Why Every Startup Should Build a Component Library

Over a year ago, I attended the NgVikings Conference and was particularly inspired by a talk on component libraries. Within minutes, I realized how transformative such a system could be for our team.

As a developer, I've always valued reusability—crafting code that's sustainable and adaptable across various implementations. Establishing a component library was a natural progression of this philosophy.

Initially, I was apprehensive. Our team was small, juggling multiple responsibilities, and dedicating time to develop a component library seemed daunting. We anticipated working on it during spare moments between tasks. Nevertheless, we decided to proceed. A year later, I can confidently say it was one of our best decisions.

Even if you're a small team or at an early project stage, I encourage you to take the plunge. The benefits are immediate: faster prototyping, isolated development, and an accelerated design and development process.

Key Learnings

• Start Simple: Begin with basic components to lay the groundwork for more complex elements.
• Establish Conventions: Define processes early on—naming conventions, choice of CSS preprocessors, testing strategies, etc.—to streamline development.
• Semantic Naming: Use HTML tags as references to maintain semantic clarity in component names.
• Prioritize Testing: Aim for high test coverage; these components form the foundation of your product.
• Iterative Development: For complex components, start with a basic version and iterate to add functionality over time.
• Invest in Documentation: Comprehensive documentation is as crucial as testing; it supports scalability and team onboarding.
• Leverage Existing Solutions: Don't reinvent the wheel. Utilize existing components and extend them to suit your needs

Tools and resources we found valuable

• Storybook
• @storybook/addon-docs
• Atomic Design
• Jest Snapshot Testing
• Cypress for E2E testing (using Storybook)

Embarking on the creation of a Design System or Component Library is a commitment that yields substantial rewards. I hope our experiences and insights assist you in your journey.