Quick Start

This guide will walk you through creating your first list with VueList. By the end, you’ll have a working paginated list with search functionality.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

VueList installed in your project
A working Vue 3 application with Vue Router

Installation

Haven’t installed VueList yet? Start here.

Steps

Install VueList

First, install the package:

npm install @7span/vue-list

Configure the Plugin

main.js

import { createApp } from 'vue'
import App from './App.vue'
import router from './router'
import VueList from '@7span/vue-list'
import axios from 'axios'

const app = createApp(App)

app.use(router)
app.use(VueList, {
  async requestHandler(context) {
    const {
      endpoint,
      page,
      perPage,
      search,
      sortBy,
      sortOrder,
      filters,
    } = context

    // Make API request with your preferred HTTP client
    const response = await axios.get(`/api/${endpoint}`, {
      params: {
        page,
        limit: perPage,
        search,
        sort_by: sortBy,
        sort_order: sortOrder,
        ...filters,
      },
    })

    // Return items and total count
    return {
      items: response.data.items,
      count: response.data.total,
    }
  },
})

app.mount('#app')

The requestHandler is called automatically whenever the list needs to fetch data (on mount, page change, search, etc.)

Use VueList in a Component

Now create a simple list component:

UserList.vue

<template>
  <div class="user-list">
    <h1>Users</h1>
    
    <VueList endpoint="users" :per-page="10" pagination-mode="pagination">
      <!-- Search input -->
      <VueListSearch placeholder="Search users..." />
      
      <!-- Loading state on first load -->
      <VueListInitialLoader>
        <p>Loading users...</p>
      </VueListInitialLoader>
      
      <!-- Loading state on subsequent loads -->
      <VueListLoader>
        <p>Loading...</p>
      </VueListLoader>
      
      <!-- Error state -->
      <VueListError v-slot="{ error }">
        <div class="error">
          <p>Failed to load users: {{ error.message }}</p>
        </div>
      </VueListError>
      
      <!-- List items -->
      <VueListItems #default="{items}">
        <div class="users-grid">
          <div v-for="user in items" :key="user.id" class="user-card">
            <h3>{{ user.name }}</h3>
            <p>{{ user.email }}</p>
          </div>
        </div>
      </VueListItems>
      
      <!-- Empty state -->
      <VueListEmpty>
        <p>No users found</p>
      </VueListEmpty>
      
      <!-- Pagination controls -->
      <VueListPagination />
      
      <!-- Results summary -->
      <VueListSummary />
    </VueList>
  </div>
</template>

<style scoped>
.user-list {
  max-width: 1200px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  padding: 2rem;
}

.users-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(250px, 1fr));
  gap: 1rem;
  margin: 2rem 0;
}

.user-card {
  border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
  border-radius: 8px;
  padding: 1rem;
}

.error {
  background: #fef2f2;
  color: #991b1b;
  padding: 1rem;
  border-radius: 8px;
  margin: 1rem 0;
}
</style>

The endpoint prop value (“users”) is passed to your requestHandler so it knows which API endpoint to call.

Customize the UI (Optional)

All VueList components accept slots for full customization:

UserList.vue

<template>
  <VueList endpoint="users" :per-page="10">
    <!-- Custom search component -->
    <VueListSearch v-slot="{ search, setSearch }">
      <input 
        type="text" 
        :value="search" 
        @input="setSearch($event.target.value)"
        placeholder="Search..."
        class="custom-search-input"
      />
    </VueListSearch>
    
    <!-- Custom pagination -->
    <VueListPagination v-slot="{ page, pagesCount, hasNext, hasPrev, next, prev, first, last }">
      <div class="custom-pagination">
        <button @click="first" :disabled="!hasPrev">First</button>
        <button @click="prev" :disabled="!hasPrev">Previous</button>
        <span>Page {{ page }} of {{ pagesCount }}</span>
        <button @click="next" :disabled="!hasNext">Next</button>
        <button @click="last" :disabled="!hasNext">Last</button>
      </div>
    </VueListPagination>
    
    <!-- Rest of your list -->
    <VueListItems #default="{items}">
      <!-- Your items -->
    </VueListItems>
  </VueList>
</template>

Complete Working Example

Here’s a complete example with all the common features:

ProductList.vue

<template>
  <div class="product-list">
    <div class="header">
      <h1>Products</h1>
      <VueListRefresh v-slot="{ refresh, isLoading }">
        <button @click="refresh" :disabled="isLoading">
          {{ isLoading ? 'Refreshing...' : 'Refresh' }}
        </button>
      </VueListRefresh>
    </div>
    
    <VueList 
      endpoint="products" 
      :per-page="12"
      pagination-mode="pagination"
      :filters="filters"
    >
      <div class="controls">
        <VueListSearch 
          placeholder="Search products..." 
          :debounce-time="500"
        />
        
        <VueListPerPage 
          v-slot="{ perPage, setPerPage }" 
          :options="[12, 24, 48]"
        >
          <select :value="perPage" @change="setPerPage(Number($event.target.value))">
            <option value="12">12 per page</option>
            <option value="24">24 per page</option>
            <option value="48">48 per page</option>
          </select>
        </VueListPerPage>
      </div>
      
      <VueListInitialLoader>
        <div class="loader">Loading products...</div>
      </VueListInitialLoader>
      
      <VueListLoader>
        <div class="loader-overlay">Loading...</div>
      </VueListLoader>
      
      <VueListError v-slot="{ error }">
        <div class="error-message">
          <h3>Error Loading Products</h3>
          <p>{{ error.message }}</p>
        </div>
      </VueListError>
      
