shadcn-svelte Expert Guidance

Assumption: You know how to run npx shadcn-svelte@latest add. This skill covers what the docs won't tell you.

NEVER

Never destructure Bits UI builders at module level (const { trigger } = Dialog) — builders are reactive objects, destructuring captures stale references. Use asChild let:builder pattern.
Never pass data: myData directly to createSvelteTable — Svelte 5 runes require getter accessors or data never updates.
Never use @tailwind base/components/utilities in Tailwind v4.1 — directives silently do nothing; use @import "tailwindcss".
Never expect npm update to patch shadcn components — they're forked into your codebase; you own maintenance.
Never start with TanStack Table for a simple display table — the complexity cliff is steep (each feature adds 100–200 lines).

Library Selection

Need Svelte UI components?
│
├─ Own the code, heavy customization → shadcn-svelte
│   ├─ Complex data tables → TanStack integration built-in
│   └─ Unique design system → copy-paste, modify freely
│
├─ Ship fast, customize later → Skeleton UI
│   └─ Pre-built themes, npm package (auto-updates)
│
├─ Accessibility-first, bring own styles → Melt UI
│   └─ Headless primitives only
│
└─ Nothing fits → Build from Bits UI primitives

Key trade-off: shadcn is NOT a library — you fork components into $lib/components/ui/ and own security patches, bug fixes, and upgrades permanently.

Data table complexity cliff:

Simple table: ~50 lines
+ sorting:    +100 lines
+ filtering:  +150 lines
+ selection:  +200 lines
+ visibility: +100 lines

Start with <table>, upgrade to TanStack only when you need 2+ features.

Critical Anti-Patterns

#1: Early Builder Destructuring (Bits UI)

<!-- WRONG - breaks all click handlers silently -->
<script>
  const { trigger } = Dialog;  // stale reference
</script>

<!-- CORRECT -->
<Dialog.Root>
  <Dialog.Trigger asChild let:builder>
    <Button builders={[builder]}>Open</Button>
  </Dialog.Trigger>
</Dialog.Root>

Symptom: Component renders, click handlers silently fail. Error says undefined, no mention of builders.

#2: TanStack Table — Missing `get` Accessors

The most common TanStack + Svelte 5 bug. Table renders correctly, pagination UI works, but sorting/filtering clicks do nothing.

// WRONG - data never updates after init
const table = createSvelteTable({ data: myData, state: { sorting } });

// CORRECT - reactive getters
const table = createSvelteTable({
  get data() { return myData; },
  state: {
    get sorting() { return sorting; }
  },
  onSortingChange: (updater) => {
    sorting = typeof updater === "function" ? updater(sorting) : updater;
  }
});

Every onXChange handler must handle both function and value: typeof updater === "function" ? updater(old) : updater.

#3: Tailwind v4.1 — Silent Migration Failure

/* WRONG - silently does nothing in v4.1 */
@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

/* CORRECT */
@import "tailwindcss";

// vite.config.ts - plugin order matters
import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite'
plugins: [tailwindcss(), sveltekit()]  // tailwindcss BEFORE sveltekit

Symptom: Styles work in dev (cached), production build has zero Tailwind classes. No error.

#4: superforms — Destructuring Before Bind

// WRONG - formData becomes stale reference, validation breaks
const { form: formData } = superForm(data.form);
formData.email = value;

// CORRECT - use bind: to connect to store
const { form: formData } = superForm(data.form);
// In template: <Input bind:value={$formData.email} />

Expert Patterns

CSS Variable Theme (Tailwind v4.1)

@import "tailwindcss";

@layer theme {
  :root {
    --color-primary: 0 0% 9%;       /* space-separated HSL enables /alpha */
    --color-destructive: 0 84% 60%;
  }
  .dark { --color-primary: 0 0% 98%; }
}

/* Alpha via / syntax */
.overlay { @apply bg-[hsl(var(--color-primary)/0.5)]; }

Space-separated HSL format (not hsl(H,S,L)) is required for the /alpha Tailwind syntax to work.

Form Field Pattern

<Form.Field {form} name="email">
  <Form.Control let:attrs>
    <Form.Label>Email</Form.Label>
    <Input {...attrs} type="email" bind:value={$formData.email} />
  </Form.Control>
  <Form.FieldErrors />
</Form.Field>

let:attrs spreads aria attributes automatically. <Form.FieldErrors /> auto-wires to validation state.

Debugging Checklists

Table not updating

get data() accessor used (not data: myData)?
All state wrapped in get (sorting, pagination, filters)?
Every onXChange has typeof updater === "function" guard?

Builder undefined

asChild let:builder on Trigger?
builders={[builder]} array passed to child?
No module-level destructuring?

Tailwind classes missing

@import "tailwindcss" (not @tailwind directives)?
@tailwindcss/vite plugin in vite.config?
Plugin before sveltekit() in array?
Deleted .svelte-kit/ and node_modules/.vite/ cache?

When to Load References

Load references/datatable-tanstack-svelte5.md when:

Implementing 3+ table features (sorting + filtering + selection)
TanStack errors mentioning columnDef or getCoreRowModel
Row selection with checkboxes across paginated data

Load references/form-patterns.md when:

Multi-step wizard forms with validation
Cross-field dependencies or async validation
Zod + superforms backend integration

Do NOT load references for library choice, anti-pattern debugging, or Tailwind migration — handle with this file.

shadcn-svelte