Component Extraction Skill

Purpose

Expert guidance on when and how to extract components from large files, with focus on creating maintainable, reusable UI pieces.

Decision Framework: When to Extract

The 400/600 Rule

code

< 400 lines + single use     → Keep as-is
400-600 lines + single use   → Extract sections with comments
600+ lines OR 2+ uses        → Extract components
1000+ lines                  → MUST extract

The Reuse Test

Ask: "Will this exact UI be used elsewhere?"

•Yes → Extract immediately
•Maybe → Wait for 2nd use
•No, but file is 600+ lines → Extract anyway for maintainability

The Responsibility Test

Does this section handle:

•Its own data fetching?
•Complex state management?
•Multiple unrelated UI concerns?

If yes to 2+ → Extract component

Extraction Patterns

Pattern 1: Filter Panel Extraction

Before (in +page.svelte):

svelte

<script lang="ts">
  let searchQuery = $state('');
  let startDate = $state('2024-01-01');
  let endDate = $state('2024-12-31');
  let category = $state('all');
  
  // 150 lines of filter UI
</script>

<div class="filters">
  <input bind:value={searchQuery} placeholder="Search..." />
  <input type="date" bind:value={startDate} />
  <input type="date" bind:value={endDate} />
  <select bind:value={category}>
    <option value="all">All</option>
    <!-- ... more options -->
  </select>
  <!-- ... more filter controls -->
</div>

After (extracted component):

svelte

<!-- components/ExpenseFilters.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  interface Props {
    search: string;
    dateRange: { start: string; end: string };
    category: string;
    categories: string[];
    onsearch: (query: string) => void;
    ondatechange: (range: { start: string; end: string }) => void;
    oncategorychange: (category: string) => void;
  }
  
  const { 
    search,
    dateRange,
    category,
    categories,
    onsearch,
    ondatechange,
    oncategorychange
  }: Props = $props();
  
  let localSearch = $state(search);
  let localStart = $state(dateRange.start);
  let localEnd = $state(dateRange.end);
  
  // Debounce search
  $effect(() => {
    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
      if (localSearch !== search) onsearch(localSearch);
    }, 300);
    return () => clearTimeout(timeout);
  });
</script>

<div class="filters">
  <input bind:value={localSearch} placeholder="Search..." />
  <input 
    type="date" 
    value={localStart}
    onchange={e => {
      localStart = e.currentTarget.value;
      ondatechange({ start: localStart, end: localEnd });
    }}
  />
  <input 
    type="date" 
    value={localEnd}
    onchange={e => {
      localEnd = e.currentTarget.value;
      ondatechange({ start: localStart, end: localEnd });
    }}
  />
  <select 
    value={category}
    onchange={e => oncategorychange(e.currentTarget.value)}
  >
    <option value="all">All</option>
    {#each categories as cat}
      <option value={cat}>{cat}</option>
    {/each}
  </select>
</div>

<style>
  .filters {
    /* component-specific styles */
  }
</style>

Usage in page (now ~10 lines):

svelte

<script lang="ts">
  import ExpenseFilters from './components/ExpenseFilters.svelte';
  
  let search = $state('');
  let dateRange = $state({ start: '2024-01-01', end: '2024-12-31' });
  let category = $state('all');
</script>

<ExpenseFilters
  {search}
  {dateRange}
  {category}
  categories={$userSettings.expenseCategories}
  onsearch={q => search = q}
  ondatechange={range => dateRange = range}
  oncategorychange={c => category = c}
/>

Pattern 2: Data Table Extraction

Before (in +page.svelte):

svelte

<!-- 400 lines of table rendering -->
<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>
        <input type="checkbox" 
          checked={selectedAll} 
          onchange={toggleSelectAll}
        />
      </th>
      <th>Date</th>
      <th>Amount</th>
      <!-- ... more headers -->
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    {#each paginatedItems as item}
      <tr>
        <td>
          <input type="checkbox" 
            checked={selectedIds.has(item.id)}
            onchange={() => toggleSelect(item.id)}
          />
        </td>
        <td>{formatDate(item.date)}</td>
        <td>{formatCurrency(item.amount)}</td>
        <!-- ... more cells -->
      </tr>
    {/each}
  </tbody>
</table>

After (extracted generic table):

svelte

<!-- lib/components/data-table/DataTable.svelte -->
<script lang="ts" generics="T extends { id: string }">
  import type { Column } from './types';
  
  interface Props {
    items: T[];
    columns: Column<T>[];
    selectable?: boolean;
    selectedIds?: Set<string>;
    onselect?: (id: string) => void;
    onselectall?: () => void;
    onedit?: (item: T) => void;
    ondelete?: (item: T) => void;
  }
  
  const {
    items,
    columns,
    selectable = false,
    selectedIds = new Set(),
    onselect,
    onselectall,
    onedit,
    ondelete
  }: Props = $props();
  
  let allSelected = $derived(
    items.length > 0 && items.every(item => selectedIds.has(item.id))
  );
</script>

