Nuxt Best Practices

Comprehensive performance optimization guide for Nuxt 3/4 applications. Contains 40+ rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide automated refactoring and code generation.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

Writing new Nuxt pages, components, or composables
Implementing data fetching (useFetch, useAsyncData)
Creating server routes and API endpoints
Organizing types, composables, and auto-imports
Working with Nuxt modules and plugins
Configuring rendering modes (SSR, SSG, SPA)

Rule Categories by Priority

Priority	Category	Impact	Prefix
1	Data Fetching	CRITICAL	`data-`
2	Auto-Imports & Organization	CRITICAL	`imports-`
3	Server & API Routes	HIGH	`server-`
4	Rendering Modes	HIGH	`rendering-`
5	State Management	MEDIUM-HIGH	`state-`
6	Type Safety	MEDIUM	`types-`
7	Modules & Plugins	LOW-MEDIUM	`modules-`
8	Performance & Deployment	LOW	`perf-`

Quick Reference

1. Data Fetching (CRITICAL)

data-use-fetch - Use useFetch/useAsyncData, never raw fetch in components
data-key-unique - Always provide unique keys for data fetching
data-lazy-loading - Use lazy option for non-critical data
data-transform - Transform data at fetch time, not in template
data-error-handling - Always handle error and pending states
data-refresh-patterns - Use refresh() and clear() appropriately

2. Auto-Imports & Organization (CRITICAL)

imports-no-barrel-autoimport - Never create barrel exports in auto-imported directories
imports-component-naming - Don't duplicate folder prefix in component names
imports-type-locations - Place types in dedicated directories (app/types, shared/types, server/types)
imports-composable-exports - Composables export functions only, not types
imports-direct-composable-imports - Use direct imports between composables

3. Server & API Routes (HIGH)

server-validated-input - Use getValidatedQuery/readValidatedBody with Zod
server-route-meta - Always add defineRouteMeta for OpenAPI docs
server-runtime-config - Use useRuntimeConfig, never process.env
server-error-handling - Use createError for consistent error responses
server-middleware-order - Understand middleware execution order

4. Rendering Modes (HIGH)

rendering-route-rules - Configure rendering per-route with routeRules
rendering-hybrid - Use hybrid rendering for optimal performance
rendering-prerender - Prerender static pages at build time
rendering-client-only - Use ClientOnly for browser-specific components

5. State Management (MEDIUM-HIGH)

state-use-state - Use useState for SSR-safe shared state
state-pinia-setup - Set up Pinia correctly with Nuxt
state-hydration - Handle hydration mismatches properly
state-computed-over-watch - Prefer computed over watch for derived state

6. Type Safety (MEDIUM)

types-no-inline - Never define types inline in components/composables
types-import-paths - Use correct import paths (#shared, ~/, ~~/)
types-no-any - Never use any type
types-zod-schemas - Use Zod for runtime validation with type inference
types-strict-emits - Use kebab-case emits with full type definitions

7. Modules & Plugins (LOW-MEDIUM)

modules-order - Module order matters in nuxt.config
modules-runtime-vs-build - Understand runtime vs build-time modules
plugins-client-server - Use .client.ts and .server.ts suffixes correctly
plugins-provide-inject - Use provide/inject for cross-cutting concerns

8. Performance & Deployment (LOW)

perf-bundle-analysis - Analyze and optimize bundle size
perf-image-optimization - Use nuxt/image for optimized images
perf-font-loading - Configure font loading strategy
perf-caching-headers - Set appropriate cache headers

How to Use

Read individual rule files for detailed explanations and code examples:

rules/data-use-fetch.md
rules/imports-no-barrel-autoimport.md
rules/_sections.md

Each rule file contains:

Brief explanation of why it matters
Incorrect code example with explanation
Correct code example with explanation
Additional context and Nuxt-specific notes

Full Compiled Document

For the complete guide with all rules expanded: AGENTS.md

nuxt-best-practices