Vercel React Best Practices

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Five audit layers

Gates applied: no behavioural pass.

For React Server Components and client components rendered during SSR, avoid using mutable module-level variables to share request-scoped data. Server renders can run concurrently in the same process.

For React Server Components and client components rendered during SSR, avoid using mutable module-level variables to share request-scoped data. Server renders can run concurrently in the same process.

Audit 0.4.1 · source sha 118e61cf1c61 · 16 Oct 2026Report an issue or request a re-scan

• Publisherpedronauck GitHub userOwner of the repository this skill is read from
• Source folderpedronauck/skills/skills/curated/vercel-react-best-practicesThe exact folder we audited
• LicenceNot declaredAs the repository states it
• Commit pinned for this verdict118e61cf1c61A new audit runs when the source changes
• Repository statusNot archivedLast push 31 days ago
• Sandboxed runNot runSkills are read, not executed; layer L4 is skipped

Its description: React and Next.js performance optimization guidelines from Vercel Engineering. This skill should be used when writing, reviewing, or refactoring React/Next.js code to ensure optimal performance patterns. Triggers on…

---
name: vercel-react-best-practices
description: React and Next.js performance optimization guidelines from Vercel Engineering. This skill should be used when writing, reviewing, or refactoring React/Next.js code to ensure optimal performance patterns. Triggers on tasks involving React components, Next.js pages, data fetching, bundle optimization, or performance improvements.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: vercel
  version: "1.0.0"
---

# Vercel React Best Practices

Comprehensive performance optimization guide for React and Next.js applications, maintained by Vercel. Contains 70 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide automated refactoring and code generation.

## When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:
- Writing new React components or Next.js pages
- Implementing data fetching (client or server-side)
- Reviewing code for performance issues
- Refactoring existing React/Next.js code
- Optimizing bundle size or load times

## Rule Categories by Priority

| Priority | Category | Impact | Prefix |
|----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | Eliminating Waterfalls | CRITICAL | `async-` |
| 2 | Bundle Size Optimization | CRITICAL | `bundle-` |
| 3 | Server-Side Performance | HIGH | `server-` |
| 4 | Client-Side Data Fetching | MEDIUM-HIGH | `client-` |
| 5 | Re-render Optimization | MEDIUM | `rerender-` |
| 6 | Rendering Performance | MEDIUM | `rendering-` |
| 7 | JavaScript Performance | LOW-MEDIUM | `js-` |
| 8 | Advanced Patterns | LOW | `advanced-` |

## Quick Reference

### 1. Eliminating Waterfalls (CRITICAL)

- `async-cheap-condition-before-await` - Check cheap sync conditions before awaiting flags or remote values
- `async-defer-await` - Move await into branches where actually used
- `async-parallel` - Use Promise.all() for independent operations
- `async-dependencies` - Use better-all for partial dependencies
- `async-api-routes` - Start promises early, await late in API routes
- `async-suspense-boundaries` - Use Suspense to stream content

### 2. Bundle Size Optimization (CRITICAL)

- `bundle-barrel-imports` - Import directly, avoid barrel files
- `bundle-analyzable-paths` - Prefer statically analyzable import and file-system paths to avoid broad bundles and traces
- `bundle-dynamic-imports` - Use next/dynamic for heavy components
- `bundle-defer-third-party` - Load analytics/logging after hydration
- `bundle-conditional` - Load modules only when feature is activated
- `bundle-preload` - Preload on hover/focus for perceived speed

### 3. Server-Side Performance (HIGH)

- `server-auth-actions` - Authenticate server actions like API routes
- `server-cache-react` - Use React.cache() for per-request deduplication
- `server-cache-lru` - Use LRU cache for cross-request caching
- `server-dedup-props` - Avoid duplicate serialization in RSC props
- `server-hoist-static-io` - Hoist static I/O (fonts, logos) to module level
- `server-no-shared-module-state` - Avoid module-level mutable request state in RSC/SSR
- `server-serialization` - Minimize data passed to client components
- `server-parallel-fetching` - Restructure components to parallelize fetches
- `server-parallel-nested-fetching` - Chain nested fetches per item in Promise.all
- `server-after-nonblocking` - Use after() for non-blocking operations

### 4. Client-Side Data Fetching (MEDIUM-HIGH)

- `client-swr-dedup` - Use SWR for automatic request deduplication
- `client-event-listeners` - Deduplicate global event listeners
- `client-passive-event-listeners` - Use passive listeners for scroll
- `client-localstorage-schema` - Version and minimize localStorage data

### 5. Re-render Optimization (MEDIUM)

- `rerender-defer-reads` - Don't subscribe to state only used in callbacks
- `rerender-memo` - Extract expensive work into memoized components
- `rerender-memo-with-default-value` - Hoist default non-primitive props
- `rerender-dependencies` - Use primitive dependencies in effects
- `rerender-derived-state` - Subscribe to derived booleans, not raw values
- `rerender-derived-state-no-effect` - Derive state during render, not effects
- `rerender-functional-setstate` - Use functional setState for stable callbacks
- `rerender-lazy-state-init` - Pass function to useState for expensive values
- `rerender-simple-expression-in-memo` - Avoid memo for simple primitives
- `rerender-split-combined-hooks` - Split hooks with independent dependencies
- `rerender-move-effect-to-event` - Put interaction logic in event handlers
- `rerender-transitions` - Use startTransition for non-urgent updates
- `rerender-use-deferred-value` - Defer expensive renders to keep input responsive
- `rerender-use-ref-transient-values` - Use refs for transient frequent values
- `rerender-no-inline-components` - Don't define components inside components

### 6. Rendering Performance (MEDIUM)

- `rendering-animate-svg-wrapper` - Animate div wrapper, not SVG element
- `rendering-content-visibility` - Use content-visibility for long lists
- `rendering-hoist-jsx` - Extract static JSX outside components
- `rendering-svg-precision` - Reduce SVG coordinate precision
- `rendering-hydration-no-flicker` - Use inline script for client-only data
- `rendering-hydration-suppress-warning` - Suppress expected mismatches
- `rendering-activity` - Use Activity component for show/hide
- `rendering-conditional-render` - Use ternary, not && for conditionals
- `rendering-usetransition-loading` - Prefer useTransition for loading state
- `rendering-resource-hints` - Use React DOM resource hints for preloading
- `rendering-script-defer-async` - Use defer or async on script tags

### 7. JavaScript Performance (LOW-MEDIUM)

- `js-batch-dom-css` - Group CSS changes via classes or cssText
- `js-index-maps` - Build Map for repeated lookups
- `js-cache-property-access` - Cache object properties in loops
- `js-cache-function-results` - Cache function results in module-level Map
- `js-cache-storage` - Cache localStorage/sessionStorage reads
- `js-combine-iterations` - Combine

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Works in

1. 2026-10-16
   ✓SAFE B 89 / 100

   first audit · source 118e61cf1c61

Questions about Vercel React Best Practices

• github.com/pedronauck/skills/tree/main/skills/curated/vercel-rea — the audited source at commit 118e61cf1c61 and every finding aboveObserved · 16 Oct 2026

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