shadcn/ui Component Patterns

Expert guide for building accessible, customizable UI components with shadcn/ui, Radix UI, and Tailwind CSS.

When to Use
Quick Start
Installation & Setup
Project Configuration
Core Components
Advanced Patterns
Customization
Next.js Integration
Best Practices
Common Component Combinations

When to Use

Setting up a new project with shadcn/ui
Installing or configuring individual components
Building forms with React Hook Form and Zod validation
Creating accessible UI components (buttons, dialogs, dropdowns, sheets)
Customizing component styling with Tailwind CSS
Implementing design systems with shadcn/ui
Building Next.js applications with TypeScript
Creating complex layouts and data displays

Quick Start

For new projects, use the automated setup:

bash

# Create Next.js project with shadcn/ui
npx create-next-app@latest my-app --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app
cd my-app
npx shadcn@latest init

# Install essential components
npx shadcn@latest add button input form card dialog select

For existing projects:

bash

# Install dependencies
npm install tailwindcss-animate class-variance-authority clsx tailwind-merge lucide-react

# Initialize shadcn/ui
npx shadcn@latest init

What is shadcn/ui?

shadcn/ui is not a traditional component library or npm package. Instead:

It's a collection of reusable components that you can copy into your project
Components are yours to customize - you own the code
Built with Radix UI primitives for accessibility
Styled with Tailwind CSS utilities
Includes CLI tool for easy component installation

Installation & Setup

Initial Setup

bash

# Initialize shadcn/ui in your project
npx shadcn@latest init

During setup, you'll configure:

TypeScript or JavaScript
Style (Default, New York, etc.)
Base color theme
CSS variables or Tailwind CSS classes
Component installation path

Installing Individual Components

bash

# Install a single component
npx shadcn@latest add button

# Install multiple components
npx shadcn@latest add button input form

# Install all components
npx shadcn@latest add --all

Manual Installation

If you prefer manual setup:

bash

# Install dependencies for a specific component
npm install @radix-ui/react-slot

# Copy component code from ui.shadcn.com
# Place in src/components/ui/

Project Configuration

Required Dependencies

json

{
  "dependencies": {
    "@radix-ui/react-accordion": "^1.1.2",
    "@radix-ui/react-alert-dialog": "^1.0.5",
    "@radix-ui/react-dialog": "^1.0.5",
    "@radix-ui/react-dropdown-menu": "^2.0.6",
    "@radix-ui/react-label": "^2.0.2",
    "@radix-ui/react-select": "^2.0.0",
    "@radix-ui/react-separator": "^1.0.3",
    "@radix-ui/react-slot": "^1.0.2",
    "@radix-ui/react-toast": "^1.1.5",
    "class-variance-authority": "^0.7.0",
    "clsx": "^2.0.0",
    "lucide-react": "^0.294.0",
    "tailwind-merge": "^2.0.0",
    "tailwindcss-animate": "^1.0.7"
  }
}

TSConfig Configuration

json

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "es5",
    "lib": ["dom", "dom.iterable", "es6"],
    "allowJs": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "strict": true,
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true,
    "noEmit": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "module": "esnext",
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "resolveJsonModule": true,
    "isolatedModules": true,
    "jsx": "preserve",
    "incremental": true,
    "plugins": [
      {
        "name": "next"
      }
    ],
    "baseUrl": ".",
    "paths": {
      "@/components/*": ["./src/components/*"],
      "@/lib/*": ["./src/lib/*"]
    }
  },
  "include": ["next-env.d.ts", "**/*.ts", "**/*.tsx", ".next/types/**/*.ts"],
  "exclude": ["node_modules"]
}

