Guide · Agent skill
How to use the React Expert agent skill: setup and examples
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The react-expert skill is a set of written instructions that makes your AI agent answer React questions like an experienced React developer. It covers hooks, state management, Server Components and rendering performance. This guide explains what the skill changes, how to install it, how to ask for help so it triggers, and where its limits are.
React ExpertRightNow-AI/openfang · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the react-expert skill ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip the skill. Unzip it so the react-expert folder containing SKILL.md sits in ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or in .claude/skills/ inside one project.
- 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Ask a React question. Describe your React problem in plain language, mentioning hooks, state, Server Components or performance where relevant.
- 5Add your context. Include whether you use the App Router, the component involved and the symptom you see.
- 6Review the output. Check hooks, effects and dependency lists in the generated code before you rely on it.
What the react-expert skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder containing instructions that an AI agent reads when a request matches the skill. The react-expert skill is a single file, SKILL.md, with guidance written as a senior React developer would apply it.
Once installed, the agent follows this guidance when you ask for React help. It considers when to choose useState versus useReducer, when to use Server Components versus client components, how to avoid bugs such as stale closures or conditional hooks, and when memoization actually helps performance.
- Chooses useState for local UI state and useReducer for state transitions with several sub-values
- Uses Server Components by default in the App Router and adds "use client" only when browser APIs, hooks or event handlers are needed
- Warns against calling hooks conditionally and against suppressing ESLint exhaustive-deps warnings
- Recommends memoization only when profiling shows a re-render problem
- Avoids using useEffect for derived state
Install the react-expert skill
Download the ZIP for the react-expert skill from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two places, depending on whether you want it for all projects or just one.
For all of your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into the .claude/skills/ folder inside that project. You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the skill
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Ask for React help in plain language that touches the topics the skill covers, such as hooks, state, Server Components, re-renders or useEffect problems. The agent uses the skill when the request matches its description.
Be specific about your situation. Mention whether you use the App Router, which component is involved and what goes wrong. The more context you give, the more concrete the guidance will be.
- Help me decide between useState and useReducer for this multi-step form.
- Should this component be a Server Component or a client component in my App Router app?
- My component re-renders on every keystroke. What is causing it?
- My useEffect keeps running with an old value. Why is that a stale closure?
What the skill needs and how it behaves
The skill lists no requirements. It does not run scripts and does not use the network. It only changes how the agent reasons and writes code. It does not run your app, test your code or check anything by itself.
Because it is brief reference guidance, it does not teach React from the beginning. Use it as a set of conventions for the agent to follow, not as a course.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Files: SKILL.md only
Tips for getting better results
The skill gives opinions such as keeping state close to where it is used and avoiding memoization by default. If your team has its own style guide, tell the agent so in your request, because the guidance may conflict with local conventions.
Ask the agent to explain its reasoning when you are learning. Review generated code the same way you would review a teammate's pull request, especially hooks and effects.
- State your team's conventions in the request when they differ from the skill's defaults
- Ask for the reason behind a recommendation to learn the trade-off
- Check that any suggested useEffect cleanup and dependency lists are correct before merging
What people use it for
- Deciding between useState and useReducer for a form with several related fields
- Choosing whether a page section should be a Server Component or a client component in Next.js App Router
- Debugging a useEffect that reads stale values
- Finding out whether a slow list actually needs useMemo or React.memo
- Writing a reusable useDebounce custom hook in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the react-expert skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into .claude/skills/ inside one project. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the react-expert skill require anything else?
The skill lists no requirements. It runs no scripts and uses no network. It consists of a single SKILL.md file with written guidance.
Is the react-expert skill free?
The source is licensed under Apache-2.0. This page does not state pricing for the skill, so check the repository for licence details before use.
Can the react-expert skill replace a React tutorial?
No. The skill is brief reference guidance that shapes how the agent answers and writes code. It does not teach React step by step, so beginners may need a full tutorial alongside it.
Does the skill work with Vue or Svelte?
No. The guidance is for React and Next.js App Router work. It does not apply to Vue, Svelte or plain HTML projects.
Why does the agent not run my app or tests?
The skill only changes how the agent reasons and writes code. It does not run anything by itself, so you still need to run and test your code.
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Our verdict
Use the react-expert skill if you build or refactor React or Next.js App Router apps, or if your team wants consistent React conventions in AI-generated code. Pick something else if you need a step-by-step React course, work in Vue, Svelte or plain HTML, or must follow a different team style guide that the agent could conflict with.
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