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shadcn-vue skill

/skills/shadcn-vue

This skill helps you scaffold and configure shadcn-vue projects with Tailwind, Vite, and TypeScript for accessible UI components.

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---
name: shadcn-vue
description: shadcn-vue for Vue/Nuxt with Reka UI components and Tailwind. Use for accessible UI, Auto Form, data tables, charts, dark mode, MCP server setup, or encountering component imports, Reka UI errors.
---

# shadcn-vue

---

## Quick Start (3 Minutes)

### For Vue Projects (Vite)

#### 1. Initialize shadcn-vue

```bash
npx shadcn-vue@latest init
```

**During initialization**:

- Style: `New York` or `Default` (cannot change later!)
- Base color: `Slate` (recommended)
- CSS variables: `Yes` (required for dark mode)

#### 2. Configure TypeScript Path Aliases

```json
// tsconfig.json
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "baseUrl": ".",
    "paths": {
      "@/*": ["./src/*"]
    }
  }
}
```

#### 3. Configure Vite

```typescript
// vite.config.ts
import { defineConfig } from "vite";
import vue from "@vitejs/plugin-vue";
import tailwindcss from "@tailwindcss/vite"; // Tailwind v4
import path from "path";

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [vue(), tailwindcss()],
  resolve: {
    alias: {
      "@": path.resolve(__dirname, "./src"),
    },
  },
});
```

#### 4. Add Your First Component

```bash
npx shadcn-vue@latest add button
```

---

## Quick Reference

| Need                    | Command or file                                    |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Initialize project      | `npx shadcn-vue@latest init`                       |
| Add component           | `npx shadcn-vue@latest add button`                 |
| Add multiple components | `npx shadcn-vue@latest add button card dialog`     |
| Build registry JSON     | `npx shadcn-vue@latest build`                      |
| Generate component docs | `npx tsx scripts/generate-shadcn-components.ts`    |
| Enable CSS variables    | `components.json` → `tailwind.cssVariables: true`  |
| Add registry namespace  | `components.json` → `registries` map               |
| Opencode MCP init       | `npx shadcn-vue@latest mcp init --client opencode` |
| Codex MCP config        | `~/.codex/config.toml` with `mcp_servers.shadcn`   |

---

## Bundled Resources

**Templates** (`templates/`):

- `quick-setup.ts` - Complete setup guide for Vue/Nuxt with examples (190 lines)

**References** (`references/`):

- `cli.md` - CLI commands and options
- `mcp.md` - MCP setup, client configs, prompts
- `theming.md` - Theming and `cssVariables`
- `error-catalog.md` - All 7 documented issues with solutions (267 lines)
- `component-examples.md` - All 50+ component examples with code
- `dark-mode-setup.md` - Complete dark mode implementation guide
- `data-tables.md` - Data tables with TanStack Table

**Component Documentation** (`components/`):

- `references/components.md` - Index of all shadcn-vue components
- `components/<component>.md` - Individual component documentation with installation, usage, and examples

**Official Documentation**:

- shadcn-vue Docs: https://shadcn-vue.com
- Reka UI Docs: https://reka-ui.com
- GitHub: https://github.com/radix-vue/shadcn-vue

---

## When to Load References

Load these references based on the task:

1. **Load `references/error-catalog.md` when:**
   - User encounters "component not found" or import errors
   - Setup commands fail or configuration issues arise
   - Tailwind CSS variables or TypeScript paths broken
   - **Trigger phrases:** "not working", "error", "fails to", "broken"

2. **Load `references/components.md` when:**
   - User asks what components are available (names, categories, status)
   - User needs to add/use a component and wants the correct install/import paths
   - You need to confirm a component exists before recommending a custom build

3. **Load `references/component-examples.md` when:**
   - User asks "how do I implement [component]?"
   - Need copy-paste examples for specific components
   - Building forms, tables, navigation, or data display
   - **Trigger phrases:** "example", "how to use", "implement", "code sample"

4. **Load `references/cli.md` when:**
   - User asks how to run the CLI (`init`, `add`, `update`) or what prompts mean
   - Need the exact command/flags for installing one or more components
   - Troubleshooting CLI-related issues (registry, paths, overwrites)

5. **Load `references/dark-mode-setup.md` when:**
   - Implementing dark mode / theme switching
   - User mentions Vue 3 + Vite, Nuxt, or Astro setup
   - Need composable patterns for theme management
   - **Trigger phrases:** "dark mode", "theme", "light/dark", "color scheme"

6. **Load `references/theming.md` when:**
   - User wants to customize theme tokens via CSS variables (`cssVariables`, `:root`, `.dark`)
   - Need to wire Tailwind to CSS-variable-based colors and radii
   - Setting up/adjusting design tokens (colors, radius, typography) for shadcn-vue

7. **Load `references/mcp.md` when:**
   - Setting up MCP server for opencode, Codex, Cursor, VS Code
   - Configuring registries in `components.json`
   - Troubleshooting missing components or registry namespaces
   - **Trigger phrases:** "MCP", "opencode", "codex", "cursor", "registry"

