Build A File Manager With Material UI: A Step-by-Step Guide

Aug 13, 2025 by Fonts Packs 60 views

Material UI File Manager: Your Ultimate Guide

Hey guys! Ever felt like managing files in your web app is like navigating a maze? You're not alone! Building a robust file manager can be a daunting task, but fear not! Material UI (MUI) is here to save the day. In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive deep into creating a killer file manager using MUI, making your development process smoother and your users happier. Let's get started!

What is Material UI and Why Use It for a File Manager?

Before we jump into the code, let's talk about Material UI. Material UI is a popular React UI framework that implements Google's Material Design. It provides a set of pre-designed, customizable components that make building beautiful and responsive user interfaces a breeze. Think of it as a toolbox filled with all the right instruments to create a stunning and functional file manager.

Why choose MUI for your file manager? Well, there are several compelling reasons:

Pre-built Components: MUI offers a rich collection of components like tables, icons, buttons, and dialogs, which are essential for a file manager. This means you don't have to build everything from scratch, saving you tons of time and effort.
Customizability: While MUI provides a solid foundation, it's also highly customizable. You can easily tweak the styles and behavior of components to match your application's specific needs and branding. This flexibility ensures your file manager looks and feels unique.
Responsiveness: In today's world, responsiveness is key. MUI components are designed to adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes, ensuring your file manager looks great on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This is crucial for providing a consistent user experience across all devices.
Accessibility: MUI prioritizes accessibility, making it easier to build inclusive applications. Its components adhere to accessibility standards, ensuring that users with disabilities can effectively use your file manager. This is not just good practice; it's essential for creating truly user-friendly software.
Active Community and Support: MUI has a large and active community, which means you'll find plenty of resources, tutorials, and support when you need it. If you run into a problem, chances are someone else has already encountered it and found a solution. This vibrant community makes learning and troubleshooting much easier.

Building a file manager from scratch can be incredibly complex. You'd need to handle file uploads, downloads, previews, organization, and more. Material UI simplifies this process by providing the building blocks you need, allowing you to focus on the unique features of your application. For example, you can use MUI's Table component to display files in a structured manner, the IconButton component for file actions like download or delete, and the Dialog component for creating confirmation modals. The possibilities are endless!

Moreover, MUI's consistent design language ensures your file manager will have a professional and polished look. This is crucial for user adoption and satisfaction. A well-designed interface can significantly improve the user experience, making it easier for users to find and manage their files. By leveraging MUI's design principles, you can create a file manager that not only works well but also looks great.

In summary, using Material UI for your file manager project is a smart move. It provides the components, flexibility, and support you need to build a powerful and user-friendly application. So, let's dive into the specifics of building a file manager with MUI!

Key Components for a Material UI File Manager

Okay, so we know Material UI is awesome for building file managers. But which specific components are the MVPs? Let's break down the essential players you'll need in your toolkit. Understanding these components will give you a solid foundation for constructing your file manager.

