---
title: Composition with CustomComponent
order: 31
layout: page
---

[[components.customcomponent]]
= Composition with [classname]#CustomComponent#

The ease of making new user interface components is one of the core features of
Vaadin. Typically, you simply combine existing built-in components to produce
composite components. In many applications, such composite components make up
the majority of the user interface.

As described earlier in
<<dummy/../../../framework/application/application-architecture#application.architecture.composition,"Compositing
Components">>, you have two basic ways to create a composite - either by
extending a layout component or the [classname]#CustomComponent#, which
typically wraps around a layout component. The benefit of wrapping a layout
composite in [classname]#CustomComponent# is mainly encapsulation - hiding the
implementation details of the composition. Otherwise, a user of the composite
could rely on implementation details, which would create an unwanted dependency.

To create a composite, you need to inherit the [classname]#CustomComponent# and
set the __composition root__ component in the constructor. The composition root
is typically a layout component that contains other components.

For example:


[source, java]
----
class MyComposite extends CustomComponent {
    public MyComposite(String message) {
        // A layout structure used for composition
        Panel panel = new Panel("My Custom Component");
        VerticalLayout panelContent = new VerticalLayout();
        panelContent.setMargin(true); // Very useful
        panel.setContent(panelContent);
        
        // Compose from multiple components
        Label label = new Label(message);
        label.setSizeUndefined(); // Shrink
        panelContent.addComponent(label);
        panelContent.addComponent(new Button("Ok"));

        // Set the size as undefined at all levels
        panelContent.setSizeUndefined();
        panel.setSizeUndefined();
        setSizeUndefined();

        // The composition root MUST be set
        setCompositionRoot(panel);
    }
}
----

Take note of the sizing when trying to make a customcomponent that shrinks to
fit the contained components. You have to set the size as undefined at all
levels; the sizing of the composite component and the composition root are
separate.

You can use the component as follows:


[source, java]
----
MyComposite mycomposite = new MyComposite("Hello");
----

The rendered component is shown in <<figure.components.customcomponent>>.

[[figure.components.customcomponent]]
.A Custom Composite Component
image::img/customcomponent-example1.png[]

You can also inherit any other components, such as layouts, to attain similar
composition. ((("Google Web
Toolkit")))
Even further, you can create entirely new low-level components, by integrating
pure client-side components or by extending the client-side functionality of
built-in components. Development of new components is covered in
<<dummy/../../../framework/gwt/gwt-overview.asciidoc#gwt.overview,"Integrating
with the Server-Side">>.