sveltekit-app

name	sveltekit-app
description	SvelteKit playbook — routing, load functions, form actions, runes-based state, adapters, and testing. A defensible deviation when bundle size and authoring ergonomics are the priority. Use when the team picks Svelte.
origin	Centra AI

SvelteKit App Playbook

A defensible deviation in the stack doctrine (see rules/stack-selection/frontend.md). SvelteKit is a strong pick when small bundles and authoring ergonomics are the priority and the team is fluent in Svelte: minimal runtime, minimal boilerplate, compiler-driven reactivity. State the reason in the SDR (bundle budget, team fluency) rather than picking it by taste.

Use when: content or app-shaped surfaces where you want SPA-grade interactivity at a fraction of the JS, and the team knows Svelte.

Init

npx sv create my-app        # modern Svelte CLI; pick SvelteKit, TS, Vitest, Playwright
cd my-app
npm run dev

Idiomatic structure

src/
  routes/
    +layout.svelte          # shared shell
    +page.svelte            # UI for a route
    +page.ts                # universal load (runs server + client)
    +page.server.ts         # server-only load + form actions
    +server.ts              # API endpoints (GET/POST → JSON)
  lib/
    server/                 # server-only modules ($lib/server, never client-imported)
    components/
  app.html                  # document shell

Filenames are the API: +page, +layout, +server, with .server.ts for server-only.

Load functions and form actions

// +page.server.ts
export async function load({ locals }) {
  return { items: await locals.db.items.list() };
}

export const actions = {
  create: async ({ request, locals }) => {
    const form = await request.formData();
    await locals.db.items.create(String(form.get("name")));
    return { success: true };
  },
};

<!-- +page.svelte -->
<script>
  export let data;                 // from load()
  import { enhance } from "$app/forms";
</script>
{#each data.items as item}<li>{item.name}</li>{/each}
<form method="POST" action="?/create" use:enhance>
  <input name="name" />
</form>

use:enhance gives progressive-enhancement form submits (works without JS, upgrades with it). Endpoints in +server.ts for JSON APIs.

State: runes (Svelte 5)

<script>
  let count = $state(0);
  let doubled = $derived(count * 2);
  $effect(() => console.log(count));
</script>

Use $state/$derived/$effect runes in new code. Stores ($lib/stores) remain fine for cross-component shared state.

Testing

• Unit/component: Vitest + @testing-library/svelte.
• E2E: Playwright (npm run test:e2e).
• Load functions are plain functions — test them directly.

Build, adapters, deploy

npm run build
npm run preview

The adapter decides the output target — pick it deliberately:

• @sveltejs/adapter-node — long-running Node server (SSR); the Railway default.
• @sveltejs/adapter-static — prerender a fully static site.
• adapter-auto — detects supported platforms; fine locally, be explicit in production.

On Railway with adapter-node the detected start is node build; set PORT/secrets via env — see the railway-deploy skill.

Common pitfalls

• Importing $lib/server/* into client code — build error / secret leak.
• Fetching in onMount instead of a load function — loses SSR and typed data.
• Leaving adapter-auto in production when the target is known — pin the adapter.
• Mixing legacy export let reactivity with runes inconsistently — commit to runes in new components.