Table: This is the backbone of your file manager's UI. The Table component allows you to display files in a structured, organized manner. You can show details like file name, size, type, and modification date. MUI's Table component is highly customizable, allowing you to sort columns, add pagination, and even implement features like drag-and-drop reordering. The table will be the primary way users interact with their files, so mastering this component is crucial. For instance, you can use the TableHead component to define column headers and the TableRow and TableCell components to display individual file entries. The TableSortLabel component can add sorting functionality to your columns, making it easy for users to find the files they need.
Icons: Icons are crucial for visual cues and quick actions. MUI's Icon component provides a vast library of Material Design icons, covering everything from file types (PDF, DOC, JPG) to actions (download, delete, rename). Using icons makes your file manager more intuitive and user-friendly. Instead of using text buttons for every action, icons can provide a visual representation that is instantly recognizable. You can use icons within buttons, table cells, and other components to enhance the user interface. For example, a download icon next to a file name clearly indicates that the user can download that file.
Buttons: Actions are key! MUI's Button component is essential for implementing file operations like upload, download, delete, rename, and create folder. You can customize buttons with different styles (contained, outlined, text) and sizes to fit your design. Buttons are the primary way users will interact with your file manager, so it's important to use them effectively. You can use different button styles to differentiate between primary and secondary actions. For example, the main upload button can be a contained button with a prominent color, while other actions like rename or delete can be outlined buttons. This visual hierarchy helps users understand the importance of different actions.
Dialog: Confirmation modals, file previews, and other pop-up interactions are handled beautifully with MUI's Dialog component. Dialogs provide a clean and consistent way to display information or prompt users for input. They are essential for creating a polished and user-friendly file manager. For example, you can use a dialog to confirm a file deletion, preview a file's contents, or display file properties. The Dialog component supports various features like full-screen mode, custom transitions, and accessibility enhancements. This makes it a versatile tool for creating different types of pop-up interactions.
TextField: For renaming files or creating new folders, you'll need input fields. MUI's TextField component offers a flexible and styled input solution. It comes with various options for validation, error handling, and appearance. The TextField component is essential for capturing user input in a consistent and user-friendly manner. You can use it with different input types like text, number, and email. The component also supports features like input masking, auto-complete, and helper text, which can enhance the user experience. For example, you can use a TextField with a file extension mask to ensure users enter valid file names when renaming files.
TreeView: If you're aiming for a folder-based navigation system, the TreeView component is your best friend. It allows users to browse directories and subdirectories in a hierarchical manner. This is crucial for organizing and navigating large file systems. The TreeView component is a powerful tool for creating a folder-based file manager. It allows users to easily navigate through directories and subdirectories. You can customize the tree view with different styles, icons, and actions. For example, you can add icons to represent different file types or add context menus for folder actions like create new folder or delete folder.

These components are the building blocks of your Material UI file manager. By understanding how they work and how to combine them, you can create a powerful and user-friendly application. Remember, the key is to leverage MUI's pre-built components to save time and effort, while also customizing them to meet your specific needs. Now that we know the key components, let's move on to the practical part: setting up your project.

Setting Up Your Material UI Project for a File Manager

Alright, let's get our hands dirty! Setting up your Material UI project correctly is the first step towards building your amazing file manager. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds. We'll walk through it together, step by step. By the end of this section, you'll have a solid foundation to start coding your file manager.

Create a New React App: If you don't already have a React project, let's create one using create-react-app. Open your terminal and run:
```
npx create-react-app my-file-manager
cd my-file-manager
```
This command sets up a new React project with all the basic configurations. Replace my-file-manager with your desired project name. This is the starting point for any React application, and create-react-app makes it super easy to get up and running. It handles all the complex configurations behind the scenes, so you can focus on writing code. The cd command then navigates you into the newly created project directory.
Install Material UI: Next, we need to install Material UI and its dependencies. Run the following command in your terminal:
```
npm install @mui/material @emotion/react @emotion/styled @mui/icons-material
```
This installs the core Material UI library (@mui/material), the emotion libraries for styling (@emotion/react and @emotion/styled), and the Material UI icons (@mui/icons-material). These are the essential packages you'll need to use MUI components in your project. The @emotion/react and @emotion/styled libraries are used for styling MUI components. The @mui/icons-material package provides a wide range of Material Design icons that you can use in your file manager.
Import Material UI Components: Now that we have MUI installed, we can start using its components. Open your src/App.js file and import the components you'll need, such as Table, Button, and Icon. For example:
```
import React from 'react';
import { Table, Button, Icon } from '@mui/material';
import CloudUploadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudUpload';

function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Button variant="contained" startIcon={<CloudUploadIcon />}>
        Upload
      </Button>
      <Table>
        {/* Table content will go here */}
      </Table>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;
```
This code imports the Table, Button, and Icon components from @mui/material, and the CloudUploadIcon from @mui/icons-material. It then uses these components in the App component's render method. This is a basic example of how to import and use MUI components in your project. You'll need to import the specific components you want to use in each file where you need them.

Set Up a Basic Layout: Let's create a basic layout for our file manager. You can use MUI's Grid or Container components to structure your UI. For example:

import React from 'react';
import { Container, Grid, Button, Icon } from '@mui/material';
import CloudUploadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudUpload';

function App() {
  return (
    <Container>
      <Grid container spacing={2}>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          <h1>File Manager</h1>
        </Grid>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          <Button variant="contained" startIcon={<CloudUploadIcon />}>
            Upload
          </Button>
        </Grid>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          {/* Table or file display will go here */}
        </Grid>
      </Grid>
    </Container>
  );
}

export default App;

This code uses the Container and Grid components to create a basic layout with a header and an upload button. The Grid component allows you to create responsive layouts by dividing the screen into columns. The spacing prop adds spacing between grid items. This is a common way to structure your UI in a Material UI project. You can use the Grid component to create complex layouts with different column widths and breakpoints.