Tailwind Configuration

// tailwind.config.js
/** @type {import('tailwindcss').Config} */
module.exports = {
  darkMode: ["class"],
  content: [
    './pages/**/*.{ts,tsx}',
    './components/**/*.{ts,tsx}',
    './app/**/*.{ts,tsx}',
    './src/**/*.{ts,tsx}',
  ],
  prefix: "",
  theme: {
    container: {
      center: true,
      padding: "2rem",
      screens: {
        "2xl": "1400px",
      },
    },
    extend: {
      colors: {
        border: "hsl(var(--border))",
        input: "hsl(var(--input))",
        ring: "hsl(var(--ring))",
        background: "hsl(var(--background))",
        foreground: "hsl(var(--foreground))",
        primary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--primary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--primary-foreground))",
        },
        secondary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--secondary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--secondary-foreground))",
        },
        destructive: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--destructive))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--destructive-foreground))",
        },
        muted: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--muted))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--muted-foreground))",
        },
        accent: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--accent))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--accent-foreground))",
        },
        popover: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--popover))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--popover-foreground))",
        },
        card: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--card))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--card-foreground))",
        },
      },
      borderRadius: {
        lg: "var(--radius)",
        md: "calc(var(--radius) - 2px)",
        sm: "calc(var(--radius) - 4px)",
      },
      keyframes: {
        "accordion-down": {
          from: { height: "0" },
          to: { height: "var(--radix-accordion-content-height)" },
        },
        "accordion-up": {
          from: { height: "var(--radix-accordion-content-height)" },
          to: { height: "0" },
        },
      },
      animation: {
        "accordion-down": "accordion-down 0.2s ease-out",
        "accordion-up": "accordion-up 0.2s ease-out",
      },
    },
  },
  plugins: [require("tailwindcss-animate")],
}

CSS Variables (globals.css)

css

@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

@layer base {
  :root {
    --background: 0 0% 100%;
    --foreground: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --card: 0 0% 100%;
    --card-foreground: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --popover: 0 0% 100%;
    --popover-foreground: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --primary: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --primary-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --secondary: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --secondary-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --muted: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --muted-foreground: 215.4 16.3% 46.9%;
    --accent: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --accent-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --destructive: 0 84.2% 60.2%;
    --destructive-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --border: 214.3 31.8% 91.4%;
    --input: 214.3 31.8% 91.4%;
    --ring: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --radius: 0.5rem;
  }

  .dark {
    --background: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --card: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --card-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --popover: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --popover-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --primary: 210 40% 98%;
    --primary-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --secondary: 217.2 32.6% 17.5%;
    --secondary-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --muted: 217.2 32.6% 17.5%;
    --muted-foreground: 215 20.2% 65.1%;
    --accent: 217.2 32.6% 17.5%;
    --accent-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --destructive: 0 62.8% 30.6%;
    --destructive-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --border: 217.2 32.6% 17.5%;
    --input: 217.2 32.6% 17.5%;
    --ring: 212.7 26.8% 83.9%;
  }
}

@layer base {
  * {
    @apply border-border;
  }
  body {
    @apply bg-background text-foreground;
  }
}

Core Components

Button Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add button

Basic usage:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";

export function ButtonDemo() {
  return <Button>Click me</Button>;
}

Button variants:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";

export function ButtonVariants() {
  return (
    <div className="flex gap-4">
      <Button variant="default">Default</Button>
      <Button variant="destructive">Destructive</Button>
      <Button variant="outline">Outline</Button>
      <Button variant="secondary">Secondary</Button>
      <Button variant="ghost">Ghost</Button>
      <Button variant="link">Link</Button>
    </div>
  );
}

Button sizes:

tsx

<div className="flex gap-4 items-center">
  <Button size="default">Default</Button>
  <Button size="sm">Small</Button>
  <Button size="lg">Large</Button>
  <Button size="icon">
    <Icon className="h-4 w-4" />
  </Button>
</div>

With loading state:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
import { Loader2 } from "lucide-react";

export function ButtonLoading() {
  return (
    <Button disabled>
      <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
      Please wait
    </Button>
  );
}

Input & Form Fields

Input Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add input

Basic input:

tsx

import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";

export function InputDemo() {
  return <Input type="email" placeholder="Email" />;
}

