akarachen HeroUI v3 React Development Guide
HeroUI v3 is a component library built on Tailwind CSS v4 and React Aria Components, providing accessible, customizable UI components for React applications.
Installation
curl -fsSL https://v3.heroui.com/install | bash -s heroui-react
CRITICAL: v3 Only - Ignore v2 Knowledge
This guide is for HeroUI v3 ONLY. Do NOT apply v2 patterns — the provider, styling, and component API all changed:
| Feature | v2 (DO NOT USE) | v3 (USE THIS) |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | <HeroUIProvider> required |
No Provider needed |
| Animations | framer-motion package |
CSS-based, no extra deps |
| Component API | Flat props: <Card title="x"> |
Compound: <Card><Card.Header> |
| Styling | Tailwind v3 + @heroui/theme |
Tailwind v4 + @heroui/styles@beta |
| Packages | @heroui/system, @heroui/theme |
@heroui/react@beta, @heroui/styles@beta |
// DO NOT DO THIS - v2 pattern
import { HeroUIProvider } from "@heroui/react";
import { motion } from "framer-motion";
<HeroUIProvider>
<Card title="Product" description="A great product" />
</HeroUIProvider>;
CORRECT (v3 patterns)
// DO THIS - v3 pattern (no provider, compound components)
import { Card } from "@heroui/react";
<Card>
<Card.Header>
<Card.Title>Product</Card.Title>
<Card.Description>A great product</Card.Description>
</Card.Header>
</Card>;
Always fetch v3 docs before implementing.
Core Principles
- Semantic variants (
primary,secondary,tertiary) over visual descriptions - Composition over configuration (compound components)
- CSS variable-based theming with
oklchcolor space - BEM naming convention for predictable styling
Accessing Documentation & Component Information
For component details, examples, props, and implementation patterns, always fetch documentation:
Using Scripts
# List all available components
node scripts/list_components.mjs
# Get component documentation (MDX)
node scripts/get_component_docs.mjs Button
node scripts/get_component_docs.mjs Button Card TextField
# Get component source code
node scripts/get_source.mjs Button
# Get component CSS styles (BEM classes)
node scripts/get_styles.mjs Button
# Get theme variables
node scripts/get_theme.mjs
# Get non-component docs (guides, releases)
node scripts/get_docs.mjs /docs/react/getting-started/theming
Direct MDX URLs
Component docs: https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/components/{component-name}.mdx
Examples:
- Button:
https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/components/button.mdx - Modal:
https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/components/modal.mdx - Form:
https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/components/form.mdx
Getting started guides: https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/getting-started/{topic}.mdx
Important: Always fetch component docs before implementing. The MDX docs include complete examples, props, anatomy, and API references.
Installation Essentials
CRITICAL: HeroUI v3 is currently in BETA. Always use @beta tag when installing packages.
Quick Install
npm i @heroui/styles@beta @heroui/react@beta tailwind-variants
Framework Setup (Next.js App Router - Recommended)
- Install dependencies:
npm i @heroui/styles@beta @heroui/react@beta tailwind-variants tailwindcss @tailwindcss/postcss postcss
- Create/update
app/globals.css:
/* Tailwind CSS v4 - Must be first */
@import "tailwindcss";
/* HeroUI v3 styles - Must be after Tailwind */
@import "@heroui/styles";
- Import in
app/layout.tsx:
import "./globals.css";
export default function RootLayout({
children,
}: {
children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
return (
<html lang="en" suppressHydrationWarning>
<body>
{/* No Provider needed in HeroUI v3! */}
{children}
</body>
</html>
);
}
- Configure PostCSS (
postcss.config.mjs):
export default {
plugins: {
"@tailwindcss/postcss": {},
},
};
Critical Setup Requirements
- Tailwind CSS v4 is MANDATORY - HeroUI v3 will NOT work with Tailwind CSS v3
- Use Compound Components - Components use compound structure (e.g.,
Card.Header,Card.Content) - Use onPress, not onClick - For better accessibility, use
onPressevent handlers - Import Order Matters - Always import Tailwind CSS before HeroUI styles
Component Patterns
All components use the compound pattern shown above (dot-notation subcomponents like Card.Header, Card.Content). Don't flatten to props — always compose with subcomponents. Fetch component docs for complete anatomy and examples.
Semantic Variants
HeroUI uses semantic naming to communicate functional intent:
| Variant | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
primary |
Main action to move forward | 1 per context |
secondary |
Alternative actions | Multiple |
tertiary |
Dismissive actions (cancel, skip) | Sparingly |
danger |
Destructive actions | When needed |
ghost |
Low-emphasis actions | Minimal weight |
outline |
Secondary actions | Bordered style |
Don't use raw colors - semantic variants adapt to themes and accessibility.
Theming
HeroUI v3 uses CSS variables with oklch color space:
:root {
--accent: oklch(0.6204 0.195 253.83);
--accent-foreground: var(--snow);
--background: oklch(0.9702 0 0);
--foreground: var(--eclipse);
}
Get current theme variables:
node scripts/get_theme.mjs
Color naming:
- Without suffix = background (e.g.,
--accent) - With
-foreground= text color (e.g.,--accent-foreground)
Theme switching:
<html class="dark" data-theme="dark"></html>
For detailed theming, fetch: https://v3.heroui.com/docs/react/getting-started/theming.mdx