Component Documentation (MDX Stories)
Create a .mdx file for a Sentry component following the conventions in static/app/components/core/.
Step 0: Gather Editorial Content
Before writing, collect the information that makes documentation useful beyond mechanical structure. Ask the user these questions — or, if they aren't available, search existing usages in the codebase (Grep for the component name across static/app/views/) to infer answers.
| Question | Where it surfaces in the docs |
|---|---|
| When should a developer reach for this component? | Introduction or a ## When to use section |
| When should they NOT use it — and what should they use instead? | > [!WARNING] callout or ## See Also with guidance |
| What does each variant/priority mean semantically? | Description in each variant's section (e.g., "danger = destructive and irreversible") |
| What do developers commonly get wrong? | > [!WARNING] callouts, icon-only accessibility notes, required prop reminders |
| Does this component require a specific parent, peer, or provider to work correctly? | Noted in the introduction or a > [!NOTE] callout |
| Are there related components that overlap in purpose? | ## See Also with one-line guidance on when to prefer each |
| Which props and variants are worth documenting with a demo? | See prop triage below |
You don't need answers to all questions for every component. Skip ones that don't apply. The goal is to not write docs that only describe *how* to use the API — write docs that tell developers *when and why*.
Prop triage
Not every prop needs a demo section. Ask the user: "Which props should I document, and are there any variants or values with specific intended uses?"
If the user isn't available, read the component's TypeScript props and classify each:
| Tier | Document how | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Core — defines the component's primary behavior or appearance | Full ## section with live demo and semantic description of each value | priority, variant, size |
| Modifier — adjusts a single aspect; values are self-explanatory | Brief mention with a demo, or a single combined demo with other modifiers | disabled, busy, icon, showIcon |
| Structural — controls layout or composition | Demo showing the before/after or compound usage | system, expand, trailingItems |
| Internal / pass-through — not user-facing | Skip entirely | className, style, ref, data-test-id |
For enum props specifically, always ask: "Does each value have a distinct intended meaning, or are they purely visual?" If distinct (e.g., danger means destructive, not just red), document the semantics — not just the visual difference.
Step 1: Locate the Component
Find the component source file:
static/app/components/core/<category>/<component>/index.tsx
static/app/components/core/<category>/<component>/<component>.tsxRead the component file to understand:
- Props and their types
- Exported named variants and sub-components (e.g.,
Component.SubComponent,export {TabList, TabPanels}) - Available values for enum/union props
- Default prop values
The MDX file goes next to the component: <component-dir>/<component>.mdx.
If the file already exists, read it first and update rather than overwrite.
Determining the import path:
- Components in
static/app/components/core/are published as@sentry/scraps/<name> - All other components use the sentry-internal path:
sentry/components/<path>
To confirm the exact @sentry/scraps package name and type-loader path, check an existing import in the component directory or a neighboring .mdx file — the type-loader path can be @sentry/scraps/<name> or @sentry/scraps/<name>/<name> depending on the package structure.
Step 2: Determine Frontmatter
---
title: <ComponentName>
description: <One sentence describing what it is and its primary purpose.>
category: <category> # See category table below; omit for principle docs
source: '@sentry/scraps/<component>' # or 'sentry/<path>' for product components
resources:
figma: <figma-url> # Include if known
js: https://github.com/getsentry/sentry/blob/master/static/app/components/core/<path>
a11y: # Include for interactive components
WCAG 1.4.3: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#contrast-minimum
WAI-ARIA <Pattern> Practices: https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/<pattern>/
---Category values:
| Category | Components |
|---|---|
buttons | Button, ButtonBar, LinkButton |
forms | Input, Select, Checkbox, Radio, Slider, Switch |
navigation | Tabs, SegmentedControl, Disclosure |
status | Alert, Badge, Tag, Toast |
layout | Flex, Grid, Stack, Container, Surface |
typography | Text, Heading, Prose |
patterns | design patterns, principles |
For principle/pattern docs (no interactive component), use layout: document instead of category, and replace a11y: with reference: under resources.
Step 3: Write Imports
Follow this import order exactly:
// 1. External packages (react, etc.) — only if needed for examples
import {useState} from 'react';
// 5. Type-loader for auto-generated API docs (@sentry/scraps components only)
import documentation from '!!type-loader!@sentry/scraps/<component>';
// 3. @sentry/scraps component(s)
import {ComponentName} from '@sentry/scraps/<component>';
// 2. Sentry internals used in examples (icons, utils)
import {IconAdd, IconEdit} from 'sentry/icons';
// 4. Stories namespace (always last before type-loader)
import * as Storybook from 'sentry/stories';
export {documentation};Omit any group that isn't needed. For product components (not in @sentry/scraps), omit the type-loader lines and document props manually in a table (see Step 5).
Complex export: If the component exports need filtering (e.g., to hide internal exports), use the explicit form instead of export {documentation}:
import RawDocumentation from '!!type-loader!@sentry/scraps/<component>';
export const documentation = {
exports: RawDocumentation.exports,
props: {
...RawDocumentation?.props,
// Remove internal props if needed
},
};Step 4: Write Content
Section structure
Organize content by feature or user-facing variant, not by prop name:
- Introduction — 1-2 sentences, then a minimal usage code block (no demo wrapper)
- When to use *(if the component has meaningful alternatives or misuse risk)* — prose guidance, optionally a do/don't
<Storybook.SideBySide> - Feature sections — one
##per major feature:## Sizes,## Priorities,## States,## Composition - Accessibility — WCAG claims and developer responsibilities
- See Also — links to related components with one-line guidance (optional)
Prefer titles like ## Sizes, ## Variants, ## States over ## The size prop.
