components-styles

name	components.styles
description	Guidelines writing styles API (styles, classNames, and static classNames) for a CDS component. Use this skill when adding customization options to a React component via `styles` or `classNames` props or when needing to update the docsite with component styles documentation.
argument-hint	<ComponentName> [additional context] (e.g., "Button", "LineChart add real-time examples")

Goal: Add styles API (styles, classNames, and static classNames) to a CDS component and/or update the component documentation with styles documentation.

If no component name is provided, ask the user which component they want to add styles to.

Step 1: Locate the Component

Find the component source file:

packages/web/src/[source-category]/[ComponentName].tsx              # for web
packages/mobile/src/[source-category]/[ComponentName].tsx           # for mobile

Step 2: Evaluate Component Structure

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Adding styles/classNames props is a commitment to the component's internal structure.

Before adding styles API, carefully review the component's JSX structure:

• Flag if the component could be simplified (e.g., unnecessary wrappers, redundant containers)
• Do NOT add styles to elements that may be refactored - this creates breaking changes
• Ask the user if you notice the component structure could be improved before committing to it

Once published, changing or removing selectors is a breaking change for consumers.

Step 3: Identify Styleable Elements

Review the component's JSX to identify elements that should be targetable via styles/classNames:

• Root element: The outermost container element
• Named sections: Elements with semantic meaning (e.g., start, content, end, header, footer)
• Sub-components: Internal elements that users might want to customize
• Conditional elements: Elements that render based on props

Approved Selector Names

IMPORTANT: Before adding a new selector name not in this list, get explicit confirmation from the user. When a new selector is approved, add it to this list.

Approved Selectors (alphabetical)

Selector	Description
accessory	Accessory element (e.g., chevron, icon at end)
activeIndicator	Active indicator element (e.g., in tabs)
bottomContent	Bottom section content
carousel	Main carousel track element
carouselContainer	Outer carousel container
childrenContainer	Container wrapping children
content	Main content area
contentContainer	Container wrapping content
description	Description text element
day	Date cell in a calendar grid
end	End slot content (e.g., actions, icons)
fill	Fill/progress indicator within a track
header	Header section
helperText	Helper/assistive text below content
icon	Icon element
intermediary	Middle/intermediary element between sections
label	Label text element
labels	Container for multiple labels
logo	Logo element
mainContent	Primary content area
media	Media element (image, avatar, icon)
modal	Visible modal card element
navigation	Navigation controls (e.g., prev/next buttons)
overlay	Full-viewport overlay/backdrop element

JSDoc Convention for Selector Descriptions

Selector JSDoc comments describe what the element is, not what the prop does:

• Sentence case, no trailing period
• Concise noun phrase describing the element itself
• Single-line format: /** Description */
• For conditional elements, append context after a comma: /** Header element, only rendered on phone viewport */

Examples:

/** Root element */
/** Title text element */
/** Navigation controls element */
/** Header element, only rendered on phone viewport in horizontal direction */

Step 4: Add Styles API (Web Components)

For web components, add three things:

4.1 Static Class Names

Add a static classNames object with JSDoc comments. Place this before the component's type definitions:

/**
 * Static class names for [ComponentName] component parts.
 * Use these selectors to target specific elements with CSS.
 */
export const [componentName]ClassNames = {
  /** Root element */
  root: 'cds-[ComponentName]',
  /** [Concise element description] */
  [selectorName]: 'cds-[ComponentName]-[selectorName]',
  // ... more selectors as needed
} as const;

Naming conventions:

• Use cds- prefix for all class names
• Use PascalCase for component name: cds-NavigationBar
• Use camelCase for sub-elements: cds-NavigationBar-contentWrapper, cds-Foo-titleStack
• Keep names descriptive but concise

Example:

export const fooClassNames = {
  root: 'cds-Foo',
  contentWrapper: 'cds-Foo-contentWrapper',
  titleStack: 'cds-Foo-titleStack',
  helperText: 'cds-Foo-helperText',
} as const;

4.2 Update Component Props Type

Import and use the StylesAndClassNames utility type:

import type { StylesAndClassNames } from '../types';

export type [ComponentName]BaseProps = BoxBaseProps & {
  // ... other props (without styles/classNames)
};

export type [ComponentName]Props = [ComponentName]BaseProps & StylesAndClassNames<typeof [componentName]ClassNames> & Omit<BoxProps<[ComponentName]DefaultElement>, 'children'>;

This automatically generates the styles and classNames props based on your static classNames object.

4.3 Apply in Component Implementation

Apply the static classNames, dynamic classNames, and styles in the component:

import { cx } from '../cx';

// In the component:
<VStack
  className={cx([componentName]ClassNames.root, className, classNames?.root)}
  style={{ ...style, ...styles?.root }}
  // ... other props
>
  <HStack
    className={cx([componentName]ClassNames.contentWrapper, classNames?.contentWrapper)}
    style={styles?.contentWrapper}
  >
    {children}
  </HStack>
</VStack>

4.4 Add Tests for Static Class Names

Add tests to verify that static class names are applied correctly to the component. This ensures the class names remain stable for consumers who depend on them for CSS targeting.