Run Your App: Finally, let's run our app to make sure everything is set up correctly. In your terminal, run:
```
npm start
```
This will start the development server and open your app in a browser. If everything is working correctly, you should see a basic Material UI page with an upload button. If you encounter any errors, double-check your installation and import statements. The npm start command starts the development server, which automatically reloads your app whenever you make changes to the code. This makes it easy to see your changes in real-time.

Congratulations! You've successfully set up your Material UI project for a file manager. Now you're ready to start building the core functionality of your file manager. In the next section, we'll explore how to display files in a table using MUI's Table component.

Displaying Files in a Table with Material UI

Okay, guys, now for the fun part! Let's get those files displayed in a beautiful Material UI table. This is where your file manager starts to take shape. We'll cover how to fetch file data, structure it for the table, and use MUI's Table component to display it. This is a crucial step in building a functional file manager.

Fetch File Data: First, you'll need to fetch the file data from your backend or a local source. For simplicity, let's use a mock data array for now. You can replace this with your actual data fetching logic later. Here's an example of mock file data:
```
const mockFiles = [
  {
    id: 1,
    name: 'Document.pdf',
    size: '2.5 MB',
    type: 'PDF',
    modified: '2024-07-26',
  },
  {
    id: 2,
    name: 'Image.jpg',
    size: '1.2 MB',
    type: 'JPG',
    modified: '2024-07-25',
  },
  {
    id: 3,
    name: 'Presentation.pptx',
    size: '5.8 MB',
    type: 'PPTX',
    modified: '2024-07-24',
  },
];
```
This is a simple array of objects, where each object represents a file with properties like id, name, size, type, and modified. You'll likely fetch this data from a server in a real-world application. You can use the fetch API or a library like Axios to make HTTP requests to your backend. For now, this mock data will allow us to focus on displaying the data in the table.

Structure Data for the Table: MUI's Table component uses TableHead, TableBody, TableRow, and TableCell components to structure the data. Let's create a function to map our file data to the table structure:

import React from 'react';
import { Table, TableBody, TableCell, TableContainer, TableHead, TableRow, Paper } from '@mui/material';

function FileTable({ files }) {
  return (
    <TableContainer component={Paper}>
      <Table sx={{ minWidth: 650 }} aria-label="simple table">
        <TableHead>
          <TableRow>
            <TableCell>Name</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Size</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Type</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Modified</TableCell>
          </TableRow>
        </TableHead>
        <TableBody>
          {files.map((file) => (
            <TableRow
              key={file.id}
              sx={{ '&:last-child td, &:last-child th': { border: 0 } }}
            >
              <TableCell component="th" scope="row">
                {file.name}
              </TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.size}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.type}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.modified}</TableCell
            </TableRow>
          ))}
        </TableBody>
      </Table>
    </TableContainer>
  );
}

export default FileTable;

This code creates a FileTable component that takes a files prop and renders a MUI Table component. The TableHead component defines the table headers, and the TableBody component iterates over the files array and renders a TableRow for each file. The TableCell components display the individual file properties. This is the basic structure for displaying data in a Material UI table. You can customize the table further by adding sorting, pagination, and other features.

Integrate the Table into Your App: Now, let's integrate the FileTable component into your App.js file and pass the mock file data to it:

import React from 'react';
import { Container, Grid, Button } from '@mui/material';
import CloudUploadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudUpload';
import FileTable from './FileTable';

const mockFiles = [
  // ... (mock file data from above)
];

function App() {
  return (
    <Container>
      <Grid container spacing={2}>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          <h1>File Manager</h1>
        </Grid>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          <Button variant="contained" startIcon={<CloudUploadIcon />}>
            Upload
          </Button>
        </Grid>
        <Grid item xs={12}>
          <FileTable files={mockFiles} />
        </Grid>
      </Grid>
    </Container>
  );
}

export default App;

This code imports the FileTable component and passes the mockFiles array as a prop. The FileTable component will then render the data in a Material UI table. You should now see a table displaying your mock file data in your application. This is a significant step towards building your file manager. You can now see how the data is structured and displayed in the table.

