---
name: solidjs
description: |
SolidJS framework development skill for building reactive web applications with fine-grained reactivity.
Use when working with SolidJS projects including: (1) Creating components with signals, stores, and effects,
(2) Implementing reactive state management, (3) Using control flow components (Show, For, Switch/Match),
(4) Setting up routing with Solid Router, (5) Building full-stack apps with SolidStart,
(6) Data fetching with createResource, (7) Context API for shared state, (8) SSR/SSG configuration.
Triggers: solid, solidjs, solid-js, solid start, solidstart, createSignal, createStore, createEffect.
---
# SolidJS Development
SolidJS is a declarative JavaScript library for building user interfaces with fine-grained reactivity. Unlike virtual DOM frameworks, Solid compiles templates to real DOM nodes and updates them with fine-grained reactions.
## Core Principles
1. **Components run once** — Component functions execute only during initialization, not on every update
2. **Fine-grained reactivity** — Only the specific DOM nodes that depend on changed data update
3. **No virtual DOM** — Direct DOM manipulation via compiled templates
4. **Signals are functions** — Access values by calling: `count()` not `count`
## Reactivity Primitives
### Signals — Basic State
```tsx
import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0);
// Read value (getter)
console.log(count()); // 0
// Update value (setter)
setCount(1);
setCount(prev => prev + 1); // Functional update
```
**Options:**
```tsx
const [value, setValue] = createSignal(initialValue, {
equals: false, // Always trigger updates, even if value unchanged
name: "debugName" // For devtools
});
```
### Effects — Side Effects
```tsx
import { createEffect } from "solid-js";
createEffect(() => {
console.log("Count changed:", count());
// Runs after render, re-runs when dependencies change
});
```
**Key behaviors:**
- Initial run: after render, before browser paint
- Subsequent runs: when tracked dependencies change
- Never runs during SSR or hydration
- Use `onCleanup` for cleanup logic
### Memos — Derived/Cached Values
```tsx
import { createMemo } from "solid-js";
const doubled = createMemo(() => count() * 2);
// Access like signal
console.log(doubled()); // Cached, only recalculates when count changes
```
Use memos when:
- Derived value is expensive to compute
- Derived value is accessed multiple times
- You want to prevent downstream updates when result unchanged
### Resources — Async Data
```tsx
import { createResource } from "solid-js";
const [user, { mutate, refetch }] = createResource(userId, fetchUser);
// In JSX
}>
{user()?.name}
// Resource properties
user.loading // boolean
user.error // error if failed
user.state // "unresolved" | "pending" | "ready" | "refreshing" | "errored"
user.latest // last successful value
```
## Stores — Complex State
For nested objects/arrays with fine-grained updates:
```tsx
import { createStore } from "solid-js/store";
const [state, setState] = createStore({
user: { name: "John", age: 30 },
todos: []
});
// Path syntax updates
setState("user", "name", "Jane");
setState("todos", todos => [...todos, newTodo]);
setState("todos", 0, "completed", true);
// Produce for immer-like updates
import { produce } from "solid-js/store";
setState(produce(s => {
s.user.age++;
s.todos.push(newTodo);
}));
```
**Store utilities:**
- `produce` — Immer-like mutations
- `reconcile` — Diff and patch data (for API responses)
- `unwrap` — Get raw non-reactive object
## Components
### Basic Component
```tsx
import { Component } from "solid-js";
const MyComponent: Component<{ name: string }> = (props) => {
return
Hello, {props.name}
;
};
```
### Props Handling
```tsx
import { splitProps, mergeProps } from "solid-js";
// Default props
const merged = mergeProps({ size: "medium" }, props);
// Split props (for spreading)
const [local, others] = splitProps(props, ["class", "onClick"]);
return ;
```
**Props rules:**
- Props are reactive getters — don't destructure at top level
- Use `props.value` in JSX, not `const { value } = props`
### Children Helper
```tsx
import { children } from "solid-js";
const Wrapper: Component = (props) => {
const resolved = children(() => props.children);
createEffect(() => {
console.log("Children:", resolved());
});
return
{resolved()}
;
};
```
## Control Flow Components
### Show — Conditional Rendering
```tsx
import { Show } from "solid-js";
}>
{(user) => }
```
### For — List Rendering (keyed by reference)
```tsx
import { For } from "solid-js";
