react-dev — Claude Code skill: what it does, how to install

---
name: react-dev
version: 1.0.0
description: This skill should be used when building React components with TypeScript, typing hooks, handling events, or when React TypeScript, React 19, Server Components are mentioned. Covers type-safe patterns for React 18-19 including generic components, proper event typing, and routing integration (TanStack Router, React Router).
---

# React TypeScript

Type-safe React = compile-time guarantees = confident refactoring.

<when_to_use>

- Building typed React components
- Implementing generic components
- Typing event handlers, forms, refs
- Using React 19 features (Actions, Server Components, use())
- Router integration (TanStack Router, React Router)
- Custom hooks with proper typing

NOT for: non-React TypeScript, vanilla JS React

</when_to_use>

<react_19_changes>

React 19 breaking changes require migration. Key patterns:

**ref as prop** - forwardRef deprecated:

```typescript
// React 19 - ref as regular prop
type ButtonProps = {
  ref?: React.Ref<HTMLButtonElement>;
} & React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<'button'>;

function Button({ ref, children, ...props }: ButtonProps) {
  return <button ref={ref} {...props}>{children}</button>;
}
```

**useActionState** - replaces useFormState:

```typescript
import { useActionState } from 'react';

type FormState = { errors?: string[]; success?: boolean };

function Form() {
  const [state, formAction, isPending] = useActionState(submitAction, {});
  return <form action={formAction}>...</form>;
}
```

**use()** - unwraps promises/context:

```typescript
function UserProfile({ userPromise }: { userPromise: Promise<User> }) {
  const user = use(userPromise); // Suspends until resolved
  return <div>{user.name}</div>;
}
```

See [react-19-patterns.md](references/react-19-patterns.md) for useOptimistic, useTransition, migration checklist.

</react_19_changes>

<component_patterns>

**Props** - extend native elements:

```typescript
type ButtonProps = {
  variant: 'primary' | 'secondary';
} & React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<'button'>;

function Button({ variant, children, ...props }: ButtonProps) {
  return <button className={variant} {...props}>{children}</button>;
}
```

**Children typing**:

```typescript
type Props = {
  children: React.ReactNode;          // Anything renderable
  icon: React.ReactElement;           // Single element
  render: (data: T) => React.ReactNode;  // Render prop
};
```

**Discriminated unions** for variant props:

```typescript
type ButtonProps =
  | { variant: 'link'; href: string }
  | { variant: 'button'; onClick: () => void };

function Button(props: ButtonProps) {
  if (props.variant === 'link') {
    return <a href={props.href}>Link</a>;
  }
  return <button onClick={props.onClick}>Button</button>;
}
```

</component_patterns>

<event_handlers>

Use specific event types for accurate target typing:

```typescript
// Mouse
function handleClick(e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) {
  e.currentTarget.disabled = true;
}

// Form
function handleSubmit(e: React.FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) {
  e.preventDefault();
  const formData = new FormData(e.currentTarget);
}

// Input
function handleChange(e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) {
  console.log(e.target.value);
}

// Keyboard
function handleKeyDown(e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) {
  if (e.key === 'Enter') e.currentTarget.blur();
}
```

See [event-handlers.md](references/event-handlers.md) for focus, drag, clipboard, touch, wheel events.

</event_handlers>

<hooks_typing>

**useState** - explicit for unions/null:

```typescript
const [user, setUser] = useState<User | null>(null);
const [status, setStatus] = useState<'idle' | 'loading'>('idle');
```

**useRef** - null for DOM, value for mutable:

```typescript
const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);  // DOM - use ?.
const countRef = useRef<number>(0);               // Mutable - direct access
```

**useReducer** - discriminated unions for actions:

```typescript
type Action =
  | { type: 'increment' }
  | { type: 'set'; payload: number };

function reducer(state: State, action: Action): State {
  switch (action.type) {
    case 'set': return { ...state, count: action.payload };
    default: return state;
  }
}
```

**Custom hooks** - tuple returns with as const:

```typescript
function useToggle(initial = false) {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(initial);
  const toggle = () => setValue(v => !v);
  return [value, toggle] as const;
}
```

**useContext** - null guard pattern:

```typescript
const UserContext = createContext<User | null>(null);

function useUser() {
  const user = useContext(UserContext);
  if (!user) throw new Error('useUser outside UserProvider');
  return user;
}
```

See [hooks.md](references/hooks.md) for useCallback, useMemo, useImperativeHandle, useSyncExternalStore.

</hooks_typing>

<generic_components>

Generic components infer types from props - no manual annotations at call site.