And there you have it! You've successfully displayed your files in a Material UI table. This is a huge step forward. You can now see your file data organized and displayed in a user-friendly format. In the next sections, we'll explore how to add more functionality, such as file uploading, downloading, and deleting.

Adding File Upload Functionality

Alright, let's get those files uploaded! Adding file upload functionality is a crucial feature for any file manager. We'll explore how to use Material UI components along with some JavaScript magic to handle file uploads. Get ready to empower your users to add files to your application!

Create an Upload Button: First, we need an upload button. We already have a basic button, but let's make it interactive. We'll use MUI's Button component along with a hidden file input element. This is a common pattern for creating styled file upload buttons. The hidden file input allows us to access the file system, while the button provides a user-friendly interface.
```
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Button, IconButton, Input, styled } from '@mui/material';
import CloudUploadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudUpload';

const VisuallyHiddenInput = styled('input')({
  clip: 'rect(0 0 0 0)',
  clipPath: 'inset(50%)',
  height: 1,
  overflow: 'hidden',
  position: 'absolute',
  bottom: 0,
  left: 0,
  whiteSpace: 'nowrap',
  width: 1,
});

function UploadButton() {
  const [selectedFile, setSelectedFile] = useState(null);

  const handleFileChange = (event) => {
    setSelectedFile(event.target.files[0]);
  };

  return (
    <Button component="label" variant="contained" startIcon={<CloudUploadIcon />}>
      Upload file
      <VisuallyHiddenInput type="file" onChange={handleFileChange} />
    </Button>
  );
}

export default UploadButton;
```
This code creates an UploadButton component that uses a styled input element with type="file" to handle file selection. The VisuallyHiddenInput style hides the input element visually, while the Button component acts as the visible upload button. The handleFileChange function is called when a file is selected, and it updates the selectedFile state. This is a common approach for creating custom file upload buttons with Material UI. The component="label" prop on the Button component makes it act as a label for the hidden input, triggering the file selection dialog when the button is clicked.
Handle File Selection: When a user selects a file, we need to handle it. In the handleFileChange function, you can access the selected file from event.target.files. For now, let's just log the file to the console. In a real application, you'd want to upload the file to your server.
```
const handleFileChange = (event) => {
  const file = event.target.files[0];
  setSelectedFile(file);
  console.log('Selected file:', file);
  // Here you would typically upload the file to your server
};
```
This code retrieves the selected file from the event.target.files array and logs it to the console. This is where you would add the logic to upload the file to your server. You can use the fetch API or a library like Axios to send the file data to your backend. You'll also need to set up your backend to handle file uploads. This usually involves creating an API endpoint that accepts file data and stores it on the server.
Upload the File to the Server (Backend Integration): To upload the file to the server, you'll need to create a backend API endpoint that accepts file uploads. This is a backend task and depends on your backend technology (Node.js, Python, etc.).

Once you have the backend API, you can use the fetch API or a library like Axios to send the file data to the server. For example:
```
const handleFileUpload = async () => {
  if (!selectedFile) return;

  const formData = new FormData();
  formData.append('file', selectedFile);

  try {
    const response = await fetch('/api/upload', {
      method: 'POST',
      body: formData,
    });

    if (response.ok) {
      console.log('File uploaded successfully');
      // Handle success (e.g., update file list)
    } else {
      console.error('File upload failed');
      // Handle error
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error uploading file:', error);
    // Handle error
  }
};
```
This code creates an handleFileUpload function that sends the selected file to the server using the fetch API. It uses FormData to package the file data for the request. The try...catch block handles potential errors during the upload process. This is a common pattern for uploading files to a server in JavaScript. You'll need to replace /api/upload with the actual URL of your backend API endpoint. You'll also need to handle the success and error cases appropriately, such as updating the file list or displaying an error message to the user.
Display Uploaded Files: After a file is uploaded, you'll want to update the file list displayed in the table. This typically involves fetching the updated file list from your server or adding the new file to your local state. This ensures that the user sees the latest file list after uploading a file. You can use the useState hook to manage the file list in your component. When a new file is uploaded, you can update the state with the new file data.
```
// In your App.js or parent component
const [files, setFiles] = useState(mockFiles); // Initialize with mockFiles

const handleFileUploadSuccess = (newFile) => {
  setFiles([...files, newFile]); // Add new file to the list
};
```
This code shows how to use the useState hook to manage the file list. The handleFileUploadSuccess function is called after a file is successfully uploaded, and it updates the state with the new file data. This is a common pattern for updating the UI after a successful file upload. You'll need to pass the handleFileUploadSuccess function to your UploadButton component and call it after the file is successfully uploaded to the server.

