How to Use React Datepicker: Install, Implement & Customize

Home
Blog
How to Use and Implement...

TL;DR

React Datepicker is a lightweight, customizable library for handling single dates, ranges, and time selection in React apps.
Installation is simple (react-datepicker + date-fns) with built-in props for formatting, localization, and custom styling.
It works well for forms, booking engines, dashboards, and scheduling apps, improving UX and reducing input errors.
Watch out for common pitfalls like CSS conflicts, timezone issues, SSR warnings, and controlled vs uncontrolled inputs.
For advanced use cases, you can hire ReactJS developers and even get a free 30-minute consultation to tailor it for your project.

Introduction

React Datepicker is a lightweight, customizable, and easy-to-use datepicker component built for React applications. It provides a smooth user experience, supports date and time selection, localization, and integrates well with React forms. In this guide, you’ll learn how to install, implement, and customize React Datepicker with examples, use cases, benefits, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Date selection plays a vital role in modern web applications—whether it’s choosing check-in dates on a hotel booking engine, filtering reports on an analytics dashboard, or filling out a basic form. A smooth and intuitive datepicker not only improves user experience but also reduces the chances of input errors, ensuring that users provide accurate and valid data.

Among the various options available, React Datepicker has emerged as one of the most popular choices in the React ecosystem, with over a million weekly downloads on npm. It’s built on top of JavaScript’s native Date object and provides developers with a rich set of features such as:

Single-date or date range selection
Time selection alongside dates
Localization support for global audiences
Custom styling to match any design system
Validation and controlled input for robust form handling

Its popularity isn’t just about convenience—it’s about flexibility. Whether you’re building a small form component, an enterprise-grade scheduling app, or even a full-fledged booking interface, React Datepicker adapts seamlessly to the use case. And when paired with the expertise of an experienced ReactJS development company, it becomes even more powerful—allowing teams to customize it for complex workflows, integrate with third-party systems, and deliver production-ready solutions faster.

In short, React Datepicker simplifies date and time input while giving developers the control they need to build reliable, user-friendly applications.

React Datepicker: What Is It and Why Is It Useful?

React Datepicker is an open-source date selection library built specifically for React. It allows users to select single dates, date ranges, and even specific times through an intuitive UI component. Built on top of the date-fns library, it ensures efficient date manipulation and formatting.

Why is React Datepicker Useful?

Built for React: It’s a native React component—not a wrapper around jQuery or third-party widgets—so it integrates naturally into React apps.
Out-of-the-box Functionality: You get advanced features like time selection, filtering, localization, and more with just a few props.
Customizable and Extendable: From styling to disabling dates and rendering custom input fields, it’s designed to be developer-friendly.
Improves UX: Reduces user input errors and improves accessibility in date/time input forms.

Whether you’re creating an appointment scheduler or filtering dashboard data by date, React Datepicker simplifies and enhances the experience.

Steps to Use and Implement React Datepicker

1. Installation

To get started, install the react-datepicker and date-fns (required for formatting) packages:

npm install react-datepicker date-fns

Or with Yarn:

yarn add react-datepicker date-fns

Also import the required CSS for styling:

import 'react-datepicker/dist/react-datepicker.css';

2. Basic Usage

Here’s how to use React Datepicker in its most basic form:

import React, { useState } from 'react';

import DatePicker from 'react-datepicker';

import 'react-datepicker/dist/react-datepicker.css';

const BasicDatepicker = () => {

  const [startDate, setStartDate] = useState(new Date());

  return (

    <div>

      <h3>Select a Date:</h3>

      <DatePicker selected={startDate} onChange={(date) => setStartDate(date)} />

    </div>

  );

};

export default BasicDatepicker;

This component renders a basic calendar input with today’s date selected.

3. Add Time Selection

To enable time selection along with the date:

<DatePicker

  selected={startDate}

  onChange={(date) => setStartDate(date)}

  showTimeSelect

  dateFormat="Pp"

/>

The showTimeSelect prop displays time options, and dateFormat=”Pp” shows both date and time in formatted output.

4. Date Range Picker

To select a range of dates, use two datepickers:

const RangePicker = () => {

  const [startDate, setStartDate] = useState(null);

  const [endDate, setEndDate] = useState(null);

  return (

    <div>

      <DatePicker

        selected={startDate}

        onChange={(date) => setStartDate(date)}

        selectsStart

        startDate={startDate}

        endDate={endDate}

        placeholderText="Start Date"

      />

      <DatePicker

        selected={endDate}

        onChange={(date) => setEndDate(date)}

        selectsEnd

        startDate={startDate}

        endDate={endDate}

        minDate={startDate}

        placeholderText="End Date"

      />

    </div>

  );

};

This allows users to pick a start and end date for ranges like bookings or reports.