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      {#if selectable}
        <th class="select-col">
          <input 
            type="checkbox" 
            checked={allSelected}
            onchange={onselectall}
          />
        </th>
      {/if}
      {#each columns as col}
        <th>{col.header}</th>
      {/each}
      {#if onedit || ondelete}
        <th>Actions</th>
      {/if}
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    {#each items as item (item.id)}
      <tr>
        {#if selectable}
          <td>
            <input 
              type="checkbox"
              checked={selectedIds.has(item.id)}
              onchange={() => onselect?.(item.id)}
            />
          </td>
        {/if}
        {#each columns as col}
          <td>
            {#if col.render}
              {@render col.render(item)}
            {:else if col.format}
              {col.format(item[col.key])}
            {:else}
              {item[col.key]}
            {/if}
          </td>
        {/each}
        {#if onedit || ondelete}
          <td class="actions">
            {#if onedit}
              <button onclick={() => onedit(item)}>Edit</button>
            {/if}
            {#if ondelete}
              <button onclick={() => ondelete(item)}>Delete</button>
            {/if}
          </td>
        {/if}
      </tr>
    {/each}
  </tbody>
</table>

Usage (now ~30 lines):

svelte

<script lang="ts">
  import DataTable from '$lib/components/data-table/DataTable.svelte';
  import type { Column } from '$lib/components/data-table/types';
  import type { Expense } from '$lib/types';
  
  const columns: Column<Expense>[] = [
    { key: 'date', header: 'Date', format: formatDate },
    { key: 'category', header: 'Category' },
    { key: 'amount', header: 'Amount', format: formatCurrency },
    { 
      key: 'description', 
      header: 'Description',
      render: (expense) => (
        {#snippet}
          <span class="truncate">{expense.description}</span>
        {/snippet}
      )
    }
  ];
</script>

<DataTable
  items={filteredExpenses}
  {columns}
  selectable
  selectedIds={selection.selectedIds}
  onselect={selection.toggleSelection}
  onselectall={selection.toggleAll}
  onedit={handleEdit}
  ondelete={handleDelete}
/>

Pattern 3: Form Section Extraction

Before (2000-line form):

svelte

<script lang="ts">
  // 100 lines of state
  let tripName = $state('');
  let tripDate = $state('');
  let stops = $state<Stop[]>([]);
  let fuelCost = $state(0);
  let maintenance = $state<MaintenanceCost[]>([]);
  // ... 50+ more fields
</script>

<form>
  <!-- Basic info section: 200 lines -->
  <div class="section">
    <input bind:value={tripName} />
    <input type="date" bind:value={tripDate} />
    <!-- ... -->
  </div>
  
  <!-- Stops section: 400 lines -->
  <div class="section">
    {#each stops as stop, i}
      <!-- Complex stop editor -->
    {/each}
  </div>
  
  <!-- Cost section: 300 lines -->
  <div class="section">
    <!-- Cost inputs -->
  </div>
  
  <!-- ... more sections -->
</form>

After (extracted sections):

svelte

<!-- components/TripBasicInfo.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  interface Props {
    name: string;
    date: string;
    onupdate: (data: { name: string; date: string }) => void;
  }
  
  const { name, date, onupdate }: Props = $props();
  
  let localName = $state(name);
  let localDate = $state(date);
  
  $effect(() => {
    onupdate({ name: localName, date: localDate });
  });
</script>

<div class="basic-info">
  <label>
    Trip Name
    <input bind:value={localName} required />
  </label>
  <label>
    Date
    <input type="date" bind:value={localDate} required />
  </label>
</div>

<!-- components/TripStopsEditor.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  import type { Stop } from '$lib/types';
  
  interface Props {
    stops: Stop[];
    onupdate: (stops: Stop[]) => void;
  }
  
  const { stops, onupdate }: Props = $props();
  
  let localStops = $state([...stops]);
  
  function addStop() {
    localStops = [...localStops, { address: '', notes: '' }];
    onupdate(localStops);
  }
  
  function removeStop(index: number) {
    localStops = localStops.filter((_, i) => i !== index);
    onupdate(localStops);
  }
</script>

<div class="stops-editor">
  <h3>Stops</h3>
  {#each localStops as stop, i}
    <div class="stop">
      <input bind:value={stop.address} placeholder="Address" />
      <input bind:value={stop.notes} placeholder="Notes" />
      <button onclick={() => removeStop(i)}>Remove</button>
    </div>
  {/each}
  <button onclick={addStop}>Add Stop</button>
</div>