With these steps, you've added file upload functionality to your Material UI file manager. Users can now select files and upload them to your server. Remember, this is a basic implementation, and you might want to add features like progress indicators, error handling, and file size limits. In the next section, we'll explore how to add file download functionality.

Adding File Download Functionality

Next up, let's enable file downloads! Allowing users to download files is another essential feature for a file manager. We'll see how to create download links and trigger file downloads using Material UI components and some JavaScript magic. This will empower your users to access their files offline.

Create Download Buttons/Links: For each file in the table, you'll need a download button or link. We can add a download icon button next to each file name in the table. This provides a clear and intuitive way for users to download files. You can use MUI's IconButton component with a download icon to create these buttons.

import React from 'react';
import { Table, TableBody, TableCell, TableContainer, TableHead, TableRow, Paper, IconButton } from '@mui/material';
import CloudDownloadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudDownload';

function FileTable({ files }) {
  const handleDownload = (file) => {
    // Download logic will go here
  };

  return (
    <TableContainer component={Paper}>
      <Table sx={{ minWidth: 650 }} aria-label="simple table">
        <TableHead>
          <TableRow>
            <TableCell>Name</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Size</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Type</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Modified</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Actions</TableCell>
          </TableRow>
        </TableHead>
        <TableBody>
          {files.map((file) => (
            <TableRow
              key={file.id}
              sx={{ '&:last-child td, &:last-child th': { border: 0 } }}
            >
              <TableCell component="th" scope="row">
                {file.name}
              </TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.size}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.type}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.modified}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">
                <IconButton aria-label="download" onClick={() => handleDownload(file)}>
                  <CloudDownloadIcon />
                </IconButton>
              </TableCell>
            </TableRow>
          ))}
        </TableBody>
      </Table>
    </TableContainer>
  );
}

export default FileTable;

This code adds a new Actions column to the table and includes an IconButton with a download icon for each file. The handleDownload function will be called when the download button is clicked. This is a common pattern for adding actions to a Material UI table. The IconButton component provides a clickable icon that triggers an action. You can customize the icon and the action that is performed when the button is clicked.

Implement Download Logic: When a user clicks the download button, we need to trigger the file download. This typically involves creating a temporary link element and programmatically clicking it. This is a common technique for triggering file downloads in JavaScript. The temporary link element allows you to set the href and download attributes, which control the download process.
```
const handleDownload = (file) => {
  // Create a temporary link element
  const link = document.createElement('a');
  link.href = `/api/download/${file.id}`; // Replace with your download URL
  link.download = file.name; // Set the file name for the download
  document.body.appendChild(link);
  link.click();
  document.body.removeChild(link);
};
```
This code creates a temporary link element, sets the href attribute to the download URL, sets the download attribute to the file name, appends the link to the document body, clicks the link to trigger the download, and then removes the link from the document body. This is a common pattern for triggering file downloads in JavaScript. You'll need to replace /api/download/${file.id} with the actual URL of your backend API endpoint for file downloads. You'll also need to set up your backend to handle file downloads. This usually involves creating an API endpoint that streams the file data to the client.
Backend Integration: Just like with uploads, you'll need a backend API to handle file downloads. The API should stream the file data to the client. This is a backend task and depends on your backend technology (Node.js, Python, etc.).

The backend API should handle the request and stream the file data to the client. This usually involves setting the appropriate headers in the response, such as Content-Type and Content-Disposition. The Content-Disposition header is used to specify the file name for the download.

With these steps, you've added file download functionality to your Material UI file manager. Users can now download files from your application. Remember, this is a basic implementation, and you might want to add features like download progress indicators and error handling. In the next section, we'll explore how to add file deletion functionality.

Adding File Deletion Functionality

Last but not least, let's tackle file deletion! Giving users the ability to delete files is a fundamental feature for a file manager. We'll learn how to implement file deletion using Material UI components and integrating with your backend. Get ready to empower your users to manage their files effectively.

