---
title: Tables
description: Documentation and examples for opt-in styling of tables (given their prevalent use in JavaScript plugins) with Bootstrap.
toc: true
---

import { getData } from '@libs/data'

## Overview

Due to the widespread use of `<table>` elements across third-party widgets like calendars and date pickers, Bootstrap’s tables are **opt-in**. Add the base class `.table` to any `<table>`, then extend with our optional modifier classes or custom styles. All table styles are not inherited in Bootstrap, meaning any nested tables can be styled independent from the parent.

Using the most basic table markup, here’s how `.table`-based tables look in Bootstrap.

## Variants

Use contextual classes to color tables, table rows or individual cells.

<Callout>
**Heads up!** Because of the more complicated CSS used to generate our table variants, they most likely won’t see color mode adaptive styling until v6.
</Callout>

         Class
         Heading
         Heading

         Default
         Cell
         Cell
      
      {getData('theme-colors').map((themeColor) => {
        return (
          <tr class={`table-${themeColor.name}`}>
             {themeColor.title}
             Cell
             Cell
          
        )
      })}

<Code code={[
  `<!-- On tables -->`,
  ...getData('theme-colors').map((themeColor) => `<table class="table-${themeColor.name}">...</table>`),
  `
`,
  ...getData('theme-colors').map((themeColor) => `<tr class="table-${themeColor.name}">...</tr>`),
  `

`,
  ...getData('theme-colors').map((themeColor) => `  <td class="table-${themeColor.name}">...</td>`),
  `</tr>`
]} lang="html" />

<Callout name="warning-color-assistive-technologies" />

## Accented tables

### Striped rows

Use `.table-striped` to add zebra-striping to any table row within the `<tbody>`.

### Striped columns

Use `.table-striped-columns` to add zebra-striping to any table column.

These classes can also be added to table variants:

### Hoverable rows

Add `.table-hover` to enable a hover state on table rows within a `<tbody>`.

These hoverable rows can also be combined with the striped rows variant:

### Active tables

Highlight a table row or cell by adding a `.table-active` class.

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

       2
       Jacob
       Thornton
       @fat

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

`} />

```html
<table class="table">
  <thead>
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr class="table-active">
      ...
    </tr>
    <tr>
      ...
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <th scope="row">3</th>
      <td>John</td>
      <td>Doe</td>
      <td class="table-active">@social</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>
```

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

       2
       Jacob
       Thornton
       @fat

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

`} />

```html
<table class="table table-dark">
  <thead>
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr class="table-active">
      ...
    </tr>
    <tr>
      ...
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <th scope="row">3</th>
      <td>John</td>
      <td>Doe</td>
      <td class="table-active">@social</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>
```

## How do the variants and accented tables work?

For the accented tables ([striped rows](#striped-rows), [striped columns](#striped-columns), [hoverable rows](#hoverable-rows), and [active tables](#active-tables)), we used some techniques to make these effects work for all our [table variants](#variants):

- We start by setting the background of a table cell with the `--bs-table-bg` custom property. All table variants then set that custom property to colorize the table cells. This way, we don’t get into trouble if semi-transparent colors are used as table backgrounds.
- Then we add an inset box shadow on the table cells with `box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 9999px var(--bs-table-bg-state, var(--bs-table-bg-type, var(--bs-table-accent-bg)));` to layer on top of any specified `background-color`. It uses custom cascade to override the `box-shadow`, regardless the CSS specificity. Because we use a huge spread and no blur, the color will be monotone. Since `--bs-table-accent-bg` is set to `transparent` by default, we don’t have a default box shadow.
- When either `.table-striped`, `.table-striped-columns`, `.table-hover` or `.table-active` classes are added, either `--bs-table-bg-type` or `--bs-table-bg-state` (by default set to `initial`) are set to a semitransparent color (`--bs-table-striped-bg`, `--bs-table-active-bg` or `--bs-table-hover-bg`) to colorize the background and override default `--bs-table-accent-bg`.
- For each table variant, we generate a `--bs-table-accent-bg` color with the highest contrast depending on that color. For example, the accent color for `.table-primary` is darker while `.table-dark` has a lighter accent color.
- Text and border colors are generated the same way, and their colors are inherited by default.

Behind the scenes it looks like this:

<ScssDocs name="table-variant" file="scss/mixins/_table-variants.scss" />

## Table borders

### Bordered tables

Add `.table-bordered` for borders on all sides of the table and cells.

[Border color utilities]([[docsref:/utilities/borders#border-color]]) can be added to change colors:

### Tables without borders

Add `.table-borderless` for a table without borders.

## Small tables

Add `.table-sm` to make any `.table` more compact by cutting all cell `padding` in half.

## Table group dividers

Add a thicker border, darker between table groups—`<thead>`, `<tbody>`, and `<tfoot>`—with `.table-group-divider`. Customize the color by changing the `border-top-color` (which we don’t currently provide a utility class for at this time).

<Example code={`

         #
         First
         Last
         Handle

         1
         Mark
         Otto
         @mdo

         2
         Jacob
         Thornton
         @fat

         3
         John
         Doe
         @social

`} />

## Vertical alignment

Table cells of `<thead>` are always vertical aligned to the bottom. Table cells in `<tbody>` inherit their alignment from `<table>` and are aligned to the top by default. Use the [vertical align]([[docsref:/utilities/vertical-align]]) classes to re-align where needed.

