Component Props Documentation

Component props documentation describes the API surface of design system components, enabling developers to understand and use components correctly. Clear props documentation reduces implementation errors and support requests. Props documentation forms the technical reference that developers consult most frequently.

What Is Component Props Documentation

Component props documentation catalogs all properties that a component accepts, including their types, default values, required status, and descriptions. This documentation serves as the API reference for component usage. Developers rely on props documentation to understand what options are available and how to configure components for their needs.

Beyond listing props, effective documentation explains relationships between props, valid value combinations, and behavioral implications of different settings. Props documentation often includes examples showing common prop combinations in practice.

How Component Props Documentation Works

Modern props documentation typically generates automatically from component source code. TypeScript interface definitions or PropTypes declarations provide type information that documentation tools extract. JSDoc comments above props become descriptions in the generated documentation.

Documentation tools like Storybook autodocs, react-docgen, or TypeDoc parse component files to produce structured prop data. This data renders as tables showing prop names, types, defaults, and descriptions. Automatic generation ensures documentation accuracy and reduces maintenance effort.

Manual documentation supplements automatic generation for complex props that benefit from extended explanation. Enum props might list all valid values with descriptions of each. Callback props explain when they fire and what arguments they receive. Composed types receive documentation explaining their structure.

Key Considerations

• TypeScript interfaces should include JSDoc comments for automatic description extraction
• Default values should be clearly indicated with type-safe defaults preferred over magic values
• Required props need clear identification to prevent runtime errors from missing values
• Complex prop types benefit from examples showing correct usage patterns

Common Questions

How should teams document complex or composed prop types?

Complex props require documentation beyond simple type notation. Object props should document each property within the object, potentially with nested prop tables. Union types should list all valid options with explanations of when to use each. Callback props should document parameters, return values, and when the callback fires. Generic props need examples with concrete type parameters. Some teams create dedicated documentation sections for complex types referenced across multiple components.

Should props documentation include deprecated props?

Deprecated props should remain documented to support users migrating from older versions. Documentation should clearly mark props as deprecated using visual indicators like strikethrough or warning badges. The deprecation notice should explain the replacement approach and timeline for removal. Some documentation systems filter deprecated props by default while allowing users to view them. Maintaining deprecated prop documentation prevents confusion when users encounter them in existing code while guiding them toward current alternatives.

Summary

Component props documentation provides the technical reference developers need to use components correctly. Automatic generation from TypeScript or PropTypes ensures accuracy while reducing maintenance burden. Supplemental documentation for complex props and clear deprecation notices create comprehensive API references.