Comments

Add a comment (a note) to a cell, using the context menu, just like in Excel. Edit and delete comments. Make comments read-only.

The Comments plugin lets users attach text notes to individual cells. Use it when reviewers need to annotate data without changing cell values.

Enable the plugin

Set the comments configuration option to true to enable the feature and add all the needed context menu items. For example:

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['Update API docs', 'Ana García', 'In progress'],
    ['Deploy hotfix', 'James Okafor', 'Blocked'],
  ],
  comments: true,
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true
});

Add comments via the context menu

After you’ve enabled the plugin, the Context Menu gains a few new items:

• Add/Edit comment
• Delete comment
• Read-only comment

Set up pre-set comments

You can also pre-define comments for your table. Comments are stored in the table’s/column’s/cell’s metadata object and you can declare as any value of the respective type. For example:

cell: [
  { row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Hello world!' } }
]

In this example, the comment “Hello world!” is added to the cell at (1,1).

Basic example

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example1');

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Nissan', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Mazda', 'Ford'],
    ['2017', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2021', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    { row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } },
    { row: 2, col: 2, comment: { value: 'More comments' } },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example1')!;

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Nissan', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Mazda', 'Ford'],
    ['2017', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2021', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    { row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } },
    { row: 2, col: 2, comment: { value: 'More comments' } },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

Make a comment read-only

By default, all comments are editable. To change this, set the readOnly configuration option to true when adding a comment. This example makes the “Tesla” comment attached to a cell read-only, whereas the “Honda” comment attached to another cell is editable.

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example2');

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Ford'],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    {
      row: 0,
      col: 1,
      comment: { value: 'A read-only comment.', readOnly: true },
    },
    { row: 0, col: 3, comment: { value: 'You can edit this comment' } },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example2')!;

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Ford'],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    {
      row: 0,
      col: 1,
      comment: { value: 'A read-only comment.', readOnly: true },
    },
    { row: 0, col: 3, comment: { value: 'You can edit this comment' } },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

Set a comment box’s size

To set the width and height of a comment box, use the style parameter.

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example3');

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Nissan', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Mazda', 'Ford'],
    ['2017', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    { row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } },
    // add the `style` parameter
    {
      row: 2,
      col: 2,
      comment: {
        value: 'Comment 200x50 px',
        style: { width: 200, height: 50 },
      },
    },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example3')!;

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Nissan', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Mazda', 'Ford'],
    ['2017', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    { row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } },
    // add the `style` parameter
    {
      row: 2,
      col: 2,
      comment: {
        value: 'Comment 200x50 px',
        style: { width: 200, height: 50 },
      },
    },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

Set a delay for displaying comments

To display comments after a pre-configured time delay, use the displayDelay parameter.

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example4');

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Ford'],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: {
    // on mouseover, wait 2 seconds before the comment box displays
    displayDelay: 2000,
  },
  cell: [{ row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } }],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example4')!;

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['', 'Tesla', 'Toyota', 'Honda', 'Ford'],
    ['2018', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2019', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
    ['2020', 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16],
  ],
  rowHeaders: true,
  colHeaders: true,
  contextMenu: true,
  comments: {
    // on mouseover, wait 2 seconds before the comment box displays
    displayDelay: 2000,
  },
  cell: [{ row: 1, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Some comment' } }],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

Flag invalid cells with a comment

Combine comments with validation to explain data-entry errors. This example adds a comment to a cell when it fails validation and removes the comment once the value is valid. The afterValidate hook drives the change, and setCommentAtCell() writes the message. The grid validates on load, so the Mechanical keyboard row starts with an invalid stock value and shows its comment right away. Edit any Stock cell and enter a negative number or text to flag it, or enter a valid whole number to clear the flag.

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';
// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();
const container = document.querySelector('#example5');
new Handsontable(container, {
    data: [
        ['Wireless mouse', 142],
        ['USB-C cable', 67],
        ['Mechanical keyboard', -5],
        ['Laptop stand', 38],
        ['HDMI adapter', 210],
    ],
    colHeaders: ['Product', 'Stock'],
    rowHeaders: true,
    comments: true,
    columns: [
        {},
        {
            type: 'numeric',
            validator(value, callback) {
                callback(Number.isInteger(value) && value >= 0);
            },
        },
    ],
    // Attach a comment when a cell fails validation, and remove it once the cell is valid.
    afterValidate(isValid, value, row, prop) {
        const column = this.propToCol(prop);
        const comments = this.getPlugin('comments');
        if (!isValid) {
            comments.setCommentAtCell(row, column, `"${value}" is not valid. Enter a whole number of 0 or more.`);
        }
        else {
            comments.removeCommentAtCell(row, column);
        }
    },
    // Validate every cell on load so the pre-existing invalid value is flagged right away.
    afterInit() {
        this.validateCells();
    },
    height: 'auto',
    autoWrapRow: true,
    autoWrapCol: true,
    licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example5')!;

new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['Wireless mouse', 142],
    ['USB-C cable', 67],
    ['Mechanical keyboard', -5],
    ['Laptop stand', 38],
    ['HDMI adapter', 210],
  ],
  colHeaders: ['Product', 'Stock'],
  rowHeaders: true,
  comments: true,
  columns: [
    {},
    {
      type: 'numeric',
      validator(value: any, callback: (valid: boolean) => void) {
        callback(Number.isInteger(value) && value >= 0);
      },
    },
  ],
  // Attach a comment when a cell fails validation, and remove it once the cell is valid.
  afterValidate(isValid, value, row, prop) {
    const column = this.propToCol(prop);
    const comments = this.getPlugin('comments');

    if (!isValid) {
      comments.setCommentAtCell(row, column, `"${value}" is not valid. Enter a whole number of 0 or more.`);
    } else {
      comments.removeCommentAtCell(row, column);
    }
  },
  // Validate every cell on load so the pre-existing invalid value is flagged right away.
  afterInit() {
    this.validateCells();
  },
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