Input with label:

tsx

import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";

export function InputWithLabel() {
  return (
    <div className="grid w-full max-w-sm items-center gap-1.5">
      <Label htmlFor="email">Email</Label>
      <Input type="email" id="email" placeholder="Email" />
    </div>
  );
}

Input with button:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";

export function InputWithButton() {
  return (
    <div className="flex w-full max-w-sm items-center gap-2">
      <Input type="email" placeholder="Email" />
      <Button type="submit" variant="outline">Subscribe</Button>
    </div>
  );
}

Forms with Validation

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add form

This installs React Hook Form, Zod, and form components.

Complete form example:

tsx

"use client"

import { zodResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/zod"
import { useForm } from "react-hook-form"
import * as z from "zod"

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import {
  Form,
  FormControl,
  FormDescription,
  FormField,
  FormItem,
  FormLabel,
  FormMessage,
} from "@/components/ui/form"
import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input"
import { toast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast"

const formSchema = z.object({
  username: z.string().min(2, {
    message: "Username must be at least 2 characters.",
  }),
  email: z.string().email({
    message: "Please enter a valid email address.",
  }),
})

export function ProfileForm() {
  const form = useForm<z.infer<typeof formSchema>>({
    resolver: zodResolver(formSchema),
    defaultValues: {
      username: "",
      email: "",
    },
  })

  function onSubmit(values: z.infer<typeof formSchema>) {
    toast({
      title: "You submitted the following values:",
      description: (
        <pre className="mt-2 w-[340px] rounded-md bg-slate-950 p-4">
          <code className="text-white">{JSON.stringify(values, null, 2)}</code>
        </pre>
      ),
    })
  }

  return (
    <Form {...form}>
      <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-8">
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="username"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Username</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input placeholder="shadcn" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormDescription>
                This is your public display name.
              </FormDescription>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />
        
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="email"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input type="email" placeholder="you@example.com" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />
        
        <Button type="submit">Submit</Button>
      </form>
    </Form>
  )
}

Card Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add card

Basic card:

tsx

import {
  Card,
  CardContent,
  CardDescription,
  CardFooter,
  CardHeader,
  CardTitle,
} from "@/components/ui/card"

export function CardDemo() {
  return (
    <Card>
      <CardHeader>
        <CardTitle>Card Title</CardTitle>
        <CardDescription>Card Description</CardDescription>
      </CardHeader>
      <CardContent>
        <p>Card Content</p>
      </CardContent>
      <CardFooter>
        <p>Card Footer</p>
      </CardFooter>
    </Card>
  )
}

Card with form:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import {
  Card,
  CardContent,
  CardDescription,
  CardFooter,
  CardHeader,
  CardTitle,
} from "@/components/ui/card"
import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input"
import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label"

export function CardWithForm() {
  return (
    <Card className="w-[350px]">
      <CardHeader>
        <CardTitle>Create project</CardTitle>
        <CardDescription>Deploy your new project in one-click.</CardDescription>
      </CardHeader>
      <CardContent>
        <form>
          <div className="grid w-full items-center gap-4">
            <div className="flex flex-col space-y-1.5">
              <Label htmlFor="name">Name</Label>
              <Input id="name" placeholder="Name of your project" />
            </div>
          </div>
        </form>
      </CardContent>
      <CardFooter className="flex justify-between">
        <Button variant="outline">Cancel</Button>
        <Button>Deploy</Button>
      </CardFooter>
    </Card>
  )
}