8. **Load `references/data-tables.md` when:**
   - Building sortable/filterable/paginated tables
   - User mentions TanStack Table or `DataTable`
   - **Trigger phrases:** "data table", "table", "tanstack", "sorting", "pagination"

---

## Critical Rules

### Always Do

✅ **Run `init` before adding components**

- Creates required configuration and utilities
- Sets up path aliases

✅ **Use CSS variables for theming** (`cssVariables: true`)

- Enables dark mode support
- Flexible theme customization

✅ **Configure TypeScript path aliases**

- Required for component imports
- Must match `components.json` aliases

✅ **Keep components.json in version control**

- Team members need same configuration
- Documents project setup

### Never Do

❌ **Don't change `style` after initialization**

- Requires complete reinstall
- Reinitialize in new directory instead

❌ **Don't mix Radix Vue and Reka UI v2**

- Incompatible component APIs
- Use one or the other

❌ **Don't skip TypeScript configuration**

- Component imports will fail
- IDE autocomplete won't work

❌ **Don't use without Tailwind CSS**

- Components are styled with Tailwind
- Won't render correctly

---

## Common Mistakes

- Running `add` before `init` and missing `components.json`.
- Forgetting to enable the MCP server in the client UI/config.
- Mis-typed registry namespaces (`@namespace/component`).
- Using CSS variable classes without `tailwind.cssVariables: true`.

---

## CLI Commands Reference

### init Command

```bash
# Initialize in current directory
npx shadcn-vue@latest init

# Initialize in specific directory (monorepo)
npx shadcn-vue@latest init -c ./apps/web
```

### add Command

```bash
# Add single component
npx shadcn-vue@latest add button

# Add multiple components
npx shadcn-vue@latest add button card dialog

# Add all components
npx shadcn-vue@latest add --all
```

### diff Command

```bash
# Check for component updates
npx shadcn-vue@latest diff button
```

### mcp Command

```bash
# Initialize MCP for specific client
npx shadcn-vue@latest mcp init --client opencode
npx shadcn-vue@latest mcp init --client codex
npx shadcn-vue@latest mcp init --client cursor
npx shadcn-vue@latest mcp init --client vscode
```

---

## Configuration

shadcn-vue uses `components.json` to configure:

- Component paths (`@/components/ui`)
- Utils location (`@/lib/utils`)
- Tailwind config paths
- TypeScript paths

**Full example:** See `templates/components.json` or generate via `npx shadcn-vue@latest init`

---

## Utils Library

The `@/lib/utils.ts` file provides the `cn()` helper for merging Tailwind classes:

- Combines multiple className strings
- Uses `clsx` + `tailwind-merge` for conflict resolution

**Auto-generated** by `shadcn-vue init` - no manual setup needed.

Overview

This skill provides a practical, ready-to-use setup for shadcn-vue with Reka UI components, Tailwind, and support for Vue/Nuxt projects. It focuses on accessible UI building blocks, theming with CSS variables (including dark mode), auto forms, data tables, charts, and MCP server integration. The skill helps diagnose common import and configuration errors and guides CLI usage for component generation.

How this skill works

The skill inspects project configuration files (components.json, tsconfig.json, tailwind config, and vite/nuxt config) and validates required settings like path aliases and cssVariables. It guides initialization (npx shadcn-vue init), component addition (npx shadcn-vue add ...), MCP setup, and common fixes from the error catalog. It also provides code examples and references for theming, dark mode, data tables, and component usage.

When to use it

  • Starting a new Vue or Nuxt project and adding shadcn-vue components
  • Troubleshooting component import errors, missing TypeScript paths, or Tailwind variables
  • Implementing dark mode and CSS-variable-based theming
  • Setting up MCP servers or client registries for shared components
  • Building forms, data tables, charts, or accessible UI with Reka UI components

Best practices

  • Run npx shadcn-vue@latest init before adding any components to generate components.json and utils
  • Enable cssVariables in components.json to support dark mode and theme tokens
  • Configure TypeScript path aliases (e.g., @/* → ./src/*) to match components.json aliases
  • Keep components.json in version control so the team shares the same registry and paths
  • Do not change the chosen style after init; reinitialize in a new directory if needed

Example use cases

  • Quick start: initialize, configure Vite/Nuxt, then add a Button and Card component
  • Fix import errors by validating tsconfig paths and ensuring Tailwind cssVariables are enabled
  • Enable dark mode using the dark-mode setup guide and CSS variable tokens
  • Set up an MCP client (opencode, codex, cursor, or vscode) to fetch shared components at runtime
  • Build sortable, paginated tables with TanStack Table examples from the data-tables reference

FAQ

What must I run first before adding components?

Always run npx shadcn-vue@latest init to create components.json, path aliases, and utility files.

Why are my component imports failing?

Verify TypeScript path aliases match components.json, Tailwind cssVariables is enabled, and you've not mixed incompatible UI libraries like Radix Vue and Reka UI v2.