---
id: giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kit/shadcn-ui
version: "d49aa91a"
license: MIT
install: manual
updated: 2026-06-22
---

# shadcn-ui — shadcn-ui guides you through initializing the component library, installing individual components via CLI, and building forms with validation. It covers button variants, dialogs, tables, toasts, and charts styled with Tailwind CSS and CSS variables for custom theming.

Publisher: giuseppe-trisciuoglio · Stars: 311 · Updated: 2026-06-22

Install (manual): `git clone https://github.com/giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kit`

## SKILL.md

# shadcn/ui Component Patterns

Build accessible, customizable UI components with shadcn/ui, Radix UI, and Tailwind CSS.

## Overview

- Components are **copied into your project** — you own and customize the code
- Built on **Radix UI** primitives for full accessibility
- Styled with **Tailwind CSS** and CSS variables for theming
- CLI-based installation: `npx shadcn@latest add <component>`

## When to Use

Activate when user requests involve:
- "Set up shadcn/ui", "initialize shadcn", "add shadcn components"
- "Install button/input/form/dialog/card/select/toast/table/chart"
- "React Hook Form", "Zod validation", "form with validation"
- "accessible components", "Radix UI", "Tailwind theme"
- "shadcn button", "shadcn dialog", "shadcn sheet", "shadcn table"
- "dark mode", "CSS variables", "custom theme"
- "charts with Recharts", "bar chart", "line chart", "pie chart"

## Quick Reference

### Available Components

| Component | Install Command | Description |
|-----------|----------------|-------------|
| `button` | `npx shadcn@latest add button` | Variants: default, destructive, outline, secondary, ghost, link |
| `input` | `npx shadcn@latest add input` | Text input field |
| `form` | `npx shadcn@latest add form` | React Hook Form integration with validation |
| `card` | `npx shadcn@latest add card` | Container with header, content, footer |
| `dialog` | `npx shadcn@latest add dialog` | Modal overlay |
| `sheet` | `npx shadcn@latest add sheet` | Slide-over panel (top/right/bottom/left) |
| `select` | `npx shadcn@latest add select` | Dropdown select |
| `toast` | `npx shadcn@latest add toast` | Notification toasts |
| `table` | `npx shadcn@latest add table` | Data table |
| `menubar` | `npx shadcn@latest add menubar` | Desktop-style menubar |
| `chart` | `npx shadcn@latest add chart` | Recharts wrapper with theming |
| `textarea` | `npx shadcn@latest add textarea` | Multi-line text input |
| `checkbox` | `npx shadcn@latest add checkbox` | Checkbox input |
| `label` | `npx shadcn@latest add label` | Accessible form label |

## Instructions

### Initialize Project

```bash
# New Next.js project
npx create-next-app@latest my-app --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app
cd my-app
npx shadcn@latest init

# Existing project
npm install tailwindcss-animate class-variance-authority clsx tailwind-merge lucide-react
npx shadcn@latest init

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

### Basic Component Usage

```tsx
// Button with variants and sizes
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"

<Button variant="default">Default</Button>
<Button variant="destructive" size="sm">Delete</Button>
<Button variant="outline" disabled>Loading...</Button>
```

### Form with Zod Validation

```tsx
"use client"

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

const formSchema = z.object({
  email: z.string().email("Invalid email"),
  password: z.string().min(8, "Password must be at least 8 characters"),
})

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

  return (
    <Form {...form}>
      <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(console.log)} className="space-y-4">
        <FormField name="email" control={form.control} render={({ field }) => (
          <FormItem>
            <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
            <FormControl><Input type="email" {...field} /></FormControl>
            <FormMessage />
          </FormItem>
        )} />
        <FormField name="password" control={form.control} render={({ field }) => (
          <FormItem>
            <FormLabel>Password</FormLabel>
            <FormControl><Input type="password" {...field} /></FormControl>
            <FormMessage />
          </FormItem>
        )} />
        <Button type="submit">Login</Button>
      </form>
    </Form>
  )
}
```

See [references/forms-and-validation.md](references/forms-and-validation.md) for advanced multi-field forms, contact forms with API submission, and login card patterns.

### Dialog (Modal)

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

<Dialog>
  <DialogTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="outline">Open</Button>
  </DialogTrigger>
  <DialogContent>
    <DialogHeader>
      <DialogTitle>Edit Profile</DialogTitle>
    </DialogHeader>
    {/* content */}
  </DialogContent>
</Dialog>
```

### Toast Notification

```tsx
// 1. Add <Toaster /> to app/layout.tsx
import { Toaster } from "@/components/ui/toaster"

// 2. Use in components
import { useToast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast"

const { toast } = useToast()
toast({ title: "Success", description: "Changes saved." })
toast({ variant: "destructive", title: "Error", description: "Something went wrong." })
```

### Bar Chart

```tsx
import { Bar, BarChart, CartesianGrid, XAxis } from "recharts"
import { ChartContainer, ChartTooltipContent } from "@/components/ui/chart"

const chartConfig = {
  desktop: { label: "Desktop", color: "var(--chart-1)" },
} satisfies import("@/components/ui/chart").ChartConfig

<ChartContainer config={chartConfig} className="min-h-[200px] w-full">
  <BarChart data={data}>
    <CartesianGrid vertical={false} />
    <XAxis dataKey="month" />
    <Bar dataKey="desktop" fill="var(--color-desktop)" radius={4} />
    <ChartTooltip content={<ChartTooltipContent />} />
  </BarChart>
</ChartContainer>
```

See [references/charts-components.md](references/charts-components.md) for Line, Area, and Pie chart examples.

