This skill enforces constrained, opinionated styling patterns for gluestack-ui v4 that reduce decision fatigue, improve performance, enable consistent theming, and limit the solution space to canonical patterns.
Core Principles
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Gluestack components over React Native primitives - Gluestack wraps RN with theming, accessibility, and cross-platform consistency
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Component props over className utilities - Use built-in props (size, variant, space) instead of className when available
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Semantic tokens over arbitrary values - Tokens encode intent, not just appearance
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className over inline styles - Inline styles bypass optimization and consistency
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Spacing scale over pixel values - Arbitrary values create unsustainable exceptions
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Copy-paste philosophy - Components are copied into your codebase, not installed as dependencies
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Composable sub-components - Use compound component patterns for flexibility
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Remove dead code - Unused patterns mislead AI and increase cognitive load
When to Use This Skill
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Creating new components with styling
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Reviewing existing component styles
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Refactoring styles to follow the design system
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Fixing styling inconsistencies
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Adding dark mode support
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Theming components
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Copying components from gluestack-ui into your project
Before using any component, always verify the latest usage patterns at https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs/components/${componentName}/
Sub-Skills Organization
This skill is organized into specialized sub-skills for better token efficiency:
1. gluestack-ui-v4:setup
Use for: Initial project setup, installation, configuration, adding components
Covers:
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Using the official CLI (
npx gluestack-ui initandadd) -
Project initialization for Expo, React Native CLI, and Next.js
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Dependency management
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Configuration files (tailwind, metro, babel, etc.)
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GluestackUIProvider setup
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Adding individual components
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Troubleshooting setup issues
Invoke when: Setting up gluestack-ui in a new or existing project, adding components via CLI, or troubleshooting installation issues
2. gluestack-ui-v4:creating-components
Use for: Step-by-step component creation, templates, recipes
Covers:
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Component creation workflow
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6 ready-to-use templates (simple, variants, compound, form, interactive, loading)
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Common component recipes (profile cards, badges, search, lists)
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Best practices checklist
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Quick start guide
Invoke when: Creating new components from scratch or need component templates
3. gluestack-ui-v4:components
Use for: Component usage, compound patterns, icons, provider setup
Covers:
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Using Gluestack components over React Native primitives
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Component props vs className utilities
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Compound component patterns (Input, Button, FormControl, etc.)
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Icon usage hierarchy
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Provider setup
Invoke when: Working with component structure, props, and composition
4. gluestack-ui-v4:styling
Use for: Colors, spacing, dark mode, variants, className
Covers:
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Semantic color tokens
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Spacing scale adherence
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Dark mode with CSS variables
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Variant-based styling with tva
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className merging
Invoke when: Styling components, theming, or working with colors and spacing
5. gluestack-ui-v4:variants
Use for: Creating custom variants for components, extending design system
Covers:
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When and how to create variants
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Using tva for variant management
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Extending existing Gluestack components
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Parent-child variant relationships
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Compound variants for complex combinations
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Common variant patterns (badges, alerts, cards)
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Converting repeated styles to variants
Invoke when: Need to create custom variants for components, extend component styling options, or standardize repeated style patterns
6. gluestack-ui-v4:performance
Use for: Cross-platform, performance optimization, best practices
Covers:
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Cross-platform rendering (Native & Web)
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TypeScript usage
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Component memoization
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Animations with Reanimated
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Safe area handling
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FlatList for lists
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Platform-specific code
Invoke when: Optimizing performance, ensuring cross-platform compatibility, or following React Native best practices
7. gluestack-ui-v4:validation
Use for: Code review, anti-patterns, validation checklist
Covers:
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Complete validation checklist
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Anti-patterns to avoid
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Common mistakes
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Escalation guidance
Invoke when: Reviewing code, validating implementation, or checking for anti-patterns
Quick Reference
Resolution Hierarchy (in order of preference)
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Component props - Use built-in props (size, variant, space)
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className utilities - Use existing Tailwind/NativeWind classes
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Gluestack component variants - Use built-in component variants
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tva (Tailwind Variant Authority) - Create reusable variant patterns
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NativeWind interop - Enable className on third-party components
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Inline styles - Only as absolute last resort with documented justification
Common Patterns
// Component usage with props
<VStack space="lg" className="p-4">
<Heading size="xl" bold>Title</Heading>
<Text size="md" className="text-muted-foreground">Description</Text>
</VStack>
// Button with compound components
<Button variant="outline" size="lg">
<ButtonText>Click Me</ButtonText>
<ButtonIcon as={ChevronRightIcon} />
</Button>
// Input with icon (InputIcon MUST be in InputSlot)
<Input>
<InputSlot>
<InputIcon as={MailIcon} className="text-muted-foreground" />
</InputSlot>
<InputField placeholder="Enter email" />
</Input>
// Semantic color tokens
<Box className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
<Text className="text-foreground">Content</Text>
</Box>
Key Rules Summary
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Always use Gluestack components instead of React Native primitives
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Use component props (space, size, variant) instead of className when available
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Use semantic tokens for colors (text-primary, bg-card, etc.)
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No inline styles unless absolutely necessary
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Follow spacing scale (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) - no arbitrary values
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Compound components required - ButtonText, InputSlot, FormControlLabel, etc.
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InputIcon MUST be wrapped in InputSlot - this is critical
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Use tva for variants when creating custom components with multiple styles
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Dark mode with dark: prefix - uses CSS variables
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Cross-platform compatible - use Gluestack wrappers, not direct React Native imports
Reference Documentation
IMPORTANT: Always verify component usage and patterns in the official v4 documentation before using components.
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Component Docs:
https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs/components/${componentName}/ -
Complete Documentation: https://v4.gluestack.io/ui/docs
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Import Path:
@/components/ui/${componentName}
How to Use Sub-Skills
When working on specific tasks, invoke the appropriate sub-skill for detailed guidance:
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Setting up gluestack-ui or adding components? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:setup -
Creating a new component? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:creating-components -
Component structure questions? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:components -
Styling and theming questions? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:styling -
Creating or extending component variants? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:variants -
Performance or cross-platform questions? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:performance -
Need to validate or review code? → Use
gluestack-ui-v4:validation
Each sub-skill provides focused, detailed guidance on its specific domain while maintaining consistency with these core principles.