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Vue Best Practices Workflow ​

Use this skill as an instruction set. Follow the workflow in order unless the user explicitly asks for a different order.

Core Principles ​

  • Keep state predictable: one source of truth, derive everything else.
  • Make data flow explicit: Props down, Events up for most cases.
  • Favor small, focused components: easier to test, reuse, and maintain.
  • Avoid unnecessary re-renders: use computed properties and watchers wisely.
  • Readability counts: write clear, self-documenting code.

1) Confirm architecture before coding (required) ​

  • Default stack: Vue 3 + Composition API + <script setup lang="ts">.
  • If the project explicitly uses JSX, load vue-jsx-best-practices skill if available.
  • If the project is not Nuxt based, use this target architecture references/feod-architecture.md

1.1 Must-read core references (required) ​

  • Before implementing any Vue task, make sure to read and apply these core references:
    • references/reactivity.md
    • references/sfc.md
    • references/component-data-flow.md
    • references/composables.md
  • Keep these references in active working context for the entire task, not only when a specific issue appears.

1.2 Plan component boundaries before coding (required) ​

Create a brief component map before implementation for any non-trivial feature.

  • Define each component's single responsibility in one sentence.
  • Keep entry/root and route-level view components as composition surfaces by default.
  • Move feature UI and feature logic out of entry/root/view components unless the task is intentionally a tiny single-file demo.
  • Define props/emits contracts for each child component in the map.
  • Prefer a feature folder layout (components/<feature>/..., composables/use<Feature>.ts) when adding more than one component.

2) Apply essential Vue foundations (required) ​

These are essential, must-know foundations. Apply all of them in every Vue task using the core references already loaded in section 1.1.

Reactivity ​

  • Must-read reference from 1.1: reactivity
  • Keep source state minimal (ref/reactive), derive everything possible with computed.
  • Use watchers for side effects if needed.
  • Avoid recomputing expensive logic in templates.

SFC structure and template safety ​

  • Must-read reference from 1.1: sfc
  • Keep SFC sections in this order: <script> → <template> → <style>.
  • Keep SFC responsibilities focused; split large components.
  • Keep templates declarative; move branching/derivation to script.
  • Apply Vue template safety rules (v-html, list rendering, conditional rendering choices).

Keep components focused ​

Split a component when it has more than one clear responsibility (e.g. data orchestration + UI, or multiple independent UI sections).

  • Prefer smaller components + composables over one “mega component”
  • Move UI sections into child components (props in, events out).
  • Move state/side effects into composables (useXxx()).

Apply objective split triggers. Split the component if any condition is true:

  • It owns both orchestration/state and substantial presentational markup for multiple sections.
  • It has 3+ distinct UI sections (for example: form, filters, list, footer/status).
  • A template block is repeated or could become reusable (item rows, cards, list entries).

Entry/root and route view rule:

  • Keep entry/root and route view components thin: app shell/layout, provider wiring, and feature composition.
  • Do not place full feature implementations in entry/root/view components when those features contain independent parts.
  • For CRUD/list features (todo, table, catalog, inbox), split at least into:
    • feature container component
    • input/form component
    • list (and/or item) component
    • footer/actions or filter/status component
  • Allow a single-file implementation only for very small throwaway demos; if chosen, explicitly justify why splitting is unnecessary.

Component data flow ​

  • Must-read reference from 1.1: component-data-flow
  • Use props down, events up as the primary model.
  • Use v-model only for true two-way component contracts.
  • Use provide/inject only for deep-tree dependencies or shared context.
  • Keep contracts explicit and typed with defineProps, defineEmits, and InjectionKey as needed.

Composables ​

  • Must-read reference from 1.1: composables
  • Extract logic into composables when it is reused, stateful, or side-effect heavy.
  • Keep composable APIs small, typed, and predictable.
  • Separate feature logic from presentational components.

Project architecture ​

  • The project follows FEOD (Fractal Entity Oriented Design) — an architecture inspired by FSD and Atomic Design that splits functionality into modules that may be nested in each other deep, following the same structure.
  • Modules are strictly ordered; lower modules must not import from higher ones.
  • Modules explicitly export publicly available functionality in index.ts

3) Consider optional features only when requirements call for them ​

3.1 Standard optional features ​

Do not add these by default. Load the matching reference only when the requirement exists.

3.2 Less-common optional features ​

Use these only when there is explicit product or technical need.

  • Directives: behavior is DOM-specific and not a good composable/component fit -> directives
  • Async components: heavy/rarely-used UI should be lazy loaded -> component-async
  • Render functions only when templates cannot express the requirement -> render-functions
  • Plugins when behavior must be installed app-wide -> plugins
  • State management patterns: app-wide shared state crosses feature boundaries -> state-management

4) Run performance optimization after behavior is correct ​

Performance work is a post-functionality pass. Do not optimize before core behavior is implemented and verified.

5) Final self-check before finishing ​

  • Core behavior works and matches requirements.
  • All must-read references were read and applied.
  • Reactivity model is minimal and predictable.
  • SFC structure and template rules are followed.
  • Components are focused and well-factored, splitting when needed.
  • Entry/root and route view components remain composition surfaces unless there is an explicit small-demo exception.
  • Component split decisions are explicit and defensible (responsibility boundaries are clear).
  • Data flow contracts are explicit and typed.
  • Composables are used where reuse/complexity justifies them.
  • Moved state/side effects into composables if applicable
  • Optional features are used only when requirements demand them.
  • Performance changes were applied only after functionality was complete.