Component-driven development (CDD)

Component-driven development completely changed how I build user interfaces. Instead of creating entire pages in one go, I now build small, reusable pieces that snap together like LEGO blocks. Let me explain why this approach clicked for me and how you can use it too.

What Is Component-Driven Development?

CDD means building your UI from isolated, reusable components. Think buttons, forms, cards, navigation bars - each living independently and combining to create complete interfaces.

I used to build features by creating full pages from scratch. This worked for simple sites, but as projects grew, I'd find myself copying and pasting code, making the same changes in multiple places, and breaking things constantly. Sound familiar?

With CDD, I build each UI element once, test it thoroughly, and reuse it everywhere. Change the button style? Update one component, and it's fixed across the entire app.

Why CDD Works

Isolation - Focus On One Thing

Building components in isolation means working on a button without the entire application running. This speeds up development and makes it easier to test edge cases.

Storybook changed the game for me here. I can build and preview components without touching the main app. It's like having a workshop for UI components.

Reusability - Write Once, Use Everywhere

The same button component works on the homepage, checkout page, and admin panel. No duplicated code, no inconsistencies. When I need to change the button style or fix a bug, I update one file.

This saved me countless hours when a client wanted to rebrand their site. Instead of hunting through hundreds of files, I updated the core components and everything reflected the new design.

Encapsulation - Keep Styles and Logic Contained

Components bundle their HTML, CSS, and JavaScript together. Styles don't leak out and affect other parts of the app. Logic stays contained.

Vue's scoped styles made this trivial:

<template>
  <button class="btn">Click Me</button>
</template>

<style scoped>
.btn {
  padding: 10px 20px;
  background: blue;
  color: white;
}
</style>

That .btn class won't conflict with anything else in the app. Problem solved.

Testability - Easier To Get Right

Testing isolated components is so much easier than testing an entire page. I can test a button component with different props, states, and edge cases in minutes.

Vitest and Vue Testing Library make this painless. Write tests for each component, and you have confidence that your UI works as expected.

How I Build With CDD

Here's my typical workflow:

1. Break Down The Design

I look at mockups and identify reusable elements. Buttons, inputs, cards, navigation, modals - anything that appears more than once becomes a candidate for a component.

2. Build In Isolation

I use Storybook to build each component without the rest of the app. This lets me test different states (loading, error, success) and props without clicking through the entire application.

3. Document As I Go

Storybook doubles as documentation. Each component gets a story showing how to use it, what props it accepts, and what it looks like in different states. Future me (and my teammates) appreciate this.

4. Assemble Pages

Once components are ready, building pages is fast. It's just combining pre-built, tested pieces. Pages become composition exercises rather than building from scratch each time.

Tools That Make CDD Easy

Storybook - My Component Workshop

Storybook is essential for CDD. It gives you a dev environment for building components in isolation. You can view components in different states, test responsiveness, and document usage all in one place.

It's also my living style guide. Designers and developers can see every component, its variations, and how to use it.

Visual Regression Testing

Chromatic and Percy catch visual bugs automatically. They take screenshots of components and flag any unexpected changes. This has saved me from shipping broken UIs more times than I'd like to admit.

Vue and React DevTools

Browser devtools for Vue and React let you inspect component structure, props, and state in real-time. Invaluable for debugging component interactions.

Benefits I've Experienced

After using CDD for years, here's what I value most:

Faster Development - Building new features is faster when you're assembling existing components rather than coding from scratch.

Consistency - Your UI stays consistent because you're reusing the same components everywhere.

Easier Collaboration - Team members can work on different components without stepping on each other's toes. Code reviews focus on isolated pieces rather than entire pages.

Simpler Refactoring - Need to update a button style? Change one component. Done. No hunting through thousands of lines of CSS.

Getting Started

You don't need to rebuild your entire app to use CDD. Start small:

Identify a common UI element you use repeatedly (button, input, card)
Extract it into a reusable component
Set up Storybook to build and preview it in isolation
Write a few tests to verify it works
Use it everywhere you need that element

Build your component library gradually. Each new component makes the next feature faster to build.