component-api-design

name	component-api-design
description	Designing component APIs, prop interfaces, and developer experience for design systems.
triggers	["component API","prop design","developer experience"]

Component API Design

Principles

1. Consistent naming: Same prop name means same thing across components
2. Sensible defaults: Most common use case needs zero props
3. Composition over config: Prefer children/slots over massive prop objects
4. Type safety: TypeScript interfaces for all props
5. Documentation: Every prop has a description and example

Naming Conventions

Prop	Type	Convention
variant	string union	'primary','secondary','ghost'
size	string union	'sm','md','lg'
disabled	boolean	true/false
onAction	function	on + PascalCase event
className	string	Custom CSS classes
children	ReactNode	Component content
asChild	boolean	Render as child element

Anti-Patterns

• Boolean props that control unrelated things
• Props that conflict with each other
• More than 10-12 props (component does too much)
• String props where a union type would be safer