Puck vs React-Grid-Layout
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A visual drag-and-drop page editor you embed in your own React app.
Open source · MIT
A React component library for draggable, resizable grid layouts with responsive breakpoints.
The short answer
Choose Puck if you need…
- React developers adding a page builder to an existing app
- Teams that want content editors to arrange pre-approved components visually
- Projects using Next.js or React Router, which the README mentions as supported recipes
- Companies that need a self-hosted, MIT-licensed editor
Choose React-Grid-Layout if you need…
- React developers building dashboards with movable panels
- Teams migrating from v1 who can use the legacy wrapper for a smoother transition
- Projects that need responsive layouts with different arrangements at different screen widths
- Developers who want TypeScript types included with the library
Side-by-side
| Puck | React-Grid-Layout | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 13.6k | 22.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 8 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Puck
Puck is an open-source React component that gives your app a visual editor, so people can build pages by dragging and arranging components you define. You control the components, the data is yours to store, and the README says there is no vendor lock-in. It is released under the MIT license.
React-Grid-Layout
React-Grid-Layout is a grid layout system for React, similar in purpose to Packery or Gridster, that lets users drag and resize items within a grid. It is responsive and supports breakpoints, where layouts can be supplied by the developer or generated automatically. It is React-only and does not require jQuery.
Best for
Puck
- React developers adding a page builder to an existing app
- Teams that want content editors to arrange pre-approved components visually
- Projects using Next.js or React Router, which the README mentions as supported recipes
- Companies that need a self-hosted, MIT-licensed editor
React-Grid-Layout
- React developers building dashboards with movable panels
- Teams migrating from v1 who can use the legacy wrapper for a smoother transition
- Projects that need responsive layouts with different arrangements at different screen widths
- Developers who want TypeScript types included with the library
Strengths
Puck
- MIT license, which the README says suits internal and commercial use
- Built on React, so it works with your existing components
- You own the data and can store it wherever you like
React-Grid-Layout
- Supports responsive breakpoints, with layouts provided by the user or autogenerated
- Written in TypeScript with its own types in v2, and no jQuery dependency
- Includes many demos covering common patterns such as static items, bounded layouts, and min/max sizes
Not ideal for
Puck
- People who want a ready-made website builder with hosting and no coding, since Puck is a library you integrate into your own code
- Non-React projects, because Puck is described as a React component
- Those who need the README-documented support beyond community channels, which is limited to GitHub issues, Discord, or a paid consultancy call
React-Grid-Layout
- Non-React projects, since the library is React-only
- Developers who need a simple static grid and not drag or resize behavior, where plain CSS grid is likely sufficient
- Teams that cannot update to a v2 API with a required width prop without reworking existing code
Trade-offs
Puck
- Requires React and coding to set up; it is not a finished no-code tool
- The README is truncated and does not detail every feature or limit
- Community support is described mainly through Discord and GitHub issues
React-Grid-Layout
- v2 has breaking changes, including a required width prop and a removed UMD bundle, so upgrading takes effort
- Requires a bundler such as Vite, webpack, or esbuild since the UMD build was removed
- Drag start now fires after 3px of movement rather than on mousedown, which may change existing behavior
Getting started
Puck
Install the package
npm i @puckeditor/core --saveOr create a pre-configured app
npx create-puck-app my-appReact-Grid-Layout
Install from npm
npm install react-grid-layoutFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Puck and React-Grid-Layout?
Puck: A visual drag-and-drop page editor you embed in your own React app. React-Grid-Layout: A React component library for draggable, resizable grid layouts with responsive breakpoints. Puck suits react developers adding a page builder to an existing app, while React-Grid-Layout suits react developers building dashboards with movable panels.
Are Puck and React-Grid-Layout free?
Puck: Free and open source. React-Grid-Layout: Free and open source.
Is Puck or React-Grid-Layout more popular?
React-Grid-Layout has more GitHub stars (22.5k) than Puck (13.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Puck and React-Grid-Layout?
Other options people compare them with include dnd-kit, react-dropzone, React DnD, Filament, Muuri.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.