}>
{(item, index) => (
{index()}: {item.name}
)}
```
**Note:** `index` is a signal, `item` is the value.
### Index — List Rendering (keyed by index)
```tsx
import { Index } from "solid-js";
{(item, index) => (
)}
```
**Note:** `item` is a signal, `index` is the value. Better for primitive arrays or inputs.
### Switch/Match — Multiple Conditions
```tsx
import { Switch, Match } from "solid-js";
}>
```
### Dynamic — Dynamic Component
```tsx
import { Dynamic } from "solid-js/web";
```
### Portal — Render Outside DOM Hierarchy
```tsx
import { Portal } from "solid-js/web";
```
### ErrorBoundary — Error Handling
```tsx
import { ErrorBoundary } from "solid-js";
(
Error: {err.message}
)}>
```
### Suspense — Async Loading
```tsx
import { Suspense } from "solid-js";
}>
```
## Context API
```tsx
import { createContext, useContext } from "solid-js";
// Create context
const CounterContext = createContext<{
count: () => number;
increment: () => void;
}>();
// Provider component
export function CounterProvider(props) {
const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0);
return (
setCount(c => c + 1)
}}>
{props.children}
);
}
// Consumer hook
export function useCounter() {
const ctx = useContext(CounterContext);
if (!ctx) throw new Error("useCounter must be used within CounterProvider");
return ctx;
}
```
## Lifecycle
```tsx
import { onMount, onCleanup } from "solid-js";
function MyComponent() {
onMount(() => {
console.log("Mounted");
const handler = () => {};
window.addEventListener("resize", handler);
onCleanup(() => {
window.removeEventListener("resize", handler);
});
});
return
Content
;
}
```
## Refs
```tsx
let inputRef: HTMLInputElement;
{ /* el is the DOM element */ }} />
```
## Event Handling
```tsx
// Standard events (lowercase)
// Delegated events (on:)
// Native events (on:) - not delegated
```
## Common Patterns
### Conditional Classes
```tsx
import { clsx } from "clsx"; // or classList
```
### Batch Updates
```tsx
import { batch } from "solid-js";
batch(() => {
setName("John");
setAge(30);
// Effects run once after batch completes
});
```
### Untrack
```tsx
import { untrack } from "solid-js";
createEffect(() => {
console.log(count()); // tracked
console.log(untrack(() => other())); // not tracked
});
```
## TypeScript
```tsx
import type { Component, ParentComponent, JSX } from "solid-js";
// Basic component
const Button: Component<{ label: string }> = (props) => (
);
// With children
const Layout: ParentComponent<{ title: string }> = (props) => (
{props.title}
{props.children}
);
// Event handler types
const handleClick: JSX.EventHandler = (e) => {
console.log(e.currentTarget);
};
```
## Project Setup
```bash
# Create new project
npm create solid@latest my-app
# With template
npx degit solidjs/templates/ts my-app
# SolidStart
npm create solid@latest my-app -- --template solidstart
```
**vite.config.ts:**
```ts
import { defineConfig } from "vite";
import solid from "vite-plugin-solid";
export default defineConfig({
plugins: [solid()]
});
```
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
1. **Destructuring props** — Breaks reactivity
```tsx
// ❌ Bad
const { name } = props;
// ✅ Good
props.name
```
2. **Accessing signals outside tracking scope**
```tsx
// ❌ Won't update
console.log(count());
// ✅ Will update
createEffect(() => console.log(count()));
```
3. **Forgetting to call signal getters**
```tsx
// ❌ Passes the function
{count}
// ✅ Passes the value
{count()}
```
4. **Using array index as key** — Use `` for reference-keyed, `` for index-keyed
5. **Side effects during render** — Use `createEffect` or `onMount`