Using jQuery Datatables on an ASP .NET GridView control

Lately, I've been using jQuery DataTables within several custom SharePoint apps that I've created; however, I've recently resurrected an ASP .NET Web Forms application that I was working on many moons ago and wanted to leverage jQuery DataTables on a GridView control that I'm using in this application.

What I discovered is that the crux of the matter when attempting to layer jQuery DataTables over a GridView control is that you need to format the HTML of the GridView so that it's recognizable by the DataTables code.  Essentially, your GridView needs to be formatted like so in order for it to be recognized:

<table>
     <thead>
          <tr>
               <th></th>
          </tr>
     </thead>
     <tbody>
          <tr>
               <td></td>
          </tr>
     </tbody>
</table>

Here is what you can do at the very minimum to make this happen:

ASPX Page:

<script  type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="Scripts/jquery.datatables.min.js"></script>
<link type="text/css" href="Content/jquery.dataTables.min.css" rel="stylesheet" />

<div class="row">
     <div class="col-md-4">
   
          <asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" CssClass="gvdatatable" AutoGenerateColumns="true" OnPreRender="GridView1_PreRender">
          </asp:GridView>
     </div>
</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
     $(document).ready(function () {
           $('.gvdatatable').dataTable({});
     });
</script>

ASPX Page Code-Behind:

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
}

protected void GridView1_PreRender(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
     GridView1.DataSource = GetData();  //GetData is your method that you will use to obtain the data you're populating the GridView with

     GridView1.DataBind();

     if (GridView1.Rows.Count > 0)
     {
           //Replace the <td> with <th> and adds the scope attribute
           GridView1.UseAccessibleHeader = true;

          //Adds the <thead> and <tbody> elements required for DataTables to work
          GridView1.HeaderRow.TableSection = TableRowSection.TableHeader;

           //Adds the <tfoot> element required for DataTables to work
           GridView1.FooterRow.TableSection = TableRowSection.TableFooter;
      }

}

This code has been simplified from my original work, but I wanted to provide you with the bare bones minimum code that's needed so that you can get an idea of how to bolt this onto your existing project.  Hope this helps!