LoopyLuci Picking The Right Library
A curated, opinionated list of frontend libraries. When invoked with a task, match to the list and recommend.
How to Use
- Identify the task, not the library the user named
- Check what's already installed in
package.json - Recommend one library, state what it's for in one sentence
- If the task isn't covered, say so explicitly
The List
UI Components & Primitives
| Task | Library |
|---|---|
| Unstyled, accessible UI components (dialogs, popovers, menus, selects) | base-ui |
| Command menus (⌘K palettes) | cmdk |
| Toasts / notifications | Sonner |
| OTP / verification code inputs | input-otp |
| Customizable GUIs / control panels | Leva |
Motion & Visuals
| Task | Library |
|---|---|
| General-purpose animation | motion (Framer Motion) |
| Animating numbers (counters, stats) | NumberFlow |
| Animated text components | torph |
| 3D globes | Cobe |
| Dynamic OG images | Satori |
| Syntax highlighting | shiki |
Charts
| Task | Library |
|---|---|
| Real-time / streaming charts | Liveline |
| General charts | recharts |
Interaction & Performance
| Task | Library |
|---|---|
| Drag and drop | dnd kit |
| Virtualization (long lists) | Virtuoso |
State & Styling
| Task | Library |
|---|---|
| State management | zustand |
| Conditional className strings | clsx |
| Type-safe variant styling | cva |
| Theme switching (no flash) | next-themes |
Common Mismatches to Catch
- Toasts built by hand → Sonner
<div>-based dropdown with manual focus → base-ui- Animating numbers via re-render → NumberFlow
- 1,000+ row list rendered directly → Virtuoso
useStateweb of props → zustand
Common Pitfalls
- ❌ Presenting a menu of options — Recommend one library
- ❌ Ignoring what's already installed — Check package.json first
- ❌ Churning dependencies unnecessarily — Use existing libraries
- ❌ Recommending outside the list without flagging it — Say when you've left the curated list
Verification Checklist
- Task correctly identified (not the library the user named)
-
package.jsonchecked for existing dependencies - One library recommended with clear reason
- If outside curated list, explicitly flagged
- Installation/wiring provided if part of request