UI Components
Comprehensive patterns for building accessible UI component libraries with shadcn/ui and Radix Primitives. Covers CVA variants, OKLCH theming, cn() utility, component extension, asChild composition, dialog/menu patterns, and data-attribute styling. Each category has individual rule files in rules/ loaded on-demand.
Quick Reference
| Category |
Rules |
Impact |
When to Use |
| shadcn/ui |
3 |
HIGH |
CVA variants, component customization, form patterns, data tables |
| Radix Primitives |
3 |
HIGH |
Dialogs, polymorphic composition, data-attribute styling |
| Design System |
5 |
HIGH |
W3C tokens, OKLCH theming, spacing scales, typography, component states, animation |
| Design System Components |
1 |
HIGH |
Atomic design, CVA variants, accessibility, Storybook |
| Forms |
2 |
HIGH |
React Hook Form v7, Zod validation, Server Actions |
| Modern CSS & Tooling |
3 |
HIGH |
CSS cascade layers, Tailwind v4, Storybook CSF3 |
| UX Foundations |
4 |
HIGH |
Visual hierarchy, typography thresholds, color system, empty states |
Total: 21 rules across 7 categories
Quick Start
import { cva, type VariantProps } from 'class-variance-authority'
import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
const buttonVariants = cva(
'inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md font-medium transition-colors',
{
variants: {
variant: {
default: 'bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90',
destructive: 'bg-destructive text-destructive-foreground',
outline: 'border border-input bg-background hover:bg-accent',
ghost: 'hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground',
},
size: {
default: 'h-10 px-4 py-2',
sm: 'h-9 px-3',
lg: 'h-11 px-8',
},
},
defaultVariants: { variant: 'default', size: 'default' },
}
)
import { Dialog } from 'radix-ui'
<Dialog.Root>
<Dialog.Trigger asChild>
<Button>Open</Button>
</Dialog.Trigger>
<Dialog.Portal>
<Dialog.Overlay className="fixed inset-0 bg-black/50" />
<Dialog.Content className="data-[state=open]:animate-in">
<Dialog.Title>Title</Dialog.Title>
<Dialog.Description>Description</Dialog.Description>
<Dialog.Close>Close</Dialog.Close>
</Dialog.Content>
</Dialog.Portal>
</Dialog.Root>
shadcn/ui
Beautifully designed, accessible components built on CVA variants, cn() utility, and OKLCH theming.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| Customization |
rules/shadcn-customization.md |
CVA variants, cn() utility, OKLCH theming, component extension |
| Forms |
rules/shadcn-forms.md |
Form field wrappers, react-hook-form integration, validation |
| Data Table |
rules/shadcn-data-table.md |
TanStack Table integration, column definitions, sorting/filtering |
Radix Primitives
Unstyled, accessible React primitives for building high-quality design systems.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| Dialog |
rules/radix-dialog.md |
Dialog, AlertDialog, controlled state, animations |
| Composition |
rules/radix-composition.md |
asChild, Slot, nested triggers, polymorphic rendering |
| Styling |
rules/radix-styling.md |
Data attributes, Tailwind arbitrary variants, focus management |
Key Decisions
| Decision |
Recommendation |
| Color format |
OKLCH for perceptually uniform theming |
| Class merging |
Always use cn() for Tailwind conflicts |
| Extending components |
Wrap, don't modify source files |
| Variants |
Use CVA for type-safe multi-axis variants |
| Styling approach |
Data attributes + Tailwind arbitrary variants |
| Composition |
Use asChild to avoid wrapper divs |
| Animation |
CSS-only with data-state selectors |
| Form components |
Combine with react-hook-form |
Anti-Patterns (FORBIDDEN)
- Modifying shadcn source: Wrap and extend instead of editing generated files
- Skipping cn(): Direct string concatenation causes Tailwind class conflicts
- Inline styles over CVA: Use CVA for type-safe, reusable variants
- Wrapper divs: Use
asChild to avoid extra DOM elements
- Missing Dialog.Title: Every dialog must have an accessible title
- Positive tabindex: Using
tabindex > 0 disrupts natural tab order
- Color-only states: Use data attributes + multiple indicators
- Manual focus management: Use Radix built-in focus trapping
Detailed Documentation
| Resource |
Description |
| scripts/ |
Templates: CVA component, extended button, dialog, dropdown |
| checklists/ |
shadcn setup, accessibility audit checklists |
| references/ |
CVA system, OKLCH theming, cn() utility, focus management |
Design System
Design token architecture, spacing, typography, and interactive component states.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| Token Architecture |
rules/design-system-tokens.md |
W3C tokens, OKLCH colors, Tailwind @theme |
| Spacing Scale |
rules/design-system-spacing.md |
8px grid, Tailwind space-1 to space-12 |
| Typography Scale |
rules/design-system-typography.md |
Font sizes, weights, line heights |
| Component States |
rules/design-system-states.md |
Hover, focus, active, disabled, loading, animation presets |
Design System Components
Component architecture patterns with atomic design and accessibility.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| Component Architecture |
rules/design-system-components.md |
Atomic design, CVA variants, WCAG 2.1 AA, Storybook |
Forms
React Hook Form v7 with Zod validation and React 19 Server Actions.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| React Hook Form |
rules/forms-react-hook-form.md |
useForm, field arrays, Controller, wizards, file uploads |
| Zod & Server Actions |
rules/forms-validation-zod.md |
Zod schemas, Server Actions, useActionState, async validation |
Modern CSS & Tooling
Modern CSS patterns, Tailwind v4, and component documentation tooling for 2026.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| CSS Cascade Layers |
rules/css-cascade-layers.md |
@layer ordering, specificity-free overrides, third-party isolation |
| Tailwind v4 |
rules/tailwind-v4-patterns.md |
CSS-first @theme, native container queries, @max-* variants |
| Storybook Docs |
rules/storybook-component-docs.md |
CSF3 stories, play() interaction tests, Chromatic visual regression |
UX Foundations
Cognitive-science-grounded UI/UX principles with specific numeric thresholds for production-quality interfaces.
| Rule |
File |
Key Pattern |
| Visual Hierarchy |
rules/visual-hierarchy.md |
Button tiers, de-emphasis, F/Z scan, Von Restorff, proximity, max-width |
| Typography Thresholds |
rules/typography-thresholds.md |
65ch line length, 1.4–1.6 line height, rem units, modular type scale |
| Color System |
rules/color-system.md |
OKLCH 9-shade scales, semantic categories, no true black, brand-tinted neutrals |
| Empty States |
rules/empty-states.md |
Skeleton-first, icon + headline + description + CTA, cause-specific tone |
Related Skills
ork:accessibility - WCAG compliance and React Aria patternsork:testing-unit - Component testing patterns
