Native GWT drag and drop vs gwt-dnd vs other?

[Rori Stumpf]

I need drag and drop capability, what's the best way to go? I've
looked at the GWT drag and drop demo so far, have not tried any code.
So, what do you suggest... native GWT drag and drop, or something like
gwt-dnd (which seems to be the most popular now but predates native
support)?

[Thomas Broyer]

GWT drag-n-drop is "only" a support for existing "native" APIs (which also means you can control drags to and drops from outside the browser).

AFAIK, gwt-dnd however "emulates" DnD using mouse events (mousedown + mousemove starts a drag, and then mouseup drops), which means you can only drag things within your app.

Native DnD (as supported by GWT) can be used in most browsers though: http://caniuse.com/dragndrop

(it's unlike canvas, for instance, where oldIEs have to use a fallback or emulation)

[Rori Stumpf]

Thanks, I'll go with native.

[Thomas Broyer]

While replying to another question about GWT 2.4 DnD support, I remembered about another big difference: the "native DnD" deals with data, so you cannot "drag and drop widgets" (you'll instead DnD data, and update –including disposing and creating– widgets in response).

gwt-dnd however can DnD widgets (as it's just about reparenting them in response to the final "mouseup" event)

[Julien Dramaix]

Another good way to implement "drag and drop widget" is o use the drag-
and-drop plugin of GWTQuery. It's very easy to use and it supports
drag and drop in cell widgets.

Examples : http://gwtquery-plugins.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/droppable/demo/GwtSimpleSample/GwtSimpleSample.html
Documentation : http://code.google.com/p/gwtquery-plugins/wiki/DragAndDropPluginForGWTDeveloppers