Dialog (Modal) Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add dialog

Basic dialog:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import {
  Dialog,
  DialogContent,
  DialogDescription,
  DialogFooter,
  DialogHeader,
  DialogTitle,
  DialogTrigger,
} from "@/components/ui/dialog"

export function DialogDemo() {
  return (
    <Dialog>
      <DialogTrigger asChild>
        <Button variant="outline">Open Dialog</Button>
      </DialogTrigger>
      <DialogContent className="sm:max-w-[425px]">
        <DialogHeader>
          <DialogTitle>Edit profile</DialogTitle>
          <DialogDescription>
            Make changes to your profile here. Click save when you're done.
          </DialogDescription>
        </DialogHeader>
        <div className="grid gap-4 py-4">
          <div className="grid grid-cols-4 items-center gap-4">
            <Label htmlFor="name" className="text-right">
              Name
            </Label>
            <Input id="name" value="Pedro Duarte" className="col-span-3" />
          </div>
        </div>
        <DialogFooter>
          <Button type="submit">Save changes</Button>
        </DialogFooter>
      </DialogContent>
    </Dialog>
  )
}

Sheet (Slide-over) Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add sheet

Basic sheet:

tsx

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import {
  Sheet,
  SheetContent,
  SheetDescription,
  SheetHeader,
  SheetTitle,
  SheetTrigger,
} from "@/components/ui/sheet"

export function SheetDemo() {
  return (
    <Sheet>
      <SheetTrigger asChild>
        <Button variant="outline">Open Sheet</Button>
      </SheetTrigger>
      <SheetContent>
        <SheetHeader>
          <SheetTitle>Edit profile</SheetTitle>
          <SheetDescription>
            Make changes to your profile here. Click save when you're done.
          </SheetDescription>
        </SheetHeader>
        <div className="grid gap-4 py-4">
          <div className="grid grid-cols-4 items-center gap-4">
            <Label htmlFor="name" className="text-right">
              Name
            </Label>
            <Input id="name" value="Pedro Duarte" className="col-span-3" />
          </div>
          <div className="grid grid-cols-4 items-center gap-4">
            <Label htmlFor="username" className="text-right">
              Username
            </Label>
            <Input id="username" value="@peduarte" className="col-span-3" />
          </div>
        </div>
      </SheetContent>
    </Sheet>
  )
}

Sheet with side placement:

tsx

<Sheet>
  <SheetTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="outline">Open Right Sheet</Button>
  </SheetTrigger>
  <SheetContent side="right">
    <SheetHeader>
      <SheetTitle>Settings</SheetTitle>
      <SheetDescription>
        Configure your application settings here.
      </SheetDescription>
    </SheetHeader>
    {/* Settings content */}
  </SheetContent>
</Sheet>

Menubar & Navigation

Menubar Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add menubar

Basic menubar:

tsx

import {
  Menubar,
  MenubarContent,
  MenubarItem,
  MenubarMenu,
  MenubarSeparator,
  MenubarShortcut,
  MenubarSub,
  MenubarSubContent,
  MenubarSubTrigger,
  MenubarTrigger,
} from "@/components/ui/menubar"

export function MenubarDemo() {
  return (
    <Menubar>
      <MenubarMenu>
        <MenubarTrigger>File</MenubarTrigger>
        <MenubarContent>
          <MenubarItem>
            New Tab <MenubarShortcut>⌘T</MenubarShortcut>
          </MenubarItem>
          <MenubarItem>
            New Window <MenubarShortcut>⌘N</MenubarShortcut>
          </MenubarItem>
          <MenubarSeparator />
          <MenubarItem>Share</MenubarItem>
          <MenubarSeparator />
          <MenubarItem>Print</MenubarItem>
        </MenubarContent>
      </MenubarMenu>
      <MenubarMenu>
        <MenubarTrigger>Edit</MenubarTrigger>
        <MenubarContent>
          <MenubarItem>
            Undo <MenubarShortcut>⌘Z</MenubarShortcut>
          </MenubarItem>
          <MenubarItem>
            Redo <MenubarShortcut>⌘Y</MenubarShortcut>
          </MenubarItem>
          <MenubarSeparator />
          <MenubarSub>
            <MenubarSubTrigger>Find</MenubarSubTrigger>
            <MenubarSubContent>
              <MenubarItem>Search the web</MenubarItem>
              <MenubarItem>Find...</MenubarItem>
              <MenubarItem>Find Next</MenubarItem>
              <MenubarItem>Find Previous</MenubarItem>
            </MenubarSubContent>
          </MenubarSub>
        </MenubarContent>
      </MenubarMenu>
    </Menubar>
  )
}

