svelte-patterns

name: svelte-patterns description: Common Svelte patterns, best practices, and mistakes to avoid

Svelte Patterns and Best Practices

This skill covers common component patterns, frequently made mistakes, best practices, and migration tips for Svelte development.

Component Patterns

Prop Patterns

<!-- Basic props with defaults -->
<script>
let { 
  title = 'Default Title',
  subtitle,
  isActive = false,
  items = []
} = $props();
</script>

<h1>{title}</h1>
{#if subtitle}
  <h2>{subtitle}</h2>
{/if}

<!-- Rest props pattern -->
<script>
let { class: className, ...restProps } = $props();
</script>

<div class="container {className}" {...restProps}>
  <slot />
</div>

Event Handling Patterns

<!-- Custom event callbacks via props -->
<script>
let { 
  onSubmit = () => {},
  onChange = () => {},
  onCancel
} = $props();

let value = $state('');

function handleSubmit(event) {
  event.preventDefault();
  onSubmit(value);
}

function handleChange(event) {
  value = event.target.value;
  onChange(value);
}
</script>

<form onsubmit={handleSubmit}>
  <input type="text" value={value} oninput={handleChange} />
  <button type="submit">Submit</button>
  {#if onCancel}
    <button type="button" onclick={onCancel}>Cancel</button>
  {/if}
</form>

Snippet Pattern (Render Props)

<!-- Parent component -->
<script>
import DataList from './DataList.svelte';

let items = $state([
  { id: 1, name: 'Alice', role: 'Developer' },
  { id: 2, name: 'Bob', role: 'Designer' }
]);
</script>

<DataList {items}>
  {#snippet itemRenderer(item)}
    <div class="user-card">
      <h3>{item.name}</h3>
      <p>{item.role}</p>
    </div>
  {/snippet}
</DataList>

<!-- DataList.svelte -->
<script>
let { items, children } = $props();
</script>

<ul>
  {#each items as item}
    <li>
      {@render children.itemRenderer(item)}
    </li>
  {/each}
</ul>

Context API Pattern

<!-- ThemeProvider.svelte -->
<script>
import { setContext } from 'svelte';

let { children } = $props();
let theme = $state('light');

setContext('theme', {
  get current() { return theme; },
  toggle: () => { theme = theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light'; }
});
</script>

<div class="theme-{theme}">
  {@render children()}
</div>

<!-- ThemeConsumer.svelte -->
<script>
import { getContext } from 'svelte';

const themeContext = getContext('theme');
</script>

<button onclick={themeContext.toggle}>
  Current theme: {themeContext.current}
</button>

Composition Pattern

<!-- useCounter.svelte.js -->
export function useCounter(initialValue = 0) {
  let count = $state(initialValue);
  
  return {
    get value() { return count; },
    increment: () => count++,
    decrement: () => count--,
    reset: () => count = initialValue
  };
}

<!-- Component.svelte -->
<script>
import { useCounter } from './useCounter.svelte.js';

const counter = useCounter(10);
</script>

<p>Count: {counter.value}</p>
<button onclick={counter.increment}>+</button>
<button onclick={counter.decrement}>-</button>
<button onclick={counter.reset}>Reset</button>

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Not Using Runes Properly

<!-- WRONG: Mixing old and new syntax -->
<script>
let count = 0;  // Not reactive in Svelte 5!
$: doubled = count * 2;  // Old syntax

function increment() {
  count += 1;  // Won't trigger reactivity
}
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Use runes -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);
let doubled = $derived(count * 2);

function increment() {
  count += 1;
}
</script>

Mistake 2: Mutating Props Directly

<!-- WRONG: Mutating props -->
<script>
let { user } = $props();

function updateName(newName) {
  user.name = newName;  // Don't mutate props!
}
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Use callbacks -->
<script>
let { user, onUpdateUser } = $props();

function updateName(newName) {
  onUpdateUser({ ...user, name: newName });
}
</script>

Mistake 3: Side Effects in Derived

<!-- WRONG: Side effects in $derived -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);

let doubled = $derived(() => {
  console.log('Calculating doubled');  // Side effect!
  localStorage.setItem('count', count);  // Side effect!
  return count * 2;
});
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Use $effect for side effects -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);
let doubled = $derived(count * 2);