5. Custom Date Format

You can customize the format using dateFormat:

<DatePicker

  selected={startDate}

  onChange={(date) => setStartDate(date)}

  dateFormat="dd/MM/yyyy"

/>

6. Disable Dates

Disable past or specific dates:

<DatePicker

  selected={startDate}

  onChange={(date) => setStartDate(date)}

  minDate={new Date()}

/>

Pitfalls to Avoid When Using React Datepicker

While React Datepicker is robust, here are some common pitfalls and how to avoid them:

1. CSS Conflicts

If you’re using Tailwind, Bootstrap, or custom CSS frameworks, the default styles from React Datepicker may conflict or not render properly. Always import its CSS after your global styles, or use scoped class names:

import ‘react-datepicker/dist/react-datepicker.css’;

Tip: Use calendarClassName and className props to apply custom styles safely.

2. Timezone and Date Offsets

React Datepicker uses the browser’s local time by default. This can lead to confusion when:

Handling server-side UTC dates

Using in international apps

Solution: Normalize dates using libraries like date-fns or dayjs to store and format in UTC or ISO format.

3. Accessibility Limitations

While basic keyboard navigation is supported, React Datepicker is not fully WCAG compliant out of the box.

Workaround: Enhance accessibility with ARIA labels and ensure inputs are clearly associated with descriptive text.

4. SSR (Server-Side Rendering) Compatibility

Using React Datepicker with Next.js or another SSR framework may throw hydration warnings.

Solution: Ensure the component only renders client-side:

‘use client’; // for Next.js App Router

import dynamic from ‘next/dynamic’;

const DatePicker = dynamic(() => import(‘react-datepicker’), { ssr: false });

5. Uncontrolled vs Controlled Input Confusion

React Datepicker can behave unpredictably if you’re mixing controlled (selected, onChange) and uncontrolled (defaultValue) props.

Tip: Always use controlled mode with useState.

Useful Links and Resources

Official Documentation:

https://reactdatepicker.com

The official site includes live examples, prop references, and customization guides.

GitHub Repository:

https://github.com/Hacker0x01/react-datepicker

Access the source code, report issues, or contribute to development.

npm Package:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-datepicker

View current version, weekly downloads, and changelogs.

Date-fns Localization Docs:

https://date-fns.org/v2.30.0/docs/I18n

Learn how to use localization with date-fns inside React Datepicker.

Follow Also this link Datepicker Library

Rsuitejs Datepicker

Antd Datepicker

Material UI Datepicker

Benefits of Using React Datepicker

Easy to Integrate: With simple props and configurations, it plugs easily into any React form.
Highly Customizable: You can style it with CSS or override styles for custom branding.
Supports Time, Range, and Localization: Great for global or complex applications.
Lightweight and Performant: Doesn’t bloat your bundle and works efficiently on all modern browsers.
Form Compatibility: Integrates seamlessly with libraries like react-hook-form and formik.

Use Cases

Here are common scenarios where React Datepicker shines:

1. Appointment Booking: Allow users to pick date and time slots for services or doctor appointments.

2. Travel and Hotel Booking: Pick check-in and check-out dates using the date range picker.

3. Report Filters: Select from/to dates to filter data and generate reports or dashboards.

4. Event Scheduling: Schedule meetings or webinars with time-enabled pickers.

5. Admin Forms: Set due dates, publish times, or expiration windows inside admin portals.

Conclusion

React Datepicker stands out as a powerful, reliable, and user-friendly component that streamlines date and time selection in React applications. Its ease of setup combined with robust features—such as time pickers, date ranges, localization, and styling flexibility—makes it a go-to solution for both simple forms and enterprise-level projects.

By leveraging this library, developers can eliminate the common frustrations of manual date entry, reduce bugs tied to inconsistent formats, and ensure users enjoy a seamless experience across browsers and devices. It not only improves the user experience (UX) but also helps teams ship applications faster by cutting down on the need to build complex date components from scratch.

That said, integrating React Datepicker into large-scale or highly customized projects often requires deeper expertise—whether it’s tailoring the component to match your design system, optimizing for performance, or connecting it with booking, reporting, or scheduling workflows. If you’re ready to scale, you can hire ReactJS developers with proven experience in building production-ready, scalable React solutions.

In short, React Datepicker is not just a convenience—it’s a productivity booster for developers and a usability win for end-users. And if you’d like expert guidance on how to make the most of it in your project, we offer a free 30-minute consultation to help you get started with the right approach.

Faq’s

1. How can I customize the look of the datepicker?

You can override the default styles using CSS or SCSS. Import the default styles and then apply your custom class names using the className or calendarClassName props.

2. Can I localize the datepicker to different languages?

Yes. React Datepicker supports localization using date-fns. You’ll need to import the locale and pass it.

3. How do I use React Datepicker with react-hook-form?

Use the Controller component from react-hook-form to integrate it smoothly:

4. How can I restrict date selection to weekdays only?

Use the filterDate prop:

<DatePicker

filterDate={(date) => date.getDay() !== 0 && date.getDay() !== 6}

This disables weekends (Sunday = 0, Saturday = 6).

5. Can I show multiple months in the datepicker?

Yes, you can display more than one month using the monthsShown prop:

This helps users view a wider range of dates at once.