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wtf is list.js?

javve/list.js — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-24

11,226JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TL;DR

A tiny, dependency-free JavaScript library that adds live search, sort, filter, and pagination to any existing HTML list or table, no framework required.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Search filtering
      Column sorting
      Pagination
    Works with
      HTML lists
      HTML tables
      Any container
    Setup
      npm or CDN link
      No dependencies
      MIT license
    Features
      Fuzzy search
      Dynamic add remove
      IE support

Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Add live search filtering to an existing HTML table or list without rewriting the markup or adding a framework.

REASON 2

Let users sort a product list or data table by clicking column headers with a few lines of JavaScript.

REASON 3

Add pagination to a long list of items on a static HTML page with no server-side processing.

What's in the stack?

JavaScript

How it stacks up

javve/list.jsgooglechromelabs/quicklinkscottjehl/respond
Stars11,22611,23611,237
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity2/52/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
MIT license, use freely for any purpose, including commercial projects, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

Wtf does this do

List.js is a small JavaScript library that adds search, sort, and filter capabilities to HTML lists, tables, and other elements already on a page. You drop it into an existing web page without rewriting your HTML, and it quietly wires up the interactive features behind the scenes. The main use case is any web page where you have a collection of items and you want users to be able to type in a search box to narrow them down, click a column header to sort, or apply filters by category or value. The library handles all of that logic without requiring a separate framework or build process. Setup is straightforward. You include the script via a package manager like npm or via a CDN link, point it at the HTML element holding your items, and tell it which fields to index. From there the library manages the display, hiding and showing rows or list items as the user interacts. The README lists several working demos: searching an existing list, adding and removing items dynamically, fuzzy search (which finds approximate matches rather than exact ones), and pagination for long lists. The library works with standard browsers including older versions of Internet Explorer. It has no dependencies on other libraries, which keeps the file size small and avoids version conflicts. The project is MIT-licensed and has been maintained since 2011, with documentation hosted separately at listjs.com covering options, the list API, and the item API.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
I have an HTML table of 200 rows and I want to let users search and filter it in real time using list.js. Show me the minimal setup code including the script include and initialization.
Prompt 2
How do I use list.js to add sortable column headers to an HTML table, with ascending and descending toggle?
Prompt 3
I want to combine search, sort, and pagination in a single list.js instance. Show me the configuration object and the required HTML structure.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is list.js?

A tiny, dependency-free JavaScript library that adds live search, sort, filter, and pagination to any existing HTML list or table, no framework required.

What language is list.js written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript.

What license does list.js use?

MIT license, use freely for any purpose, including commercial projects, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

How hard is list.js to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is list.js for?

Mainly developer.

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