$effect(() => {
  console.log('Count changed to:', count);
  localStorage.setItem('count', count.toString());
});
</script>

Mistake 4: Missing Effect Cleanup

<!-- WRONG: No cleanup -->
<script>
let isActive = $state(false);

$effect(() => {
  if (isActive) {
    const interval = setInterval(() => {
      console.log('tick');
    }, 1000);
    // Missing cleanup! Memory leak!
  }
});
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Return cleanup function -->
<script>
let isActive = $state(false);

$effect(() => {
  if (!isActive) return;
  
  const interval = setInterval(() => {
    console.log('tick');
  }, 1000);
  
  return () => clearInterval(interval);
});
</script>

Mistake 5: Incorrect Reactivity with Objects

<!-- WRONG: Reassigning nested properties -->
<script>
let user = $state({ name: 'Alice', settings: { theme: 'light' } });

function toggleTheme() {
  // This works but creates a new object unnecessarily
  user = { 
    ...user, 
    settings: { ...user.settings, theme: 'dark' } 
  };
}
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Direct mutation with $state -->
<script>
let user = $state({ name: 'Alice', settings: { theme: 'light' } });

function toggleTheme() {
  // $state provides deep reactivity
  user.settings.theme = user.settings.theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
}
</script>

Mistake 6: Overusing Effects

<!-- WRONG: Using effect for derived values -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);
let doubled = $state(0);

$effect(() => {
  doubled = count * 2;  // This should be $derived!
});
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Use $derived -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);
let doubled = $derived(count * 2);
</script>

Mistake 7: Not Handling Async Properly

<!-- WRONG: Race conditions -->
<script>
let searchQuery = $state('');
let results = $state([]);

$effect(() => {
  fetch(`/api/search?q=${searchQuery}`)
    .then(res => res.json())
    .then(data => {
      results = data;  // May set stale results!
    });
});
</script>

<!-- CORRECT: Handle cancellation -->
<script>
let searchQuery = $state('');
let results = $state([]);

$effect(() => {
  const controller = new AbortController();
  
  fetch(`/api/search?q=${searchQuery}`, { signal: controller.signal })
    .then(res => res.json())
    .then(data => results = data)
    .catch(err => {
      if (err.name !== 'AbortError') console.error(err);
    });
  
  return () => controller.abort();
});
</script>

Best Practices

Practice 1: Component Organization

<script>
// 1. Imports
import { getContext } from 'svelte';
import ChildComponent from './ChildComponent.svelte';

// 2. Props
let { title, items = [], onItemClick } = $props();

// 3. Context
const theme = getContext('theme');

// 4. State
let selectedIndex = $state(0);
let isExpanded = $state(false);

// 5. Derived values
let selectedItem = $derived(items[selectedIndex]);
let itemCount = $derived(items.length);

// 6. Effects
$effect(() => {
  console.log('Selected item changed:', selectedItem);
});

// 7. Functions
function handleItemClick(index) {
  selectedIndex = index;
  onItemClick?.(items[index]);
}

function toggleExpanded() {
  isExpanded = !isExpanded;
}
</script>

<!-- 8. Template -->
<div class="component">
  <!-- content -->
</div>

<!-- 9. Styles -->
<style>
  .component {
    /* styles */
  }
</style>

Practice 2: Type Safety with TypeScript

<script lang="ts">
interface User {
  id: number;
  name: string;
  email: string;
}

let { 
  users,
  onUserSelect 
}: { 
  users: User[]; 
  onUserSelect: (user: User) => void;
} = $props();

let selectedUser = $state<User | null>(null);

function selectUser(user: User): void {
  selectedUser = user;
  onUserSelect(user);
}
</script>

Practice 3: Reusable Logic with Modules

// useLocalStorage.svelte.js
export function useLocalStorage(key, initialValue) {
  let value = $state(
    typeof window !== 'undefined' 
      ? JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(key) ?? JSON.stringify(initialValue))
      : initialValue
  );
  
  $effect(() => {
    localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(value));
  });
  
  return {
    get value() { return value; },
    set value(newValue) { value = newValue; }
  };
}