Add Delete Buttons/Icons: Similar to downloads, we'll add a delete button or icon for each file in the table. An icon button with a trash can icon is a common way to represent the delete action. This provides a clear and intuitive way for users to delete files. You can use MUI's IconButton component with a delete icon to create these buttons.

import React from 'react';
import { Table, TableBody, TableCell, TableContainer, TableHead, TableRow, Paper, IconButton } from '@mui/material';
import CloudDownloadIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CloudDownload';
import DeleteIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Delete';

function FileTable({ files, onDeleteFile }) {
  const handleDownload = (file) => {
    // Download logic (as before)
  };

  const handleDelete = (file) => {
    onDeleteFile(file.id);
  };

  return (
    <TableContainer component={Paper}>
      <Table sx={{ minWidth: 650 }} aria-label="simple table">
        <TableHead>
          <TableRow>
            <TableCell>Name</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Size</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Type</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Modified</TableCell>
            <TableCell align="right">Actions</TableCell>
          </TableRow>
        </TableHead>
        <TableBody>
          {files.map((file) => (
            <TableRow
              key={file.id}
              sx={{ '&:last-child td, &:last-child th': { border: 0 } }}
            >
              <TableCell component="th" scope="row">
                {file.name}
              </TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.size}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.type}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">{file.modified}</TableCell>
              <TableCell align="right">
                <IconButton aria-label="download" onClick={() => handleDownload(file)}>
                  <CloudDownloadIcon />
                </IconButton>
                <IconButton aria-label="delete" onClick={() => handleDelete(file)}>
                  <DeleteIcon />
                </IconButton>
              </TableCell>
            </TableRow
          ))}
        </TableBody>
      </Table>
    </TableContainer>
  );
}

export default FileTable;

This code adds a DeleteIcon button to each row in the table. The handleDelete function is called when the delete button is clicked. This is a common pattern for adding delete actions to a Material UI table. The onDeleteFile prop is a function that will be called when a file is deleted. This allows the parent component to handle the file deletion logic.

Implement Delete Logic: When a user clicks the delete button, we need to trigger the file deletion. This typically involves making an API call to your backend to delete the file from your server. This is a crucial step in ensuring that the file is permanently removed from your system.
```
const handleDelete = (fileId) => {
  // Make API call to delete the file
  fetch(`/api/delete/${fileId}`, {
    method: 'DELETE',
  })
    .then((response) => {
      if (response.ok) {
        console.log('File deleted successfully');
        // Update the file list
      } else {
        console.error('File deletion failed');
        // Handle error
      }
    })
    .catch((error) => {
      console.error('Error deleting file:', error);
      // Handle error
    });
};
```
This code makes a DELETE request to the /api/delete/${fileId} endpoint. If the request is successful, it logs a success message and updates the file list. If the request fails, it logs an error message and handles the error. This is a common pattern for deleting files from a server using JavaScript. You'll need to replace /api/delete/${fileId} with the actual URL of your backend API endpoint for file deletion. You'll also need to set up your backend to handle file deletions. This usually involves removing the file from your file system or database.
Update File List: After a file is successfully deleted, you'll need to update the file list displayed in the table. This ensures that the user sees the updated file list after deleting a file. You can update the state with the new file list, which will trigger a re-render of the table.
```
// In your App.js or parent component
const [files, setFiles] = useState(mockFiles);

const handleDeleteFile = (fileId) => {
  fetch(`/api/delete/${fileId}`, {
    method: 'DELETE',
  })
    .then((response) => {
      if (response.ok) {
        setFiles(files.filter((file) => file.id !== fileId)); // Remove the deleted file from the list
      } else {
        console.error('File deletion failed');
      }
    })
    .catch((error) => {
      console.error('Error deleting file:', error);
    });
};
```
This code defines a handleDeleteFile function that makes a DELETE request to the server and updates the file list after a successful deletion. The filter method is used to create a new array without the deleted file. This is a common pattern for updating the UI after a successful file deletion. You'll need to pass the handleDeleteFile function to your FileTable component as the onDeleteFile prop.

With these steps, you've added file deletion functionality to your Material UI file manager. Users can now delete files from your application. Remember, this is a basic implementation, and you might want to add features like confirmation modals and undo functionality. You've now completed the core features of a file manager: uploading, downloading, and deleting files.

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