/preact-pacer/debouncer'
import type { Column } from '@tanstack/preact-table'

function FilterInput<TFeatures, TData>({
  column,
}: {
  column: Column<TFeatures, TData>
}) {
  const initial = (column.getFilterValue() as string | undefined) ?? ''
  const [value, setValue] = useState(initial)

  const pushToTable = useDebouncedCallback(
    (next: string) => column.setFilterValue(next),
    { wait: 250 },
  )

  return (
    <input
      type="text"
      value={value}
      onInput={(e) => {
        const next = (e.target as HTMLInputElement).value
        setValue(next)
        pushToTable(next)
      }}
      placeholder="Search…"
    />
  )
}

The local value keeps the cursor and typing responsive; pushToTable only runs on the trailing edge, so the table only recomputes the filtered row model once per pause.

Same pattern works for the global filter via table.setGlobalFilter.

Source: examples/preact/filters/.

Pattern 2 — Throttled column resize

Column resize fires per-mousemove. Throttling keeps the resize visually smooth without re-running the full layout on every pixel.

import { useThrottledCallback } from '@tanstack/preact-pacer/throttler'

function ResizeHandle({ header, table }) {
  const pushSize = useThrottledCallback(
    (size: number) => {
      table.setColumnSizing((prev) => ({ ...prev, [header.column.id]: size }))
    },
    { wait: 16 }, // ~60fps
  )

  // Hook this into your existing pointermove handler.
  return null
}

In v9, column sizing is driven by columnSizingFeature + table.setColumnSizing. The throttle wraps the write side; the read side stays direct.

Source: examples/preact/column-resizing-performant/.

When NOT to debounce

• Sorting (table.setSorting) — fires once per click.
• Pagination (table.setPageIndex, table.setPageSize) — fires once per page.
• Row selection (row.toggleSelected) — fires once per toggle.

Debouncing these adds latency for no win. Reach for pacer only on input/resize/scroll-driven writes.

With External Atoms

If you've moved a slice to an external atom, debounce the atom write instead of the table API.

const globalFilterAtom = useCreateAtom<string>('')

const pushFilter = useDebouncedCallback(
  (next: string) => globalFilterAtom.set(next),
  { wait: 250 },
)

The table reads from the atom; the atom now changes less often; the row model recomputes less often.

Common Mistakes

CRITICAL Wrapping column.setFilterValue AND reading filter via column.getFilterValue() in the same input

Wrong:

const debouncedSet = useDebouncedCallback(
  (v: string) => column.setFilterValue(v),
  { wait: 250 },
)
return (
  <input
    value={(column.getFilterValue() ?? '') as string} // doesn't reflect typed value
    onInput={(e) => debouncedSet((e.target as HTMLInputElement).value)}
  />
)

Correct: hold local state for the visual value, debounce the write.

const [v, setV] = useState((column.getFilterValue() ?? '') as string)
const debouncedSet = useDebouncedCallback(
  (next: string) => column.setFilterValue(next),
  { wait: 250 },
)

return (
  <input
    value={v}
    onInput={(e) => {
      const next = (e.target as HTMLInputElement).value
      setV(next)
      debouncedSet(next)
    }}
  />
)

Otherwise the input lags by the debounce wait — the user sees stale characters.

HIGH Debouncing the wrong direction

Wrong: debouncing the read (column.getFilterValue), which is just a memoized derivation.

Correct: debounce the write (column.setFilterValue) — that's what triggers the row-model recompute.

HIGH Treating pacer as a substitute for stable references

Wrong: debouncing every useTable call.

Correct: pacer doesn't fix unstable _features / columns / data references. Stabilize those first; reach for pacer for input/scroll/resize hotspots. Source: docs/framework/preact/guide/table-state.md (FAQ #1).

MEDIUM Forgetting that debounce delays the trailing edge

The first keystroke still hits the table at the trailing edge of the debounce window. If you want a leading-edge call (e.g. fire immediately, then debounce subsequent calls), use the { leading: true, trailing: true } shape.

See Also

• tanstack-table/filtering — column / global filter state shape.
• tanstack-table/column-layout — column sizing / pinning / visibility.
• tanstack-table/preact/production-readiness — narrow selectors, stable refs.