Choosing components
Core UI vs Standard — which to reach for
Some jobs appear twice in the library — a simple version in Core UI and a richer one in a Standard category. That's deliberate, and the choice between them is about where the component will live, not which has more features.
Core UI — the primitive
One job, minimal props, no app-shell assumptions. Drops into any page and inherits your theme. If you're composing a marketing page, a blog or a doc, start here.
Browse Core UI (42)Standard — the application surface
Assumes an app: keyboard conventions, focus management, selection state, persistence. Heavier by design. If you're building the signed-in product, start here.
The same job, both ways
| Job | On a page → Core UI | In an app → Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Breadcrumbs | breadcrumbs — static trail for a page | standard-breadcrumb-trail — app wayfinding with overflow + keyboard nav |
| Tooltip / hint | Core UI tooltip — hover hint on any element | Standard overlay menus — focus-managed, dismissible surfaces |
| Table | Simple content table styles | standard-sortable-data-table — sorting, selection, sticky header |
| Navigation | Simple tabs / pagination for pages | standard-mobile-bottom-tab-bar, wizard stepper — app navigation state |
Rule of thumb: if the component needs to remember something, trap focus, or coordinate with siblings, it belongs to Standard. If it just renders and behaves, Core UI.
Common questions
- What is a Core UI component?
- A primitive: one job, minimal props, no internal state beyond what the control itself needs. It drops into any page — a marketing site, a doc, an app — without assuming an app shell. Buttons, badges, inline alerts, simple breadcrumbs.
- What is a Standard component?
- An application surface: it assumes an app shell and brings keyboard conventions, focus management, persistence or multi-element coordination. Command palettes, sortable data tables, bottom sheets, bulk-selection toolbars.
- A job exists in both — which do I install?
- Choose by context, not feature count. Building a page? Core UI. Building a signed-in product surface? Standard. The Standard version is not "the better one" — it is the heavier one, and on a marketing page its app-shell assumptions are dead weight.