Component Library Development
Practical guide for creating reusable Aurelia 2 component libraries, covering architecture patterns, distribution strategies, and best practices without strong opinions.
Creating reusable component libraries enables code sharing across projects and contributes to the Aurelia ecosystem. This guide covers practical approaches to building, packaging, and distributing Aurelia 2 component libraries.
Library Architecture Options
Monolithic Library
Single package containing all components:
my-ui-library/
├── src/
│ ├── button/
│ ├── input/
│ ├── modal/
│ └── index.ts
└── package.jsonBenefits: Simple to manage, single install Trade-offs: Larger bundle if using only some components
Modular Library
Separate packages for each component or component group:
@my-ui/
├── button/
├── input/
├── form-controls/
└── overlays/Benefits: Granular imports, smaller bundles Trade-offs: More complex management, multiple packages
Hybrid Approach
Main package with optional modular packages:
Project Setup
Basic Structure
Package.json Configuration
Component Development Patterns
Base Component Structure
Component Registration
Create a configuration helper for easy registration:
Barrel Exports
Styling Strategies
CSS Custom Properties (Recommended)
Users can customize by setting CSS variables:
Shadow DOM + CSS Modules
Themeable Design System
Build Configuration
TypeScript Configuration
Rollup Build (Recommended)
Vite Build Alternative
Distribution Strategies
NPM Package
CDN Distribution
Build UMD bundles for CDN usage:
Usage Examples
Include usage examples for better adoption:
Testing Your Library
Component Testing
Integration Testing
Test library configuration and registration:
Documentation
README Template
Usage
Register All Components
Register Individual Components
Components
Button
Properties:
variant: 'primary' | 'secondary' | 'danger'size: 'small' | 'medium' | 'large'disabled: boolean
Theming
Override CSS custom properties:
Maintenance Considerations
Bundle Size Optimization
Use tree-shaking friendly exports
Minimize dependencies
Provide both full and modular imports
TypeScript Support
Include comprehensive type definitions
Export component interfaces
Provide good IntelliSense experience
Accessibility
Include ARIA attributes by default
Support keyboard navigation
Provide accessible color contrasts
Performance
Lazy load heavy components
Optimize CSS delivery
Minimize runtime overhead
Publishing Checklist
This guide provides flexible patterns for component library development while avoiding prescriptive decisions about specific architectural choices. Choose the approaches that best fit your project's needs and constraints.
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