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write-ui-module-readme

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Write concise module README files for `packages/ui/src/lib/*` primitives. Use when drafting or revising README docs for UI package modules like popover, press, or other first-party UI helpers, especially when the main goal is agent-friendly usage guidance and a short explanation of each exported value.

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Write UI Module Readme

Overview

Write module README files for packages/ui/src/lib/* as practical usage guides for agents and developers.

Optimize for fast, correct adoption:

  • show the canonical usage first
  • explain each exported module.* value briefly
  • document the important behavior guarantees
  • avoid implementation-history dumps and internal type walkthroughs

These are module docs for UI primitives, not package-level READMEs.

Workflow

  1. Read the module source first.
  • Identify the actual public exports and their roles.
  • Confirm the behavior from code, not memory.
  1. Read nearby tests and demos.
  • Pull behavior notes from tests.
  • Reuse the most realistic example shape from a demo when available.
  1. Document the module as it exists today.
  • Do not describe planned APIs.
  • Do not document internal coordinators, private state, or workaround history unless they are part of the public contract.
  1. Keep the README short and scannable.
  • Prefer short paragraphs and flat bullets.
  • Use one strong canonical example instead of multiple weak snippets.

Recommended Structure

Use this structure unless the module needs something more specific:

  1. # ModuleName
  2. One or two sentences: what it is, what it is for, and what it is not for
  3. ## Usage
  4. ## \module.*`` or equivalent export reference
  5. ## Behavior Notes
  6. ## When To Use Something Else when the primitive sits below higher-level widgets

Usage Section

Lead with a copy-pasteable example that shows the real shape of usage.

  • Prefer production-shaped UI over toy snippets.
  • Use the actual exported API names.
  • Show the minimum surrounding structure needed to use the primitive correctly.
  • If the module composes with other first-party UI helpers, show that composition.

For popup-style primitives, the example should usually show:

  • trigger
  • surface/root
  • one or two meaningful controls inside
  • dismissal or completion path

Export Reference

After the example, explain the role of each important exported value in a few lines each.

For example:

  • module.context: what shared coordination it provides
  • module.button(...): what it registers or activates
  • module.surface(): what it turns the host into
  • module.dismiss(): how it closes or finalizes
  • module.change: what event it emits and the useful event fields

Keep this section focused on:

  • what it does
  • where to apply it
  • key arguments or options
  • observable behavior

Do not turn this into a full API dump.

Behavior Notes

Document the behaviors that matter when composing with the primitive:

  • focus movement
  • dismissal rules
  • anchoring rules
  • keyboard behavior
  • multi-trigger behavior
  • any important guarantees tested in the module suite

This section should save a reader from opening the implementation just to answer “what happens when...?”

Scope Rules

  • Treat the primary audience as an agent or developer trying to use the primitive correctly.
  • Prefer usage guidance over architecture explanation.
  • Name public events and useful event fields, but avoid deep event-class internals unless necessary.
  • Do not document private classes, internal coordinators, or helper mixins unless the README is specifically for that helper.
  • Do not pad the README with generic accessibility or popover theory the agent already knows.

Good Patterns

  • “Use popover directly for custom floating panels like filters or view options.”
  • “Wrap triggers and the surface in popover.context.”
  • “The opener that started the current session controls anchoring and focus return.”
  • “Do not use this as the final consumer-facing primitive for menus or comboboxes.”

Checklist

  • Did you read the module source first?
  • Did you confirm behavior from tests or demos?
  • Does the README start with a realistic usage example?
  • Does it explain each important exported value briefly?
  • Does it include behavior notes that matter in practice?
  • Does it avoid internal implementation detail and historical debugging context?
  • Would an agent know how to use the primitive correctly without opening the source?