Select (Dropdown) Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add select

Basic select:

tsx

import {
  Select,
  SelectContent,
  SelectItem,
  SelectTrigger,
  SelectValue,
} from "@/components/ui/select"

export function SelectDemo() {
  return (
    <Select>
      <SelectTrigger className="w-[180px]">
        <SelectValue placeholder="Select a fruit" />
      </SelectTrigger>
      <SelectContent>
        <SelectItem value="apple">Apple</SelectItem>
        <SelectItem value="banana">Banana</SelectItem>
        <SelectItem value="orange">Orange</SelectItem>
      </SelectContent>
    </Select>
  )
}

Select in form:

tsx

<FormField
  control={form.control}
  name="role"
  render={({ field }) => (
    <FormItem>
      <FormLabel>Role</FormLabel>
      <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
        <FormControl>
          <SelectTrigger>
            <SelectValue placeholder="Select a role" />
          </SelectTrigger>
        </FormControl>
        <SelectContent>
          <SelectItem value="admin">Admin</SelectItem>
          <SelectItem value="user">User</SelectItem>
          <SelectItem value="guest">Guest</SelectItem>
        </SelectContent>
      </Select>
      <FormMessage />
    </FormItem>
  )}
/>

Toast Notifications

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add toast

Setup toast provider in root layout:

tsx

import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/toaster"

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        {children}
        <Toaster />
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}

Using toast:

tsx

import { useToast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"

export function ToastDemo() {
  const { toast } = useToast()

  return (
    <Button
      onClick={() => {
        toast({
          title: "Scheduled: Catch up",
          description: "Friday, February 10, 2023 at 5:57 PM",
        })
      }}
    >
      Show Toast
    </Button>
  )
}

Toast variants:

tsx

// Success
toast({
  title: "Success",
  description: "Your changes have been saved.",
})

// Error
toast({
  variant: "destructive",
  title: "Error",
  description: "Something went wrong.",
})

// With action
toast({
  title: "Uh oh! Something went wrong.",
  description: "There was a problem with your request.",
  action: <ToastAction altText="Try again">Try again</ToastAction>,
})

Table Component

Installation:

bash

npx shadcn@latest add table

Basic table:

tsx

import {
  Table,
  TableBody,
  TableCaption,
  TableCell,
  TableHead,
  TableHeader,
  TableRow,
} from "@/components/ui/table"

const invoices = [
  { invoice: "INV001", status: "Paid", method: "Credit Card", amount: "$250.00" },
  { invoice: "INV002", status: "Pending", method: "PayPal", amount: "$150.00" },
]

export function TableDemo() {
  return (
    <Table>
      <TableCaption>A list of your recent invoices.</TableCaption>
      <TableHeader>
        <TableRow>
          <TableHead>Invoice</TableHead>
          <TableHead>Status</TableHead>
          <TableHead>Method</TableHead>
          <TableHead className="text-right">Amount</TableHead>
        </TableRow>
      </TableHeader>
      <TableBody>
        {invoices.map((invoice) => (
          <TableRow key={invoice.invoice}>
            <TableCell className="font-medium">{invoice.invoice}</TableCell>
            <TableCell>{invoice.status}</TableCell>
            <TableCell>{invoice.method}</TableCell>
            <TableCell className="text-right">{invoice.amount}</TableCell>
          </TableRow>
        ))}
      </TableBody>
    </Table>
  )
}

Customization

Theming with CSS Variables

shadcn/ui uses CSS variables for theming. Configure in

globals.css

css

@layer base {
  :root {
    --background: 0 0% 100%;
    --foreground: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --primary: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --primary-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --secondary: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --secondary-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --muted: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --muted-foreground: 215.4 16.3% 46.9%;
    --accent: 210 40% 96.1%;
    --accent-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    --destructive: 0 84.2% 60.2%;
    --destructive-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --border: 214.3 31.8% 91.4%;
    --input: 214.3 31.8% 91.4%;
    --ring: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --radius: 0.5rem;
  }

