| name | manage-components |
| description | Create or update a Kendo UI component across kendo-themes packages. For new components, scaffolds core skeleton with null variables, theme overrides for targeted themes, HTML spec, templates, visual tests, and unit tests. For existing components, audits the current state, produces a change plan, and applies SCSS variable changes, layout/theme updates, HTML spec modifications, and test additions. Use this skill when the user wants to add a new component, update a component's design, change styling values, add new states or options, or align a component with design assets. |
| argument-hint | [component-name] e.g. chip, button, info-bar |
| metadata | {"internal":true} |
Component
Create or update a Kendo UI component across the monorepo.
Read ../_shared/component-context.md for naming conventions, theme paths, and common gotchas.
When to use
- New component — "add an InfoBar component", "create SCSS and HTML for a Rating"
- Update component — "update the chip based on this design", "change button padding", "add a
warning state to badge"
- Partial update — "just update the chip variables in default and fluent"
For individual sub-tasks without the full orchestration, use the sub-skills directly: scss-variables, scss-styles, html-spec, html-template, html-test, html-a11y.
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|
| Component name | Yes | kebab-case (e.g., chip, info-bar, smart-badge) |
| Operation | No | create or update. Inferred from whether the component exists. |
| Target themes | No | all or a list like default, fluent. Default: all for new, ask for updates. |
| Assets / design reference | For updates | Figma link, image, design tokens, or text description of changes |
| Description | For new | One sentence describing what the component does |
| Dependencies | No | Other components this depends on (e.g., icon, button) |
| HTML element | No | Root HTML element (div, span, button, nav). Default: div |
| Has size | No | Whether component supports sm/md/lg sizes. Default: true |
| Has theme color | No | Whether component supports theme colors. Default: false |
| Key variables | No | e.g., bg, text, border, padding, font-size |
| States | No | e.g., hover, focus, active, disabled, selected |
| Options | No | e.g., size, fillMode, themeColor, rounded |
| Scope | No | For updates: variables, layout, theme, html, , or . Default: |
Procedure — New Component
Step 1: Derive naming constants
Use the naming derivation table from ../_shared/component-context.md.
Step 2: Research a reference component
Find an existing component of similar complexity in packages/core/scss/components/. See reference component guidance in ../_shared/component-context.md.
If the user doesn't specify variables/states/options, use reasonable defaults based on the reference.
Step 3: Create SCSS variables
Use the manage-scss-variables skill to create variables in core (null !default) and all targeted themes (concrete values + @forward maps).
Step 4: Create SCSS styles, module, and register
Use the manage-scss-styles skill to:
- Create layout and theme mixins in core and targeted themes
- Create
_index.scss in each targeted theme
- Register the component in each theme's
index.scss
Step 5: Create HTML spec
Use the manage-html-specs skill to create constants.ts, {component}.spec.tsx, and index.ts.
Step 6: Create HTML templates
Use the manage-html-templates skill to create at least one default template.
Step 7: Create visual tests
Use the manage-html-tests skill to create test files covering default, states, sizes, and fill modes as applicable.
Step 8: Create unit test
Create units/default/{component}.test.ts using the template from ../_shared/file-templates.md.
Step 9: Validate
Run the validation steps from ../_shared/component-context.md.
Procedure — Update Component
Step 1: Derive naming constants
Use the naming derivation table from ../_shared/component-context.md.
Step 2: Audit the current state
Read and catalog the component's current implementation across all targeted packages:
| File | Path | Purpose |
|---|
| Core variables | packages/core/scss/components/{component}/_variables.scss | Null declarations — source of truth |
| Core layout | packages/core/scss/components/{component}/_layout.scss | Structural mixin |
| Core theme | packages/core/scss/components/{component}/_theme.scss | Visual mixin |
| Theme variables | packages/{theme}/scss/{component}/_variables.scss | Concrete values + @forward map |
| Theme layout/theme | packages/{theme}/scss/{component}/_layout.scss, _theme.scss | Theme-specific overrides |
| Theme index | packages/{theme}/scss/{component}/_index.scss | Entry point and dependencies |
| HTML spec | packages/html/src/{component}/{component}.spec.tsx | States, options, render function |
| HTML templates | packages/html/src/{component}/templates/*.tsx | Template variants |
| HTML tests | packages/html/src/{component}/tests/*.tsx | Visual test scenarios |
Extract: variable inventory, states, options, CSS classes, dependencies.
Step 3: Analyze design assets and produce change plan
Compare assets against current state. Categorize each change:
| Change type | Example | Affected files |
|---|
| New variable | Add $kendo-chip-gap | Core + theme _variables.scss, @forward map |
| Value change | padding k-spacing(2) → k-spacing(3) | Theme _variables.scss only |
| New state | Add selected | Core _theme.scss, HTML spec, test file |
| New option | Add size: 'xlarge' | Core + theme _variables.scss, HTML spec, test file |
| Layout change | inline-flex → flex | Core _layout.scss |
| Visual change | Add box-shadow on focus | Core _theme.scss, theme variables |
| HTML structure | Add wrapper element | HTML spec, templates, tests |
Step 4: Present the change plan
Present the plan and wait for user confirmation before editing:
## Change Plan: {component}
### Target themes: {theme list}
### Changes:
1. **[Type]** — {description}
- Files: {list}
- Details: {edits}
### Summary: Variables +N/~N/-N, Files modified N, Files created N
Step 5: Apply variable changes
Use the manage-scss-variables skill. Follow the checklist in references/update-checklist.md.
Step 6: Apply style and module changes
Use the manage-scss-styles skill for layout, theme, and _index.scss changes.
Step 7: Apply HTML spec changes
Use the manage-html-specs skill for structure, state, or option changes.
Step 8: Update or add templates
Use the manage-html-templates skill for new or modified template variants.
Step 9: Update or add visual tests
Use the manage-html-tests skill to ensure coverage for every visible change.
Step 10: Validate
Run the validation steps from ../_shared/component-context.md.
Step 11: Report
| Metric | Count |
|---|
| Themes updated | N |
| Variables added / changed / removed | N / N / N |
| Core files modified | N |
| Theme files modified | N |
| HTML files modified | N |
| Test files added/modified | N |
| SCSS compilation | PASS/FAIL |
| TypeScript check | PASS/FAIL |
Gotchas
See shared gotchas in ../_shared/component-context.md. Additionally:
- New components: register the component in
packages/{theme}/scss/index.scss, preserving existing dependency/import order (do not alphabetize). packages/{theme}/scss/all.scss is just a wrapper. When target themes is not all, always create core and HTML files regardless.
- Updates — audit first: never assume the current state. Read the files first; components vary in complexity.
- Don't touch themes the user didn't ask for — if they said "update default and fluent", leave the rest alone.
- Preserve existing variable order — add new variables near related ones.
- Check calc/derived variables — some variables depend on others. Changing a base may require updating derived ones.
- HTML spec changes cascade — changing the render function affects all templates and tests.
- Don't remove variables without deprecation — confirm breaking change with user first.
