HTMX

Execution Workflow

1. Decide whether HTMX should be enabled globally with HTMXPlugin or locally with request_class=HTMXRequest.
2. Shape handlers around one contract: full page for normal requests, fragment or HTMX-aware response for HTMX requests.
3. Read request context from request.htmx instead of hand-parsing HTMX headers.
4. Choose the right response primitive: HTMXTemplate for rendered fragments or the dedicated HTMX response classes for redirect, refresh, swap, retarget, event, history, or polling behavior.
5. Keep templates small and swap-oriented so each endpoint returns only the markup or signal the target element needs.
6. Verify both non-HTMX and HTMX behaviors in tests, including headers, redirect semantics, and fragment shape.

Core Rules

• Use HTMXPlugin() when most of the app should speak HTMX-aware requests.
• Use request_class=HTMXRequest locally when only one app layer or route needs HTMX support.
• Prefer request.htmx and HTMXDetails properties over manual header inspection.
• Keep full-page and fragment rendering intentional; do not accidentally return layout HTML into a fragment swap target.
• Annotate HTMXTemplate handlers as returning Template, matching the Litestar docs.
• If you trigger an HTMX event from HTMXTemplate, provide after= and keep it to receive, settle, or swap.
• Use the dedicated HTMX response classes instead of hand-setting HX-* headers.
• Treat HTMX handlers as first-class HTTP endpoints with clear success, validation, and fallback behavior.

Decision Guide

• Use HTMXPlugin() when HTMX is the dominant interaction model.
• Use HTMXConfig(set_request_class_globally=False) when you want the plugin installed without forcing HTMXRequest at app scope.
• Use request.htmx truthiness to branch between full-page and fragment responses.
• Use HTMXTemplate when the response is HTML and may also need push_url, re_swap, re_target, or event triggering.
• Use ClientRedirect when the browser should redirect with a full reload.
• Use HXLocation when the client should navigate without a full page reload and may need target, swap, select, headers, or values.
• Use PushUrl or ReplaceUrl when you want to return content and also mutate browser history or the location bar.
• Use Reswap, Retarget, or TriggerEvent when the content stays inline but the HTMX client behavior must change.
• Use ClientRefresh when the whole page must refresh.
• Use HXStopPolling for polling endpoints that should explicitly stop the HTMX client.

Reference Files

Read only the sections you need:

• For global vs local setup, HTMXPlugin, HTMXConfig, HTMXRequest, and request.htmx usage, read references/setup-and-request-patterns.md.
• For HTMXTemplate, full-page vs fragment rendering, and the dedicated HTMX response classes, read references/template-and-response-patterns.md.
• For HTMX details properties, history-aware flows, polling, and testing patterns, read references/details-polling-and-testing.md.

Recommended Defaults

• Keep template rendering centralized through normal template_config; layer HTMX on top of existing server-rendered HTML rather than inventing a separate rendering stack.
• Use HTMXPlugin() when most handlers will need request.htmx.
• Branch once near the handler boundary between full-page and fragment rendering.
• Return the smallest useful HTML fragment for the current swap target.
• Prefer HTMXTemplate and the built-in HTMX response classes over manual header management.
• Keep route URLs stable so push_url, replace_url, and HXLocation remain predictable in tests and browser history.

Anti-Patterns

• Parsing raw HX-* headers directly when request.htmx already provides the values.
• Returning a full layout to an element that expects only a fragment.
• Annotating handlers as HTMXTemplate instead of Template.
• Mixing JSON API behavior and fragment HTML behavior without an explicit branching contract.
• Hand-crafting HTMX response headers when a Litestar response class already models the behavior.
• Using HTMX response primitives without covering the non-HTMX fallback path when the route can also be opened directly.
• Treating polling, redirects, or event triggers as frontend-only concerns and leaving the server contract implicit.

Validation Checklist

• Confirm HTMX enablement is global or local by intent.
• Confirm non-HTMX requests still receive a valid page or fallback response.
• Confirm HTMX requests return fragment-sized HTML or the intended HTMX response class.
• Confirm request.htmx fields used by the handler actually match the client-side HTMX attributes in play.
• Confirm HTMXTemplate event triggering includes after= when required.
• Confirm redirect, push, replace, retarget, swap, refresh, and polling behavior use the correct response primitive.
• Confirm templates do not depend on layout-only context when rendered as fragments.
• Confirm tests cover both body content and HTMX behavior.

Cross-Skill Handoffs

• Use litestar-templating for engine setup, template directories, shared layouts, and template helper concerns.
• Use litestar-responses when the main issue is generic response metadata rather than HTMX-specific headers and flow control.
• Use litestar-routing when controller/router-level request_class placement or route structure is the real problem.
• Use litestar-testing to assert fragment HTML, redirects, polling stop behavior, and HTMX header-driven contracts.

Litestar References

• https://docs.litestar.dev/2/usage/htmx.html
• https://docs.litestar.dev/2/reference/plugins/htmx.html