Read all comments programmatically

To collect every comment in the grid, loop through the rows and read each cell’s metadata with getCellMetaAtRow(). Each returned cell-meta object stores its comment under the comment key. Click List all comments to print all comments below the grid.

List all comments

Source code

JavaScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';
// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();
const container = document.querySelector('#example6');
const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
    data: [
        ['Update API docs', 'Ana García', 'In progress'],
        ['Deploy hotfix', 'James Okafor', 'Blocked'],
        ['Review pull requests', 'Li Wei', 'Done'],
        ['Plan Q3 roadmap', 'Maria Santos', 'In progress'],
        ['Refactor auth module', 'David Kim', 'In review'],
    ],
    colHeaders: ['Task', 'Assignee', 'Status'],
    rowHeaders: true,
    comments: true,
    cell: [
        { row: 1, col: 2, comment: { value: 'Waiting on infrastructure approval.' } },
        { row: 3, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Reassign if capacity is tight.' } },
        { row: 4, col: 0, comment: { value: 'Blocked on the security review.' } },
    ],
    height: 'auto',
    autoWrapRow: true,
    autoWrapCol: true,
    licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});
const button = document.querySelector('#list-comments');
const output = document.querySelector('#comments-output');
button.addEventListener('click', () => {
    const found = [];
    // `getCellMetaAtRow()` takes a physical row index (equal to the visual index here, with no sorting or trimming).
    for (let row = 0; row < hot.countRows(); row += 1) {
        hot.getCellMetaAtRow(row).forEach((cellMeta, col) => {
            const comment = cellMeta.comment;
            if (comment?.value !== undefined) {
                found.push(`Row ${row + 1}, "${hot.getColHeader(col)}": ${comment.value}`);
            }
        });
    }
    output.textContent = found.length > 0 ? found.join('\n') : 'No comments found.';
});

TypeScript

import Handsontable from 'handsontable/base';
import { registerAllModules } from 'handsontable/registry';

// Register all Handsontable's modules.
registerAllModules();

const container = document.querySelector('#example6')!;

const hot = new Handsontable(container, {
  data: [
    ['Update API docs', 'Ana García', 'In progress'],
    ['Deploy hotfix', 'James Okafor', 'Blocked'],
    ['Review pull requests', 'Li Wei', 'Done'],
    ['Plan Q3 roadmap', 'Maria Santos', 'In progress'],
    ['Refactor auth module', 'David Kim', 'In review'],
  ],
  colHeaders: ['Task', 'Assignee', 'Status'],
  rowHeaders: true,
  comments: true,
  cell: [
    { row: 1, col: 2, comment: { value: 'Waiting on infrastructure approval.' } },
    { row: 3, col: 1, comment: { value: 'Reassign if capacity is tight.' } },
    { row: 4, col: 0, comment: { value: 'Blocked on the security review.' } },
  ],
  height: 'auto',
  autoWrapRow: true,
  autoWrapCol: true,
  licenseKey: 'non-commercial-and-evaluation',
});

const button = document.querySelector('#list-comments')!;
const output = document.querySelector('#comments-output')!;

button.addEventListener('click', () => {
  const found: string[] = [];

  // `getCellMetaAtRow()` takes a physical row index (equal to the visual index here, with no sorting or trimming).
  for (let row = 0; row < hot.countRows(); row += 1) {
    hot.getCellMetaAtRow(row).forEach((cellMeta, col) => {
      const comment = cellMeta.comment as { value?: string } | undefined;

      if (comment?.value !== undefined) {
        found.push(`Row ${row + 1}, "${hot.getColHeader(col)}": ${comment.value}`);
      }
    });
  }

  output.textContent = found.length > 0 ? found.join('\n') : 'No comments found.';
});

HTML

<div class="example-controls-container">
  <div class="controls">
    <button id="list-comments">List all comments</button>
  </div>
</div>
<div id="example6"></div>
<output id="comments-output" class="comments-output" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></output>

Result

Cells with comments display a small indicator in the corner. Users can view, edit, or delete comments through the context menu, and pre-configured comments appear when the table loads.

Related keyboard shortcuts

Windows	macOS	Action	Excel	Sheets
Ctrl+Alt+M	⌃+⌥+M	Add or edit a comment	✗	✓
Ctrl+Enter	⌘+Enter	Save and exit the current comment	✗	✓
Escape	Escape	Exit the current comment without saving	✗	✗

Related API reference

Configuration options

commentedCellClassName→

comments→

Hooks

afterRemoveCellMeta→

afterSetCellMeta→

beforeRemoveCellMeta→

beforeSetCellMeta→

Plugins

Comments→