  .dark {
    --background: 222.2 84% 4.9%;
    --foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --primary: 210 40% 98%;
    --primary-foreground: 222.2 47.4% 11.2%;
    /* ... other dark mode variables */
  }
}

Customizing Components

Since you own the code, customize directly:

tsx

// components/ui/button.tsx
import * as React from "react"
import { Slot } from "@radix-ui/react-slot"
import { cva, type VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority"
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"

const buttonVariants = cva(
  "inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
  {
    variants: {
      variant: {
        default: "bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90",
        destructive: "bg-destructive text-destructive-foreground hover:bg-destructive/90",
        outline: "border border-input bg-background hover:bg-accent",
        // Add custom variant
        custom: "bg-gradient-to-r from-purple-500 to-pink-500 text-white",
      },
      size: {
        default: "h-10 px-4 py-2",
        sm: "h-9 rounded-md px-3",
        lg: "h-11 rounded-md px-8",
        // Add custom size
        xl: "h-14 rounded-md px-10 text-lg",
      },
    },
    defaultVariants: {
      variant: "default",
      size: "default",
    },
  }
)

export interface ButtonProps
  extends React.ButtonHTMLAttributes<HTMLButtonElement>,
    VariantProps<typeof buttonVariants> {
  asChild?: boolean
}

const Button = React.forwardRef<HTMLButtonElement, ButtonProps>(
  ({ className, variant, size, asChild = false, ...props }, ref) => {
    const Comp = asChild ? Slot : "button"
    return (
      <Comp
        className={cn(buttonVariants({ variant, size, className }))}
        ref={ref}
        {...props}
      />
    )
  }
)
Button.displayName = "Button"

export { Button, buttonVariants }

Next.js Integration

App Router Setup

For Next.js 13+ with App Router, ensure components use

"use client"

directive:

tsx

// src/components/ui/button.tsx
"use client"

import * as React from "react"
import { Slot } from "@radix-ui/react-slot"
import { cva, type VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority"
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"

// ... rest of component

Layout Integration

Add the Toaster to your root layout:

tsx

// app/layout.tsx
import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/toaster"
import "./globals.css"

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en" suppressHydrationWarning>
      <body className="min-h-screen bg-background font-sans antialiased">
        {children}
        <Toaster />
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}

Server Components

When using shadcn/ui components in Server Components, wrap them in a Client Component:

tsx

// app/dashboard/page.tsx
import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card"
import { ButtonClient } from "@/components/ui/button-client"

export default function DashboardPage() {
  return (
    <div className="container mx-auto p-6">
      <Card>
        <CardHeader>
          <CardTitle>Dashboard</CardTitle>
        </CardHeader>
        <CardContent>
          <ButtonClient>Interactive Button</ButtonClient>
        </CardContent>
      </Card>
    </div>
  )
}

tsx

// src/components/ui/button-client.tsx
"use client"

import { Button } from "./button"

export function ButtonClient(props: React.ComponentProps<typeof Button>) {
  return <Button {...props} />
}

Route Handlers with Forms

Create API routes for form submissions:

tsx

// app/api/contact/route.ts
import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server"
import { z } from "zod"

const contactSchema = z.object({
  name: z.string().min(2),
  email: z.string().email(),
  message: z.string().min(10),
})

export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
  try {
    const body = await request.json()
    const validated = contactSchema.parse(body)

    // Process form data
    console.log("Form submission:", validated)

    return NextResponse.json({ success: true })
  } catch (error) {
    if (error instanceof z.ZodError) {
      return NextResponse.json(
        { errors: error.errors },
        { status: 400 }
      )
    }

    return NextResponse.json(
      { error: "Internal server error" },
      { status: 500 }
    )
  }
}