**Pattern** - keyof T for column keys, render props for custom rendering:

```typescript
type Column<T> = {
  key: keyof T;
  header: string;
  render?: (value: T[keyof T], item: T) => React.ReactNode;
};

type TableProps<T> = {
  data: T[];
  columns: Column<T>[];
  keyExtractor: (item: T) => string | number;
};

function Table<T>({ data, columns, keyExtractor }: TableProps<T>) {
  return (
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>{columns.map(col => <th key={String(col.key)}>{col.header}</th>)}</tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        {data.map(item => (
          <tr key={keyExtractor(item)}>
            {columns.map(col => (
              <td key={String(col.key)}>
                {col.render ? col.render(item[col.key], item) : String(item[col.key])}
              </td>
            ))}
          </tr>
        ))}
      </tbody>
    </table>
  );
}
```

**Constrained generics** for required properties:

```typescript
type HasId = { id: string | number };

function List<T extends HasId>({ items }: { items: T[] }) {
  return <ul>{items.map(item => <li key={item.id}>...</li>)}</ul>;
}
```

See [generic-components.md](examples/generic-components.md) for Select, List, Modal, FormField patterns.

</generic_components>

<server_components>

React 19 Server Components run on server, can be async.

**Async data fetching**:

```typescript
export default async function UserPage({ params }: { params: { id: string } }) {
  const user = await fetchUser(params.id);
  return <div>{user.name}</div>;
}
```

**Server Actions** - 'use server' for mutations:

```typescript
'use server';

export async function updateUser(userId: string, formData: FormData) {
  await db.user.update({ where: { id: userId }, data: { ... } });
  revalidatePath(`/users/${userId}`);
}
```

**Client + Server Action**:

```typescript
'use client';

import { useActionState } from 'react';
import { updateUser } from '@/actions/user';

function UserForm({ userId }: { userId: string }) {
  const [state, formAction, isPending] = useActionState(
    (prev, formData) => updateUser(userId, formData), {}
  );
  return <form action={formAction}>...</form>;
}
```

**use() for promise handoff**:

```typescript
// Server: pass promise without await
async function Page() {
  const userPromise = fetchUser('123');
  return <UserProfile userPromise={userPromise} />;
}

// Client: unwrap with use()
'use client';
function UserProfile({ userPromise }: { userPromise: Promise<User> }) {
  const user = use(userPromise);
  return <div>{user.name}</div>;
}
```

See [server-components.md](examples/server-components.md) for parallel fetching, streaming, error boundaries.

</server_components>

<routing>

Both TanStack Router and React Router v7 provide type-safe routing solutions.

**TanStack Router** - Compile-time type safety with Zod validation:

```typescript
import { createRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';
import { z } from 'zod';

const userRoute = createRoute({
  path: '/users/$userId',
  component: UserPage,
  loader: async ({ params }) => ({ user: await fetchUser(params.userId) }),
  validateSearch: z.object({
    tab: z.enum(['profile', 'settings']).optional(),
    page: z.number().int().positive().default(1),
  }),
});

function UserPage() {
  const { user } = useLoaderData({ from: userRoute.id });
  const { tab, page } = useSearch({ from: userRoute.id });
  const { userId } = useParams({ from: userRoute.id });
}
```

**React Router v7** - Automatic type generation with Framework Mode:

```typescript
import type { Route } from "./+types/user";

export async function loader({ params }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
  return { user: await fetchUser(params.userId) };
}

export default function UserPage({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
  const { user } = loaderData; // Typed from loader
  return <h1>{user.name}</h1>;
}
```

See [tanstack-router.md](references/tanstack-router.md) for TanStack patterns and [react-router.md](references/react-router.md) for React Router patterns.

</routing>

<rules>

ALWAYS:
- Specific event types (MouseEvent, ChangeEvent, etc)
- Explicit useState for unions/null
- ComponentPropsWithoutRef for native element extension
- Discriminated unions for variant props
- as const for tuple returns
- ref as prop in React 19 (no forwardRef)
- useActionState for form actions
- Type-safe routing patterns (see routing section)

NEVER:
- any for event handlers
- JSX.Element for children (use ReactNode)
- forwardRef in React 19+
- useFormState (deprecated)
- Forget null handling for DOM refs
- Mix Server/Client components in same file
- Await promises when passing to use()

</rules>

<references>

- [hooks.md](references/hooks.md) - useState, useRef, useReducer, useContext, custom hooks
- [event-handlers.md](references/event-handlers.md) - all event types, generic handlers
- [react-19-patterns.md](references/react-19-patterns.md) - useActionState, use(), useOptimistic, migration
- [generic-components.md](examples/generic-components.md) - Table, Select, List, Modal patterns
- [server-components.md](examples/server-components.md) - async components, Server Actions, streaming
- [tanstack-router.md](references/tanstack-router.md) - TanStack Router typed routes, search params, navigation
- [react-router.md](references/react-router.md) - React Router v7 loaders, actions, type generation, forms

</references>