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Install React Select
Use npm or Yarn to add the package, as shown in the official React Select getting-started guide:
npm i --save react-selectOr:
yarn add react-selectThe guide demonstrates importing the default Select export from react-select and rendering it with an options array.
Render a basic select
Each option in this example has a value for application logic and a label for display:
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import Select from 'react-select';
const options = [
{ value: 'chocolate', label: 'Chocolate' },
{ value: 'strawberry', label: 'Strawberry' },
{ value: 'vanilla', label: 'Vanilla' },
];
export default function FlavorSelect() {
return <Select options={options} />;
}With this minimal version, React Select manages its own selection. To respond to a choice or keep the selection in your app’s state, make it controlled.
Manage the selected option with React state
For a controlled select, pass the current option through value and update it in onChange. React Select’s package documentation demonstrates this state-based pattern: react-select on npm.
import { useState } from 'react';
import Select from 'react-select';
const options = [
{ value: 'chocolate', label: 'Chocolate' },
{ value: 'strawberry', label: 'Strawberry' },
{ value: 'vanilla', label: 'Vanilla' },
];
export default function FlavorSelect() {
const [selectedOption, setSelectedOption] = useState(null);
return (
<Select
options={options}
value={selectedOption}
onChange={setSelectedOption}
/>
);
}onChange supplies the new selection, which the example stores in state. If you only need to set an initial choice and do not need to control later changes from parent state, use defaultValue instead. React Select also supports initial menu and input values with defaultMenuIsOpen and defaultInputValue.
Choose the right selection behavior
| Need | Approach | How it changes the interaction |
|---|---|---|
| One choice from local options | <Select options={options} /> |
Use the default component; search behavior is governed by isSearchable. |
| More than one choice | <Select isMulti options={options} /> |
Enables multiple selection. |
| Choices loaded remotely as a user types | AsyncSelect from react-select/async |
Loads options asynchronously rather than relying only on a local list. |
| Allow users to add a choice | Creatable from react-select/creatable |
Adds an option-creation interaction alongside choosing existing options. |
The project describes React Select as “A flexible and beautiful Select Input control for ReactJS with multiselect, autocomplete, async and creatable support.” See the official site for its getting-started examples.
Multiple selection
Add isMulti when a user may select several options. Keep value and onChange controlled by state if the rest of the app needs to read or update the selected options.
<Select isMulti options={options} />Remote options
Use AsyncSelect when choices come from a remote source and should be loaded as the user types. Import it from react-select/async:
import AsyncSelect from 'react-select/async';Async loading changes where options come from; it does not by itself mean users can create new options.
User-created options
Use Creatable when users need to enter choices that are not already in the available list. Import it from react-select/creatable:
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import Creatable from 'react-select/creatable';This changes whether users can add choices; it is separate from loading options remotely.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Customize appearance and behavior
Start with the styles prop to adjust the appearance of individual parts of the select. The official site also documents animated wrappers through makeAnimated. For deeper changes to how the interface behaves, the package documentation describes a Component Injection API; replacing components requires more care than applying styles. Consult the package documentation for the current prop details and examples.
Useful props include isDisabled, isMulti, isSearchable, name, noOptionsMessage, onChange, options, placeholder, and value. When you set name, React Select can generate an HTML input containing the current value. Check the current documentation for the exact types and behavior of less common props.
Give the control an accessible name
Provide a clear label so users, including people using screen readers, can identify the control. React’s guidance for native selects explains the importance of a label announced when the select receives focus: React select reference. Because that reference covers the native select element, it is baseline guidance—not proof that every React Select configuration or customization is accessible.
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- Test keyboard interaction and the behavior with the assistive technologies your audience uses.
- When injecting replacement components, verify that the change preserves expected keyboard and screen-reader interactions.
Check version-specific details
The npm listing showed version 5.10.2 on October 4, 2026; package versions can change, so check the current npm listing before relying on a version-specific example. The listing says v5 includes TypeScript declarations and directs users of v4 and earlier to the @types package.
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