React Calendar Components
Calendars look simple. Then you add timezones, recurring events, drag-to-reschedule, and multi-user availability. Complexity explodes.
Build or buy depends on one question: do users create events, or just view them?
Library Selection
| Criteria | FullCalendar | react-big-calendar | date-fns + custom | Cal.com (embed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (MIT) + paid plugins | Free (MIT) | Free | Free (OSS) |
| Drag and drop | Paid plugin | Built-in | Manual | Built-in |
| Recurring events | Paid plugin | Manual (rrule) | Manual | Built-in |
| Timezone handling | Yes | Partial | date-fns-tz | Yes |
| Bundle size | ~80 KB | ~40 KB | ~10 KB | External embed |
| View types | Month/week/day/list | Month/week/day | Build your own | Month/week/day |
| Best for | Full scheduling apps | Display + basic interaction | Date pickers, custom UI | Booking integration |
Decision Rule
| Need | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| View-only calendar | react-big-calendar | Light, sufficient |
| Full scheduling | FullCalendar | Most complete, proven |
| Booking/availability | Cal.com embed | Handles the hard parts |
| Date picker only | date-fns + custom | No calendar library needed |
Links
Context
- Components — Calendar as a compound component pattern
- State Management — Event state is complex shared state
- Hooks — Custom hooks for date logic
- Services — Calendar APIs and external integrations
Questions
When does embedding Cal.com beat building a custom calendar?
- How do you handle timezone display for a global user base?
- What is the minimum viable calendar for an MVP?
- When does recurring event logic belong on the server vs. the client?