Form with Server Action

Using Next.js 14+ Server Actions:

tsx

// app/contact/page.tsx
"use client"

import { zodResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/zod"
import { useForm } from "react-hook-form"
import * as z from "zod"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import {
  Form,
  FormControl,
  FormField,
  FormItem,
  FormLabel,
  FormMessage,
} from "@/components/ui/form"
import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input"
import { Textarea } from "@/components/ui/textarea"
import { toast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast"

const formSchema = z.object({
  name: z.string().min(2),
  email: z.string().email(),
  message: z.string().min(10),
})

async function onSubmit(values: z.infer<typeof formSchema>) {
  try {
    const response = await fetch("/api/contact", {
      method: "POST",
      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
      body: JSON.stringify(values),
    })

    if (!response.ok) throw new Error("Failed to submit")

    toast({
      title: "Success!",
      description: "Your message has been sent.",
    })
  } catch (error) {
    toast({
      variant: "destructive",
      title: "Error",
      description: "Failed to send message. Please try again.",
    })
  }
}

export default function ContactPage() {
  const form = useForm<z.infer<typeof formSchema>>({
    resolver: zodResolver(formSchema),
  })

  return (
    <div className="container mx-auto max-w-2xl py-8">
      <Form {...form}>
        <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-6">
          <FormField
            control={form.control}
            name="name"
            render={({ field }) => (
              <FormItem>
                <FormLabel>Name</FormLabel>
                <FormControl>
                  <Input placeholder="Your name" {...field} />
                </FormControl>
                <FormMessage />
              </FormItem>
            )}
          />

          <FormField
            control={form.control}
            name="email"
            render={({ field }) => (
              <FormItem>
                <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
                <FormControl>
                  <Input type="email" placeholder="your@email.com" {...field} />
                </FormControl>
                <FormMessage />
              </FormItem>
            )}
          />

          <FormField
            control={form.control}
            name="message"
            render={({ field }) => (
              <FormItem>
                <FormLabel>Message</FormLabel>
                <FormControl>
                  <Textarea
                    placeholder="Your message..."
                    className="resize-none"
                    {...field}
                  />
                </FormControl>
                <FormMessage />
              </FormItem>
            )}
          />

          <Button type="submit" className="w-full">
            Send Message
          </Button>
        </form>
      </Form>
    </div>
  )
}

Metadata with shadcn/ui

Using shadcn/ui components in metadata:

tsx

// app/layout.tsx
import { Metadata } from "next"

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: {
    default: "My App",
    template: "%s | My App",
  },
  description: "Built with shadcn/ui and Next.js",
}

// app/about/page.tsx
import { Metadata } from "next"
import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card"

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: "About Us",
  description: "Learn more about our company",
}

export default function AboutPage() {
  return (
    <div className="container mx-auto py-8">
      <Card>
        <CardHeader>
          <CardTitle>About Our Company</CardTitle>
        </CardHeader>
        <CardContent>
          <p>We build amazing products with modern web technologies.</p>
        </CardContent>
      </Card>
    </div>
  )
}

Font Optimization

Optimize fonts with next/font:

tsx

// app/layout.tsx
import { Inter } from "next/font/google"
import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/toaster"
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
import "./globals.css"

const inter = Inter({ subsets: ["latin"] })

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en" suppressHydrationWarning>
      <body className={cn("min-h-screen bg-background font-sans antialiased", inter.className)}>
        {children}
        <Toaster />
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}

Advanced Patterns

Form with Multiple Fields

tsx

const formSchema = z.object({
  username: z.string().min(2).max(50),
  email: z.string().email(),
  bio: z.string().max(160).min(4),
  role: z.enum(["admin", "user", "guest"]),
  notifications: z.boolean().default(false),
})

export function AdvancedForm() {
  const form = useForm<z.infer<typeof formSchema>>({
    resolver: zodResolver(formSchema),
    defaultValues: {
      username: "",
      email: "",
      bio: "",
      role: "user",
      notifications: false,
    },
  })

  function onSubmit(values: z.infer<typeof formSchema>) {
    console.log(values)
  }

  return (
    <Form {...form}>
      <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-8">
        {/* Username field */}
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="username"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Username</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input placeholder="johndoe" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />

        {/* Email field */}
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="email"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input type="email" placeholder="john@example.com" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />

        {/* Textarea field */}
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="bio"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Bio</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Textarea
                  placeholder="Tell us about yourself"
                  className="resize-none"
                  {...field}
                />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />

        {/* Select field */}
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="role"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Role</FormLabel>
              <Select onValueChange={field.onChange} defaultValue={field.value}>
                <FormControl>
                  <SelectTrigger>
                    <SelectValue placeholder="Select a role" />
                  </SelectTrigger>
                </FormControl>
                <SelectContent>
                  <SelectItem value="admin">Admin</SelectItem>
                  <SelectItem value="user">User</SelectItem>
                  <SelectItem value="guest">Guest</SelectItem>
                </SelectContent>
              </Select>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />

        {/* Checkbox field */}
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="notifications"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem className="flex flex-row items-start space-x-3 space-y-0">
              <FormControl>
                <Checkbox
                  checked={field.value}
                  onCheckedChange={field.onChange}
                />
              </FormControl>
              <div className="space-y-1 leading-none">
                <FormLabel>Email notifications</FormLabel>
                <FormDescription>
                  Receive emails about your account activity.
                </FormDescription>
              </div>
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />

        <Button type="submit">Submit</Button>
      </form>
    </Form>
  )
}

Best Practices

Accessibility: Components use Radix UI primitives for ARIA compliance
Customization: Modify components directly in your codebase
Type Safety: Use TypeScript for type-safe props and state
Validation: Use Zod schemas for form validation
Styling: Leverage Tailwind utilities and CSS variables
Consistency: Use the same component patterns across your app
Testing: Components are testable with React Testing Library
Performance: Components are optimized and tree-shakeable

Common Component Combinations

Login Form

tsx

<Card className="w-[350px]">
  <CardHeader>
    <CardTitle>Login</CardTitle>
    <CardDescription>Enter your credentials to continue</CardDescription>
  </CardHeader>
  <CardContent>
    <Form {...form}>
      <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-4">
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="email"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input type="email" placeholder="you@example.com" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />
        <FormField
          control={form.control}
          name="password"
          render={({ field }) => (
            <FormItem>
              <FormLabel>Password</FormLabel>
              <FormControl>
                <Input type="password" {...field} />
              </FormControl>
              <FormMessage />
            </FormItem>
          )}
        />
        <Button type="submit" className="w-full">Login</Button>
      </form>
    </Form>
  </CardContent>
</Card>

References

Official Docs: https://ui.shadcn.com
Radix UI: https://www.radix-ui.com
React Hook Form: https://react-hook-form.com
Zod: https://zod.dev
Tailwind CSS: https://tailwindcss.com
Examples: https://ui.shadcn.com/examples

shadcn-ui

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

shadcn/ui Component Patterns

Table of Contents

When to Use

Quick Start

What is shadcn/ui?

Installation & Setup

Initial Setup

Installing Individual Components

Manual Installation

Project Configuration

Required Dependencies

TSConfig Configuration

Tailwind Configuration

CSS Variables (globals.css)

Core Components

Button Component

Input & Form Fields

Input Component

Forms with Validation

Card Component

Dialog (Modal) Component

Sheet (Slide-over) Component

Menubar & Navigation

Menubar Component

Select (Dropdown) Component

Toast Notifications

Table Component

Customization

Theming with CSS Variables

Customizing Components

Next.js Integration

App Router Setup

Layout Integration

Server Components

Route Handlers with Forms

Form with Server Action

Metadata with shadcn/ui

Font Optimization

Advanced Patterns

Form with Multiple Fields

Best Practices

Common Component Combinations

Login Form

References