Gluestack UI v4 Design Patterns

This skill enforces constrained, opinionated styling patterns for gluestack-ui v4 that reduce decision fatigue, improve performance, enable consistent theming, and limit the solution space to canonical patterns.

Core Principles

1. Gluestack components over React Native primitives – Gluestack wraps RN with theming, accessibility, and cross-platform consistency
2. Component props over className utilities – Use built-in props (size, variant, space) instead of className when available
3. Semantic tokens ONLY – NO EXCEPTIONS – NEVER use generic tokens (typography-*, neutral-*, gray-*) or numbered colors (red-500, blue-600). ONLY use semantic tokens (text-foreground, bg-primary, border-border, etc.) with optional alpha values
4. className over inline styles – Inline styles bypass optimization and consistency
5. Spacing scale over pixel values – Arbitrary values create unsustainable exceptions
6. Copy-paste philosophy – Components are copied into your codebase, not installed as dependencies
7. Composable sub-components – Use compound component patterns for flexibility
8. Remove dead code – Unused patterns mislead AI and increase cognitive load

When to Use This Skill

• Creating new components with styling
• Reviewing existing component styles
• Refactoring styles to follow the design system
• Fixing styling inconsistencies
• Adding dark mode support
• Theming components
• Copying components from gluestack-ui into your project

Before using any component, always verify the latest usage patterns at https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs/components/${componentName}/

Sub-Skills Organization

This skill is organized into specialized sub-skills for better token efficiency:

1. gluestack-ui-v4:setup

Use for: Initial project setup, installation, configuration, adding components

Covers:

• Using the official CLI (npx gluestack-ui@alpha init -y and npx gluestack-ui@alpha add --all -y)
• Project initialization for Expo, React Native CLI, and Next.js
• Dependency management
• Configuration files (tailwind, metro, babel, etc.)
• GluestackUIProvider setup
• Adding individual components
• Troubleshooting setup issues

Invoke when: Setting up gluestack-ui in a new or existing project, adding components via CLI, or troubleshooting installation issues

2. gluestack-ui-v4:creating-components

Use for: Step-by-step component creation, templates, recipes

Covers:

• Component creation workflow
• 6 ready-to-use templates (simple, variants, compound, form, interactive, loading)
• Common component recipes (profile cards, badges, search, lists)
• Best practices checklist
• Quick start guide

Invoke when: Creating new components from scratch or need component templates

3. gluestack-ui-v4:components

Use for: Component usage, compound patterns, icons, provider setup

Covers:

• Using Gluestack components over React Native primitives
• Component props vs className utilities
• Compound component patterns (Input, Button, FormControl, etc.)
• Icon usage hierarchy
• Provider setup

Invoke when: Working with component structure, props, and composition

4. gluestack-ui-v4:styling

Use for: Colors, spacing, dark mode, variants, className

Covers:

• Semantic color tokens
• Spacing scale adherence
• Dark mode with CSS variables
• Variant-based styling with tva
• className merging

Invoke when: Styling components, theming, or working with colors and spacing

5. gluestack-ui-v4:variants

Use for: Creating custom variants for components, extending design system

Covers:

• When and how to create variants
• Using tva for variant management
• Extending existing Gluestack components
• Parent-child variant relationships
• Compound variants for complex combinations
• Common variant patterns (badges, alerts, cards)
• Converting repeated styles to variants

Invoke when: Need to create custom variants for components, extend component styling options, or standardize repeated style patterns

6. gluestack-ui-v4:performance

Use for: Cross-platform, performance optimization, best practices

Covers:

• Cross-platform rendering (Native & Web)
• TypeScript usage
• Component memoization
• Animations with Reanimated
• Safe area handling
• FlatList for lists
• Platform-specific code

Invoke when: Optimizing performance, ensuring cross-platform compatibility, or following React Native best practices

7. gluestack-ui-v4:validation

Use for: Code review, anti-patterns, validation checklist

Covers:

• Complete validation checklist
• Anti-patterns to avoid
• Common mistakes
• Escalation guidance

Invoke when: Reviewing code, validating implementation, or checking for anti-patterns

Quick Reference

Resolution Hierarchy (in order of preference)

1. Component props – Use built-in props (size, variant, space)
2. className utilities – Use existing Tailwind/NativeWind classes
3. Gluestack component variants – Use built-in component variants
4. tva (Tailwind Variant Authority) – Create reusable variant patterns
5. NativeWind interop – Enable className on third-party components
6. Inline styles – Only as absolute last resort with documented justification

Common Patterns

// Component usage with props
<VStack space="lg" className="p-4">
  <Heading size="xl" bold>Title</Heading>
  <Text size="md" className="text-muted-foreground">Description</Text>
</VStack>

// Button with compound components
<Button variant="outline" size="lg">
  <ButtonText>Click Me</ButtonText>
  <ButtonIcon as={ChevronRightIcon} />
</Button>

// Input with icon (InputIcon MUST be in InputSlot)
<Input>
  <InputSlot>
    <InputIcon as={MailIcon} className="text-muted-foreground" />
  </InputSlot>
  <InputField placeholder="Enter email" />
</Input>

// Semantic color tokens
<Box className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
  <Text className="text-foreground">Content</Text>
</Box>

Key Rules Summary

1. Always use Gluestack components instead of React Native primitives
2. Use component props (space, size, variant) instead of className when available
3. CRITICAL: ONLY semantic tokens for colors – NEVER use typography-*, neutral-*, gray-*, slate-*, or numbered colors (red-500, blue-600). ONLY use semantic tokens: text-foreground, text-muted-foreground, bg-primary, bg-card, border-border, etc. with optional alpha values (/70, /90)
4. No inline styles unless absolutely necessary
5. Follow spacing scale (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) – no arbitrary values
6. Compound components required – ButtonText, InputSlot, FormControlLabel, etc.
7. InputIcon MUST be wrapped in InputSlot – this is critical
8. Use tva for variants when creating custom components with multiple styles
9. Dark mode with dark: prefix – uses CSS variables
10. Cross-platform compatible – use Gluestack wrappers, not direct React Native imports

Reference Documentation

IMPORTANT: Always verify component usage and patterns in the official v4 documentation before using components.

• Component Docs: https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs/components/${componentName}/
• Complete Documentation: https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs
• Import Path: @/components/ui/${componentName}

How to Use Sub-Skills

When working on specific tasks, invoke the appropriate sub-skill for detailed guidance:

• Setting up gluestack-ui or adding components? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:setup
• Creating a new component? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:creating-components
• Component structure questions? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:components
• Styling and theming questions? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:styling
• Creating or extending component variants? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:variants
• Performance or cross-platform questions? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:performance
• Need to validate or review code? → Use gluestack-ui-v4:validation

Each sub-skill provides focused, detailed guidance on its specific domain while maintaining consistency with these core principles.