react-flow-best-practices

React Flow Best Practices

Purpose

Use this skill to review and improve React Flow implementations with the current @xyflow/react v12 patterns. Optimize for correctness first: stable node and handle IDs, typed node data, predictable viewport behavior, accessible controls, and performance that does not collapse as the workflow grows.

First Steps

1. Inspect the React Flow package and usage:
   • package.json for @xyflow/react.
   • Global CSS for @xyflow/react/dist/style.css.
   • Canvas and node widget directories.
2. If API behavior is version-sensitive or uncertain, fetch current docs with Context7 for React Flow / @xyflow/react before recommending changes.
3. Choose the smallest reference file needed:
   • Canvas/state/viewport: read references/canvas-state-and-viewport.md.
   • Custom nodes, handles, toolbars, resizers, edges: read references/custom-nodes-handles-and-edges.md.
   • Review output checklist: read references/review-checklist.md.

Review Workflow

1. Map the flow architecture before judging details.
   • Identify where domain data becomes Node[] and Edge[].
   • Identify the ReactFlow wrapper, provider boundary, custom nodeTypes, custom edgeTypes, and global CSS import.
   • Confirm whether the canvas is static/narrative, editable, or partially interactive. This changes which issues matter.
2. Check identity contracts.
   • Node id, node type, handle id, sourceHandle, and targetHandle must line up exactly.
   • Edge ids should be deterministic from source/target/semantic relationship.
   • Changing these IDs is a migration-level change because saved flows, viewport focus, and edges can break.
3. Check state ownership.
   • Use controlled nodes and edges when the app needs domain-driven status, selection, persistence, or custom updates.
   • Preserve user moves/resizes unless the product intentionally rebuilds layout from domain state.
   • Keep frequent transient canvas state out of app-global stores unless another feature truly needs it.
4. Check custom components.
   • nodeTypes and edgeTypes must be defined outside render or memoized.
   • Custom nodes should use typed NodeProps<Node<Data, "type">> when practical.
   • Interactive controls inside nodes or edge labels need nodrag, nopan, and often nowheel.
5. Check viewport and accessibility.
   • Do not let auto-fit or status-driven focus override a user's manual pan/zoom after interaction.
   • Keep keyboard behavior deliberate: selection, multi-selection, pan activation, delete key, focusability.
   • Provide ariaLabelConfig, useful labels for custom controls, and visible selected/focused states.
6. Report findings with concrete risk.
   • Explain whether the issue can break edges, cause re-renders, trap interactions, override user viewport, or reduce accessibility.
   • Prefer small, local fixes that preserve existing visual language and architectural boundaries.