<!-- Main form page (now ~200 lines) -->
<script lang="ts">
  import TripBasicInfo from './components/TripBasicInfo.svelte';
  import TripStopsEditor from './components/TripStopsEditor.svelte';
  import TripCostInputs from './components/TripCostInputs.svelte';
  
  let tripData = $state({
    name: '',
    date: '',
    stops: [],
    costs: { fuel: 0, maintenance: [] }
  });
  
  async function handleSubmit() {
    await createTrip(tripData);
  }
</script>

<form onsubmit={handleSubmit}>
  <TripBasicInfo
    name={tripData.name}
    date={tripData.date}
    onupdate={data => tripData = { ...tripData, ...data }}
  />
  
  <TripStopsEditor
    stops={tripData.stops}
    onupdate={stops => tripData = { ...tripData, stops }}
  />
  
  <TripCostInputs
    costs={tripData.costs}
    onupdate={costs => tripData = { ...tripData, costs }}
  />
  
  <button type="submit">Create Trip</button>
</form>

Component Communication Patterns

Props Down, Events Up

svelte

<!-- Parent -->
<script lang="ts">
  let value = $state('');
</script>

<MyComponent 
  {value}
  onchange={newValue => value = newValue}
/>

<!-- Child -->
<script lang="ts">
  interface Props {
    value: string;
    onchange: (value: string) => void;
  }
  
  const { value, onchange }: Props = $props();
</script>

<input 
  {value}
  oninput={e => onchange(e.currentTarget.value)}
/>

Shared State (Stores)

typescript

// lib/stores/formState.svelte.ts
export class FormState {
  data = $state({});
  errors = $state({});
  
  update(key: string, value: unknown) {
    this.data = { ...this.data, [key]: value };
  }
  
  setError(key: string, error: string) {
    this.errors = { ...this.errors, [key]: error };
  }
}

// Usage in components
import { formState } from '$lib/stores/formState.svelte';

// Component A
formState.update('name', 'Alice');

// Component B reads the same state
const name = formState.data.name;

Context API

svelte

<!-- Parent.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  import { setContext } from 'svelte';
  
  const formContext = {
    register: (field: string) => { /* ... */ },
    unregister: (field: string) => { /* ... */ }
  };
  
  setContext('form', formContext);
</script>

<slot />

<!-- Child.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  import { getContext } from 'svelte';
  
  const form = getContext('form');
  form.register('email');
</script>

Anti-Patterns

❌ Over-Extraction

svelte

<!-- DON'T: Extract every 5-line section -->
<TinyButton />      <!-- 5 lines -->
<TinyLabel />       <!-- 3 lines -->
<TinyInput />       <!-- 8 lines -->
<TinyCheckbox />    <!-- 6 lines -->

<!-- DO: Keep simple UI together -->
<div class="form-group">
  <label>Email</label>
  <input type="email" />
  <span class="help-text">We'll never share your email</span>
</div>

❌ Prop Drilling

svelte

<!-- DON'T: Pass props through 5 levels -->
<A prop1={x} prop2={y} prop3={z}>
  <B prop1={x} prop2={y}>
    <C prop1={x}>
      <D prop1={x} />
    </C>
  </B>
</A>

<!-- DO: Use context or stores -->
<script lang="ts">
  setContext('config', { x, y, z });
</script>
<A>
  <B>
    <C>
      <D />
    </C>
  </B>
</A>

❌ God Components

svelte

<!-- DON'T: One component that does everything -->
<SuperDataTableWithFiltersAndPaginationAndSortingAndExport
  config={massiveConfigObject}
/>

<!-- DO: Compose smaller pieces -->
<DataTable items={filtered}>
  <FilterBar slot="filters" />
  <Pagination slot="footer" />
</DataTable>

Extraction Checklist

Before extracting:

• Component is 200+ lines OR used 2+ times
• Has clear, single responsibility
• Can define clean props interface
• Won't need frequent parent access
• Won't cause excessive prop drilling

After extracting:

• Component has descriptive name
• Props are well-typed
• Events are documented
• Works independently (can be tested in isolation)
• Parent code is simpler

Quick Decision Guide

Question: Should I extract this?

code

Is it used in 2+ places?
└─ YES → Extract now
└─ NO → Continue...

Is parent file > 600 lines?
└─ YES → Extract
└─ NO → Continue...

Is this section > 200 lines?
└─ YES → Extract
└─ NO → Keep together

Getting Help

Ask:

•"Should I extract this component?"
•"How do I pass data between these components?"
•"Is this component doing too much?"
•"What's the best way to structure this form?"