| name | heroui-react |
| description | HeroUI v3 React component library (Tailwind CSS v4 + React Aria). Use when building UIs with HeroUI — creating Buttons, Modals, Forms, Cards; installing @heroui/react; configuring dark/light themes with oklch variables; or fetching component docs. Keywords: HeroUI, Hero UI, heroui, @heroui/react, @heroui/styles. |
| metadata | {"author":"heroui","version":"3.0.1"} |
HeroUI v3 React Development Guide
HeroUI v3 is a component library built on Tailwind CSS v4 and React Aria Components, providing accessible, customizable UI components for React applications.
Installation
curl -fsSL https://heroui.com/install | bash -s heroui-react
CRITICAL: v3 Only - Ignore v2 Knowledge
This guide is for HeroUI v3 ONLY. Do NOT apply v2 patterns — the provider, styling, and component API all changed:
| Feature | v2 (DO NOT USE) | v3 (USE THIS) |
|---|
| Provider | <HeroUIProvider> required | No Provider needed |
| Animations | framer-motion package | CSS-based, no extra deps |
| Component API | Flat props: <Card title="x"> | Compound: <Card><Card.Header> |
| Styling | Tailwind v3 + @heroui/theme | Tailwind v4 + @heroui/styles |
| Packages | @heroui/system, @heroui/theme | @heroui/react, @heroui/styles |
import { HeroUIProvider } from "@heroui/react";
import { motion } from "framer-motion";
<HeroUIProvider>
<Card title="Product" description="A great product" />
</HeroUIProvider>;
CORRECT (v3 patterns)
import { Card } from "@heroui/react";
<Card>
<Card.Header>
<Card.Title>Product</Card.Title>
<Card.Description>A great product</Card.Description>
</Card.Header>
</Card>;
Always fetch v3 docs before implementing.
Core Principles
- Semantic variants (
primary, secondary, tertiary) over visual descriptions
- Composition over configuration (compound components)
- CSS variable-based theming with
oklch color space
- BEM naming convention for predictable styling
Accessing Documentation & Component Information
For component details, examples, props, and implementation patterns, always fetch documentation:
Using Scripts
node scripts/list_components.mjs
node scripts/get_component_docs.mjs Button
node scripts/get_component_docs.mjs Button Card TextField
node scripts/get_source.mjs Button
node scripts/get_styles.mjs Button
node scripts/get_theme.mjs
node scripts/get_docs.mjs /docs/react/getting-started/theming
Direct MDX URLs
Component docs: fetch .mdx with a concrete kebab-case slug. Run node scripts/list_components.mjs when the slug is unknown, and never fetch a URL that still contains a placeholder.
Examples:
- Button:
https://heroui.com/docs/react/components/button.mdx
- Modal:
https://heroui.com/docs/react/components/modal.mdx
- Form:
https://heroui.com/docs/react/components/form.mdx
Getting started guides: use a concrete topic URL such as https://heroui.com/docs/react/getting-started/quick-start.mdx.
Important: Always fetch component docs before implementing. The MDX docs include complete examples, props, anatomy, and API references.
Installation Essentials
Quick Install
npm i @heroui/styles @heroui/react tailwind-variants
Framework Setup (Next.js App Router - Recommended)
- Install dependencies:
npm i @heroui/styles @heroui/react tailwind-variants tailwindcss @tailwindcss/postcss postcss
- Create/update
app/globals.css:
@import "tailwindcss";
@import "@heroui/styles";
- Import in
app/layout.tsx:
import "./globals.css";
export default function RootLayout({
children,
}: {
children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
return (
<html lang="en" suppressHydrationWarning>
<body>
{/* No Provider needed in HeroUI v3! */}
{children}
</body>
</html>
);
}
- Configure PostCSS (
postcss.config.mjs):
export default {
plugins: {
"@tailwindcss/postcss": {},
},
};
Critical Setup Requirements
- Tailwind CSS v4 is MANDATORY - HeroUI v3 will NOT work with Tailwind CSS v3
- Use Compound Components - Components use compound structure (e.g.,
Card.Header, Card.Content)
- Use onPress, not onClick - For better accessibility, use
onPress event handlers
- Import Order Matters - Always import Tailwind CSS before HeroUI styles
Component Patterns
All components use the compound pattern shown above (dot-notation subcomponents like Card.Header, Card.Content). Don't flatten to props — always compose with subcomponents. Fetch component docs for complete anatomy and examples.
Semantic Variants
HeroUI uses semantic naming to communicate functional intent:
| Variant | Purpose | Usage |
|---|
primary | Main action to move forward | 1 per context |
secondary | Alternative actions | Multiple |
tertiary | Dismissive actions (cancel, skip) | Sparingly |
danger | Destructive actions | When needed |
ghost | Low-emphasis actions | Minimal weight |
outline | Secondary actions | Bordered style |
Don't use raw colors - semantic variants adapt to themes and accessibility.
Theming
HeroUI v3 uses CSS variables with oklch color space:
:root {
--accent: oklch(0.6204 0.195 253.83);
--accent-foreground: var(--snow);
--background: oklch(0.9702 0 0);
--foreground: var(--eclipse);
}
Get current theme variables:
node scripts/get_theme.mjs
Color naming:
- Without suffix = background (e.g.,
--accent)
- With
-foreground = text color (e.g., --accent-foreground)
Theme switching:
<html class="dark" data-theme="dark"></html>
For detailed theming, fetch: https://heroui.com/docs/react/getting-started/theming.mdx