// Component.svelte
<script>
import { useLocalStorage } from './useLocalStorage.svelte.js';

const storage = useLocalStorage('user-preferences', { theme: 'light' });
</script>

<p>Theme: {storage.value.theme}</p>
<button onclick={() => storage.value = { theme: 'dark' }}>
  Change Theme
</button>

Practice 4: Error Boundaries

<!-- ErrorBoundary.svelte -->
<script>
let { children } = $props();
let error = $state(null);

function handleError(event) {
  error = event.error;
  console.error('Caught error:', event.error);
}
</script>

<svelte:window onerror={handleError} />

{#if error}
  <div class="error-boundary">
    <h2>Something went wrong</h2>
    <p>{error.message}</p>
    <button onclick={() => error = null}>Try Again</button>
  </div>
{:else}
  {@render children()}
{/if}

Practice 5: Performance Optimization

<script>
let items = $state([...largeDataset]);

// Memoize expensive computations
let sortedItems = $derived.by(() => {
  console.log('Sorting items...');
  return [...items].sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name));
});

// Virtualization for long lists
let visibleRange = $state({ start: 0, end: 20 });
let visibleItems = $derived(sortedItems.slice(visibleRange.start, visibleRange.end));

function handleScroll(event) {
  const scrollTop = event.target.scrollTop;
  const itemHeight = 50;
  const start = Math.floor(scrollTop / itemHeight);
  visibleRange = { start, end: start + 20 };
}
</script>

<div class="list-container" onscroll={handleScroll}>
  {#each visibleItems as item}
    <div class="item">{item.name}</div>
  {/each}
</div>

Migration Tips

Tip 1: Gradual Migration

<!-- You can mix Svelte 4 and 5 syntax during migration -->
<script>
// Svelte 4 style (still works)
export let legacyProp;

// Svelte 5 style (new code)
let { newProp } = $props();
let count = $state(0);

// Gradually migrate reactive declarations
$: doubled = legacyProp * 2;  // Old
let tripled = $derived(newProp * 3);  // New
</script>

Tip 2: Store Migration

<!-- Before: Using stores -->
<script>
import { writable } from 'svelte/store';

const count = writable(0);

function increment() {
  count.update(n => n + 1);
}
</script>

<p>{$count}</p>

<!-- After: Using runes -->
<script>
let count = $state(0);

function increment() {
  count += 1;
}
</script>

<p>{count}</p>

Tip 3: Reactive Statement Migration

<!-- Before -->
<script>
let firstName = '';
let lastName = '';
$: fullName = `${firstName} ${lastName}`;
$: console.log('Name changed:', fullName);
</script>

<!-- After -->
<script>
let firstName = $state('');
let lastName = $state('');
let fullName = $derived(`${firstName} ${lastName}`);

$effect(() => {
  console.log('Name changed:', fullName);
});
</script>

Tip 4: Component Events Migration

<!-- Before: createEventDispatcher -->
<script>
import { createEventDispatcher } from 'svelte';

const dispatch = createEventDispatcher();

function handleClick() {
  dispatch('click', { data: 'value' });
}
</script>

<!-- After: Callback props -->
<script>
let { onClick = () => {} } = $props();

function handleClick() {
  onClick({ data: 'value' });
}
</script>

Tip 5: Two-way Binding Migration

<!-- Before: bind directive -->
<script>
export let value;
</script>

<input bind:value />

<!-- After: Explicit binding with snippets -->
<script>
let { value, onValueChange } = $props();
</script>

<input 
  value={value} 
  oninput={(e) => onValueChange(e.target.value)} 
/>

Testing Patterns

// Component.test.js
import { render, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/svelte';
import Component from './Component.svelte';

test('increments counter', async () => {
  const { getByText } = render(Component);
  
  const button = getByText('Increment');
  await fireEvent.click(button);
  
  expect(getByText('Count: 1')).toBeInTheDocument();
});

test('calls callback on submit', async () => {
  const handleSubmit = vi.fn();
  const { getByText } = render(Component, { onSubmit: handleSubmit });
  
  const submitButton = getByText('Submit');
  await fireEvent.click(submitButton);
  
  expect(handleSubmit).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
});

This skill provides comprehensive patterns and practices for building robust Svelte applications.