When to use / See Also patterns:
## When to use
Use `<Alert>` for inline feedback within a page. For application-level banners that span the full viewport, use the `system` prop or reach for `<Toast>` if the message is transient.
> [!WARNING]
> Do not use `<Alert variant="danger">` for confirmation dialogs. Use a modal instead.## See Also
- [LinkButton](/stories/core/linkbutton/) — use when the action navigates to a new URL
- [Link](/stories/core/link/) — use for inline text navigation, not standalone CTAsIntroduction pattern
To create a basic <component>, wrap content in `<ComponentName>`.
<ComponentName prop="value">Content</ComponentName>
### Sub-components
When a component exposes sub-components, show the full compound usage early:
<Tabs> is a compound component. Use <TabList> and <TabPanels> together:
<Tabs>
<TabList>
<TabList.Item key="tab1">Tab 1</TabList.Item>
</TabList>
<TabPanels>
<TabPanels.Item key="tab1">Content 1</TabPanels.Item>
</TabPanels>
</Tabs>### Demo pattern
Every feature section must have a `<Storybook.Demo>` followed **immediately** by the matching code block:
Sizes
<brief description>
<Storybook.Demo> <Component size="sm">Small</Component> <Component size="md">Medium</Component> <Component size="lg">Large</Component> </Storybook.Demo>
<Component size="sm">Small</Component>
<Component size="md">Medium</Component>
<Component size="lg">Large</Component>**Demo layout helpers:**
| Component | Use when |
|-----------|----------|
| `<Storybook.Demo>` | Default; horizontally arranges examples |
| `<Storybook.Grid>` | Grid layout for many variants |
| `<Storybook.SideBySide>` | Two-column comparisons (do/don't) |
| `<Storybook.TokenReference>` | Displaying design tokens (spacing, color, etc.) |
| `<Storybook.ColorReference>` | Displaying color tokens specifically |
### Accessibility section
Accessibility
This component meets WCAG 2.2 AA standards:
- Color contrast: Meets 4.5:1 ratio (WCAG 1.4.3)
- Keyboard navigation: <what interactions are supported>
- Screen reader support: <ARIA role and labeling behavior>
Developer responsibilities
- Always provide <required accessible prop> (e.g.,
aria-labelor visible label text) - <other requirement>
### Callout syntax
[!TIP] Use the <prop> prop when you need <use case>.[!WARNING] Avoid <pattern> because <reason>.
[!NOTE] <Additional context.>
## Step 5: Props Table (product components only)
For components not in `@sentry/scraps`, list props manually instead of using the type-loader:
Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
variant | `'info' \ | 'warning' \ | 'danger'` | 'info' | Controls the visual style |
size | `'sm' \ | 'md' \ | 'lg'` | 'md' | Controls the size |
## Complete Example
title: Alert description: Alerts provide contextual feedback messages with different severity levels. category: status source: '@sentry/scraps/alert' resources: js: https://github.com/getsentry/sentry/blob/master/static/app/components/core/alert/index.tsx a11y: WCAG 1.4.3: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#contrast-minimum WCAG 2.1.1: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#keyboard WAI-ARIA Alert Pattern: https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/alert/
import {Alert} from '@sentry/scraps/alert';
import * as Storybook from 'sentry/stories';
import documentation from '!!type-loader!@sentry/scraps/alert';
export {documentation};
To create a basic alert, wrap a message in <Alert> and specify the appropriate type.
<Alert variant="info">This is an informational message</Alert>
## Types
Alerts come in five types: `muted`, `info`, `warning`, `success`, and `danger`.
<Storybook.Demo> <Alert.Container> Muted Info Warning Success Danger </Alert.Container> </Storybook.Demo>
<Alert.Container> <Alert variant="muted">Muted</Alert> <Alert variant="info">Info</Alert> <Alert variant="warning">Warning</Alert> <Alert variant="success">Success</Alert> <Alert variant="danger">Danger</Alert> </Alert.Container>
## Accessibility
This component meets [WCAG 2.2 AA](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/) standards:
- **Color contrast**: All variants meet 4.5:1 ratio (WCAG 1.4.3)
- **Keyboard accessible**: Fully operable via keyboard (WCAG 2.1.1)
## Checklist
Before completing, verify:
- MDX file is colocated next to the component source file (named `<component>.mdx`)
- Frontmatter has `title`, `description`, and `source`
- Imports follow the correct order (external → icons/utils → @sentry/scraps → Storybook → type-loader)
- Type-loader import is included for `@sentry/scraps` components
- Every `<Storybook.Demo>` is immediately followed by a matching code block
- Sections are organized by feature/variant, not by prop name
- Sub-components are documented with compound usage examples
- Accessibility section covers WCAG compliance and developer responsibilities
- No raw `<img>` tags (use `<Image>`), no inline SVGs, no styled components