      <VueListItems #default="{items}">
        <div class="products-grid">
          <div 
            v-for="product in items" 
            :key="product.id" 
            class="product-card"
          >
            <img :src="product.image" :alt="product.name" />
            <h3>{{ product.name }}</h3>
            <p class="price">${{ product.price }}</p>
            <button>Add to Cart</button>
          </div>
        </div>
      </VueListItems>
      
      <VueListEmpty>
        <div class="empty-state">
          <p>No products found. Try a different search.</p>
        </div>
      </VueListEmpty>
      
      <div class="footer">
        <VueListSummary v-slot="{ from, to, count }">
          <p>Showing {{ from }}-{{ to }} of {{ count }} products</p>
        </VueListSummary>
        
        <VueListPagination />
      </div>
    </VueList>
  </div>
</template>

<script setup>
import { ref } from 'vue'

const filters = ref({
  category: 'electronics',
  inStock: true
})
</script>

<style scoped>
.product-list {
  max-width: 1400px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  padding: 2rem;
}

.header {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
  margin-bottom: 2rem;
}

.controls {
  display: flex;
  gap: 1rem;
  margin-bottom: 2rem;
}

.products-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(280px, 1fr));
  gap: 1.5rem;
  margin: 2rem 0;
}

.product-card {
  border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
  border-radius: 8px;
  padding: 1rem;
  text-align: center;
}

.product-card img {
  width: 100%;
  height: 200px;
  object-fit: cover;
  border-radius: 4px;
}

.price {
  font-size: 1.5rem;
  font-weight: bold;
  color: #059669;
  margin: 0.5rem 0;
}

.footer {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
  margin-top: 2rem;
}

.loader {
  text-align: center;
  padding: 3rem;
  color: #6b7280;
}

.error-message {
  background: #fef2f2;
  border: 1px solid #fecaca;
  border-radius: 8px;
  padding: 1.5rem;
  margin: 2rem 0;
}

.empty-state {
  text-align: center;
  padding: 3rem;
  color: #6b7280;
}
</style>

Key Concepts

Component Props

The VueList root component accepts these key props:

endpoint - The API endpoint name (passed to your requestHandler)
per-page - Number of items per page (default: 25)
pagination-mode - Either "pagination" or "loadMore" (default: “pagination”)
filters - Reactive filter object that triggers refetch when changed
search - Initial search query
sort-by - Initial sort column
sort-order - Initial sort direction (“asc” or “desc”)

Slot Props

Most components expose slot props for customization:

<VueListItems #default="{items}">
  <!-- items: Array of current page items -->
</VueListItems>

<VueListPagination v-slot="{ page, pagesCount, hasNext, hasPrev, next, prev }">
  <!-- Full control over pagination UI -->
</VueListPagination>

<VueListSearch v-slot="{ search, setSearch }">
  <!-- Custom search input -->
</VueListSearch>

Reactive Filters

Filters are fully reactive - any change automatically refetches the list:

<script setup>
import { ref } from 'vue'

const filters = ref({
  category: 'electronics'
})

function changeCategory(newCategory) {
  filters.value.category = newCategory
  // List automatically refetches!
}
</script>

<template>
  <VueList endpoint="products" :filters="filters">
    <!-- List content -->
  </VueList>
</template>

Load More Mode

Switch to load-more pagination for infinite scroll-style UIs:

<template>
  <VueList 
    endpoint="posts" 
    :per-page="20"
    pagination-mode="loadMore"
  >
    <VueListItems #default="{items}">
      <!-- Items accumulate as more are loaded -->
      <PostCard v-for="post in items" :key="post.id" :post="post" />
    </VueListItems>
    
    <VueListLoadMore v-slot="{ loadMore, hasMore, isLoading }">
      <button 
        v-if="hasMore" 
        @click="loadMore" 
        :disabled="isLoading"
      >
        {{ isLoading ? 'Loading...' : 'Load More' }}
      </button>
    </VueListLoadMore>
  </VueList>
</template>

Programmatic Access

Access list state and methods via template refs:

<template>
  <VueList ref="listRef" endpoint="users" :per-page="10">
    <!-- List content -->
  </VueList>
  
  <button @click="refreshList">Refresh</button>
</template>

<script setup>
import { ref } from 'vue'

const listRef = ref(null)

function refreshList() {
  listRef.value.refresh()
}

function goToPage(pageNum) {
  listRef.value.setPage(pageNum)
}

function updateSearch(query) {
  listRef.value.setSearch(query)
}
</script>

Next Steps

Components

Explore all available components and their props

Configuration

Configure request handler and state manager

API Reference

Detailed API documentation

Guides

Learn advanced usage patterns

Get Started

Configuration

Components

Guides

Quick Start

Quick Start

Prerequisites

Installation

Steps

Complete Working Example

Key Concepts

Component Props

Slot Props

Reactive Filters

Load More Mode

Programmatic Access

Next Steps

Components

Configuration

API Reference

Guides

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Configuration

Components

Guides

​Quick Start

​Prerequisites

Installation

​Steps

​Complete Working Example

​Key Concepts

​Component Props

​Slot Props

​Reactive Filters

​Load More Mode

​Programmatic Access

​Next Steps

Components

Configuration

API Reference

Guides

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Quick Start

Prerequisites

Steps

Complete Working Example

Key Concepts

Component Props

Slot Props

Reactive Filters

Load More Mode

Programmatic Access

Next Steps