Test pattern:

import { [componentName]ClassNames } from '../[ComponentName]';

describe('[ComponentName] static classNames', () => {
  it('applies static class names to component elements', () => {
    render(
      <[ComponentName]WithTheme
        start={<div>Start</div>}  // Include props that render conditional elements
      >
        <div>Children</div>
      </[ComponentName]WithTheme>,
    );

    // Test root element
    const root = screen.getByRole('[role]'); // or use testID/other selector
    expect(root).toHaveClass([componentName]ClassNames.root);

    // Test sub-elements using querySelector with the static class name
    expect(root.querySelector(`.${[componentName]ClassNames.start}`)).toBeInTheDocument();
    expect(root.querySelector(`.${[componentName]ClassNames.content}`)).toBeInTheDocument();
  });
});

Key testing principles:

• Import the static classNames object from the component
• Use toHaveClass() for elements accessible via roles/queries
• Use querySelector() with the static class name for internal elements
• Test all selectors, including those on conditionally rendered elements (pass appropriate props)

Example from NavigationBar:

import { navigationBarClassNames } from '../NavigationBar';

describe('NavigationBar static classNames', () => {
  it('applies static class names to component elements', () => {
    render(
      <NavigationBarWithTheme start={<div>Start</div>}>
        <div>Children</div>
      </NavigationBarWithTheme>,
    );

    const nav = screen.getByRole('navigation');
    expect(nav).toHaveClass(navigationBarClassNames.root);
    expect(nav.querySelector(`.${navigationBarClassNames.start}`)).toBeInTheDocument();
    expect(nav.querySelector(`.${navigationBarClassNames.content}`)).toBeInTheDocument();
  });
});

Step 5: Add Styles API (Mobile Components)

For mobile components, the pattern is simpler (no static classNames):

5.1 Add styles prop type

export type [ComponentName]Props = {
  // ... other props
  /** Custom styles for individual elements of the [ComponentName] component */
  styles?: {
    /** Root container element */
    root?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>;
    /** [Concise element description] */
    [selectorName]?: StyleProp<ViewStyle | TextStyle>;
    // ... more selectors as needed
  };
};

5.2 Apply in Component Implementation

<View style={[defaultStyles.root, styles?.root]}>
  <View style={[defaultStyles.content, styles?.content]}>{children}</View>
</View>

Step 6: Add JSDoc Notes for Special Cases

If any selectors have special rendering conditions, append the note after the element description with a comma:

styles?: {
  /** Header element, only rendered on phone viewport in horizontal direction */
  header?: React.CSSProperties;
};

Common cases to document:

• Viewport-specific rendering (phone/tablet/desktop)
• Direction-specific rendering (horizontal/vertical)
• Conditional rendering based on props
• Elements that only render with certain data (e.g., subSteps)

Reference: StylesAndClassNames Utility

The StylesAndClassNames utility type (from packages/web/src/types.ts) automatically generates:

// Given:
const fooClassNames = {
  root: 'cds-Foo',
  contentWrapper: 'cds-Foo-contentWrapper',
} as const;

// StylesAndClassNames<typeof fooClassNames> generates:
{
  styles?: {
    root?: React.CSSProperties;
    contentWrapper?: React.CSSProperties;
  };
  classNames?: {
    root?: string;
    contentWrapper?: string;
  };
}

Reference: NavigationBar Example

See packages/web/src/navigation/NavigationBar.tsx for a complete example of the styles API pattern:

• Lines 16-28: Static classNames with JSDoc
• Line 80: Using StylesAndClassNames type on regular Props (not BaseProps)
• Lines 117, 140, 149: Applying classNames with cx()
• Lines 125, 142, 152: Applying styles

See packages/web/src/navigation/__tests__/NavigationBar.test.tsx for static classNames test example:

• NavigationBar static classNames describe block: Tests all static class names are applied

Step 7: Update Documentation

After adding the styles API to the component, update the documentation:

1. Run the docgen to regenerate styles data:

   yarn nx run docs:docgen
   

2. Create or update the styles documentation use the components.write-docs SKILL for general knowledge on how to write component documentation:

   • Create _webStyles.mdx with ComponentStylesTable and StylesExplorer
   • Create _mobileStyles.mdx with ComponentStylesTable (if mobile)
   • Update index.mdx to import and render the styles tables

Final Checklist

Before completing, verify:

• Reviewed component structure for potential simplifications (flagged to user if found)
• Selector names are from the approved list (or got user confirmation for new ones)
• Each selector has a JSDoc comment following the convention (sentence case, no trailing period, concise noun phrase)
• Class names follow cds-ComponentName-selectorName convention (camelCase)
• Using StylesAndClassNames utility type on regular Props (not BaseProps) (web) or manual styles type (mobile)
• Static classNames applied with cx() in component JSX (web only)
• Dynamic classNames and styles props applied correctly
• Special rendering conditions documented in JSDoc
• Tests added for static classNames (web only) - see Step 4.4
• Ran yarn nx run docs:docgen to regenerate styles data
• Documentation updated to include new component styles information
• Updated this file's "Approved Selector Names" table if new selectors were added