## Examples

### Login Form with Validation
```tsx
"use client"
import { zodResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/zod"
import { useForm } from "react-hook-form"
import { 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"

const formSchema = z.object({
  email: z.string().email("Invalid email"),
  password: z.string().min(8, "Min 8 characters"),
})

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

  return (
    <Form {...form}>
      <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(console.log)} className="space-y-4">
        <FormField name="email" control={form.control} render={({ field }) => (
          <FormItem>
            <FormLabel>Email</FormLabel>
            <FormControl><Input type="email" {...field} /></FormControl>
            <FormMessage />
          </FormItem>
        )} />
        <FormField name="password" control={form.control} render={({ field }) => (
          <FormItem>
            <FormLabel>Password</FormLabel>
            <FormControl><Input type="password" {...field} /></FormControl>
            <FormMessage />
          </FormItem>
        )} />
        <Button type="submit">Login</Button>
      </form>
    </Form>
  )
}
```

### Data Table with Actions
```tsx
import { ColumnDef } from "@tanstack/react-table"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { Checkbox } from "@/components/ui/checkbox"
import { DataTable } from "@/components/ui/data-table"

const columns: ColumnDef<User>[] = [
  { id: "select", header: ({ table }) => (
    <Checkbox checked={table.getIsAllPageRowsSelected()} />
  ), cell: ({ row }) => (
    <Checkbox checked={row.getIsSelected()} />
  )},
  { accessorKey: "name", header: "Name" },
  { accessorKey: "email", header: "Email" },
  { id: "actions", cell: ({ row }) => (
    <Button variant="ghost" size="sm">Edit</Button>
  )},
]
```

### Dialog with Form
```tsx
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle, DialogTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dialog"

<Dialog>
  <DialogTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="outline">Add User</Button>
  </DialogTrigger>
  <DialogContent>
    <DialogHeader>
      <DialogTitle>Add New User</DialogTitle>
    </DialogHeader>
    {/* <LoginForm /> */}
  </DialogContent>
</Dialog>
```

### Toast Notifications
```tsx
import { useToast } from "@/components/ui/use-toast"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"

const { toast } = useToast()

toast({ title: "Saved", description: "Changes saved successfully." })
toast({ variant: "destructive", title: "Error", description: "Failed to save." })
```

## Best Practices

- **Accessibility**: Use Radix UI primitives — ARIA attributes are built in
- **Client Components**: Add `"use client"` for interactive components (hooks, events)
- **Type Safety**: Use TypeScript and Zod schemas for form validation
- **Theming**: Configure CSS variables in `globals.css` for consistent design
- **Customization**: Modify component files directly — you own the code
- **Path Aliases**: Ensure `@` alias is configured in `tsconfig.json`
- **Registry Security**: Only install components from trusted registries; review generated code before production use
- **Dark Mode**: Set up with CSS variables strategy and `next-themes`
- **Forms**: Always use `Form`, `FormField`, `FormItem`, `FormLabel`, `FormMessage` together
- **Toaster**: Add `<Toaster />` once to root layout

## Constraints and Warnings

- **Not an NPM Package**: Components are copied to your project; they are not a versioned dependency
- **Registry Security**: Components from `npx shadcn@latest add` are fetched remotely; always verify the registry source is trusted before installation
- **Client Components**: Most interactive components require `"use client"` directive
- **Radix Dependencies**: Ensure all `@radix-ui` packages are installed
- **Tailwind Required**: Components rely on Tailwind CSS utilities
- **Path Aliases**: Configure `@` alias in `tsconfig.json` for imports

## References

Consult these files for detailed patterns and code examples:

- **[references/setup-and-configuration.md](references/setup-and-configuration.md)** — Full installation, tsconfig, tailwind config, CSS variables
- **[references/ui-components.md](references/ui-components.md)** — Button, Input, Card, Dialog, Sheet, Select, Toast, Table, Menubar
- **[references/forms-and-validation.md](references/forms-and-validation.md)** — React Hook Form + Zod, advanced forms, login card, contact form
- **[references/charts-components.md](references/charts-components.md)** — Bar, Line, Area, Pie charts with ChartContainer and theming
- **[references/nextjs-integration.md](references/nextjs-integration.md)** — App Router, Server/Client Components, dark mode, metadata
- **[references/customization.md](references/customization.md)** — Custom variants, CSS variables, cn() utility, extending components


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