# Replace the table without changing what Select all means

A new data component can alter selection, query state and keyboard behaviour. Preserve those contracts deliberately during the migration.

By Cobnex editorial. Published 2026-09-10. Updated 2026-09-11.

## Inventory behaviour before choosing a replacement

List sorting rules, filter URL parameters, pagination, row actions, exports and selection scope. Include empty, loading and error states as well as the populated table.

A library migration may change defaults such as client-side sorting or whether selection survives pagination. Those defaults can alter business behaviour even when the columns look identical.

Record stable row identity and the server's bulk-action contract. The replacement should not infer identity from array position or silently expand a page selection into every matching result.

## Build parity around complete tasks

Use the old and new views against the same synthetic dataset. Compare finding a record, opening detail, returning and performing an authorised bulk action.

For mobile, decide which task-specific presentation is intended. Preserve access to secondary fields rather than dropping columns until the screen fits.

Test keyboard and assistive-technology behaviour independently. Switching from a table to an interactive grid changes navigation expectations and may require more than carrying over labels.

## Introduce the new view without duplicate effects

Run the new query and rendering path in a controlled environment first. If comparing live data, ensure only one active action path can submit business operations.

Migrate saved view preferences with explicit defaults for removed or renamed columns. An old preference should not produce a blank table or an invalid server query.

Retain supported URL parameters or redirect them through a documented mapping. Shared links and bookmarks are part of the interface contract.

## Roll back presentation without losing work

Keep query and selection state outside library-specific objects where practical. This makes rollback less likely to discard context or misinterpret selected records.

If the new view introduces a changed bulk-selection model, version the request contract and maintain compatibility during the rollout. A browser tab opened before deployment can still submit later.

After release, watch wrong-record reports, query resets and mobile task failures alongside rendering performance. A faster component is not an improvement if it changes the scope of an action users already understand.

## Sources

- [W3C APG: table pattern](https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/table/)
- [W3C APG: grid pattern](https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/grid/)