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

         Heading 1
         Heading 2
         Heading 3
         Heading 4

         This cell inherits vertical-align: middle; from the table
         This cell inherits vertical-align: middle; from the table
         This cell inherits vertical-align: middle; from the table
         This here is some placeholder text, intended to take up quite a bit of vertical space, to demonstrate how the vertical alignment works in the preceding cells.

         This cell inherits vertical-align: bottom; from the table row
         This cell inherits vertical-align: bottom; from the table row
         This cell inherits vertical-align: bottom; from the table row
         This here is some placeholder text, intended to take up quite a bit of vertical space, to demonstrate how the vertical alignment works in the preceding cells.

         This cell inherits vertical-align: middle; from the table
         This cell inherits vertical-align: middle; from the table
         This cell is aligned to the top.
         This here is some placeholder text, intended to take up quite a bit of vertical space, to demonstrate how the vertical alignment works in the preceding cells.

`} />

```html
<div class="table-responsive">
  <table class="table align-middle">
    <thead>
      <tr>
        ...
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        ...
      </tr>
      <tr class="align-bottom">
        ...
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>...</td>
        <td>...</td>
        <td class="align-top">This cell is aligned to the top.</td>
        <td>...</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>
```

## Nesting

Border styles, active styles, and table variants are not inherited by nested tables.

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

               Header
               Header
               Header

               A
               First
               Last

               B
               First
               Last

               C
               First
               Last

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

`} />

```html
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered">
  <thead>
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    ...
    <tr>
      <td colspan="4">
        <table class="table mb-0">
          ...
        </table>
      </td>
    </tr>
    ...
  </tbody>
</table>
```

## How nesting works

To prevent _any_ styles from leaking to nested tables, we use the child combinator (`>`) selector in our CSS. Since we need to target all the `td`s and `th`s in the `thead`, `tbody`, and `tfoot`, our selector would look pretty long without it. As such, we use the rather odd looking `.table > :not(caption) > * > *` selector to target all `td`s and `th`s of the `.table`, but none of any potential nested tables.

Note that if you add `<tr>`s as direct children of a table, those `<tr>` will be wrapped in a `<tbody>` by default, thus making our selectors work as intended.

## Anatomy

### Table head

Similar to tables and dark tables, use the modifier classes `.table-light` or `.table-dark` to make `<thead>`s appear light or dark gray.

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

       2
       Jacob
       Thornton
       @fat

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

`} />

```html
<table class="table">
  <thead class="table-light">
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    ...
  </tbody>
</table>
```

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

       2
       Jacob
       Thornton
       @fat

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

`} />

```html
<table class="table">
  <thead class="table-dark">
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    ...
  </tbody>
</table>
```

### Table foot

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

       #
       First
       Last
       Handle

       1
       Mark
       Otto
       @mdo

       2
       Jacob
       Thornton
       @fat

       3
       John
       Doe
       @social

       Footer
       Footer
       Footer
       Footer

`} />

```html
<table class="table">
  <thead>
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    ...
  </tbody>
  <tfoot>
    ...
  </tfoot>
</table>
```

### Captions

A `<caption>` functions like a heading for a table. It helps users with screen readers to find a table and understand what it’s about and decide if they want to read it.

List of users
    <TableContent />

```html
<table class="table table-sm">
  <caption>List of users</caption>
  <thead>
    ...
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    ...
  </tbody>
</table>
```

You can also put the `<caption>` on the top of the table with `.caption-top`.

<Example code={`
    
List of users

         #
         First
         Last
         Handle

         1
         Mark
         Otto
         @mdo

         2
         Jacob
         Thornton
         @fat

         3
         John
         Doe
         @social

`} />

## Responsive tables

Responsive tables allow tables to be scrolled horizontally with ease. Make any table responsive across all viewports by wrapping a `.table` with `.table-responsive`. Or, pick a maximum breakpoint with which to have a responsive table up to by using `.table-responsive{-sm|-md|-lg|-xl|-xxl}`.

<Callout type="warning">
##### Vertical clipping/truncation

Responsive tables make use of `overflow-y: hidden`, which clips off any content that goes beyond the bottom or top edges of the table. In particular, this can clip off dropdown menus and other third-party widgets.
</Callout>

### Always responsive

Across every breakpoint, use `.table-responsive` for horizontally scrolling tables.

<Example showMarkup={false} code={`

         #
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading
         Heading

         1
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell

         2
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell

         3
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell
         Cell

`} />

```html
<div class="table-responsive">
  <table class="table">
    ...
  </table>
</div>
```

### Breakpoint specific

Use `.table-responsive{-sm|-md|-lg|-xl|-xxl}` as needed to create responsive tables up to a particular breakpoint. From that breakpoint and up, the table will behave normally and not scroll horizontally.

**These tables may appear broken until their responsive styles apply at specific viewport widths.**

{getData('breakpoints').map((breakpoint) => {
  return (
    
      <div class={`table-responsive${breakpoint.abbr}`}>

               #
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading
               Heading

               1
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell

               2
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell

               3
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell
               Cell

  )
})}

 `
    
      ...

`)} lang="html" />

## CSS

### Sass variables

<ScssDocs name="table-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" />

### Sass loops

<ScssDocs name="table-loop" file="scss/_variables.scss" />

### Customizing

- The factor variables (`$table-striped-bg-factor`, `$table-active-bg-factor` & `$table-hover-bg-factor`) are used to determine the contrast in table variants.
- Apart from the light & dark table variants, theme colors are lightened by the `$table-bg-scale` variable.
