SolidJS Development

SolidJS is a declarative JavaScript library for building user interfaces with fine-grained reactivity. Unlike virtual DOM frameworks, Solid compiles templates to real DOM nodes and updates them with fine-grained reactions.

Core Principles

Components run once — Component functions execute only during initialization, not on every update
Fine-grained reactivity — Only the specific DOM nodes that depend on changed data update
No virtual DOM — Direct DOM manipulation via compiled templates
Signals are functions — Access values by calling: count() not count

Reactivity Primitives

Signals — Basic State

import { createSignal } from 'solid-js';

const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0);

// Read value (getter)
console.log(count()); // 0

// Update value (setter)
setCount(1);
setCount((prev) => prev + 1); // Functional update

Options:

const [value, setValue] = createSignal(initialValue, {
    equals: false, // Always trigger updates, even if value unchanged
    name: 'debugName', // For devtools
});

Effects — Side Effects

import { createEffect } from 'solid-js';

createEffect(() => {
    console.log('Count changed:', count());
    // Runs after render, re-runs when dependencies change
});

Key behaviors:

Initial run: after render, before browser paint
Subsequent runs: when tracked dependencies change
Never runs during SSR or hydration
Use onCleanup for cleanup logic

Memos — Derived/Cached Values

import { createMemo } from 'solid-js';

const doubled = createMemo(() => count() * 2);

// Access like signal
console.log(doubled()); // Cached, only recalculates when count changes

Use memos when:

Derived value is expensive to compute
Derived value is accessed multiple times
You want to prevent downstream updates when result unchanged

Resources — Async Data

import { createResource } from 'solid-js';

const [user, { mutate, refetch }] = createResource(userId, fetchUser);

// In JSX
<Show when={!user.loading} fallback={<Loading />}>
    <div>{user()?.name}</div>
</Show>;

// Resource properties
user.loading; // boolean
user.error; // error if failed
user.state; // "unresolved" | "pending" | "ready" | "refreshing" | "errored"
user.latest; // last successful value

Stores — Complex State

For nested objects/arrays with fine-grained updates:

import { createStore } from 'solid-js/store';

const [state, setState] = createStore({
    user: { name: 'John', age: 30 },
    todos: [],
});

// Path syntax updates
setState('user', 'name', 'Jane');
setState('todos', (todos) => [...todos, newTodo]);
setState('todos', 0, 'completed', true);

// Produce for immer-like updates
import { produce } from 'solid-js/store';
setState(
    produce((s) => {
        s.user.age++;
        s.todos.push(newTodo);
    }),
);

Store utilities:

produce — Immer-like mutations
reconcile — Diff and patch data (for API responses)
unwrap — Get raw non-reactive object

Components

Basic Component

import { Component } from 'solid-js';

const MyComponent: Component<{ name: string }> = (props) => {
    return <div>Hello, {props.name}</div>;
};

Props Handling

import { splitProps, mergeProps } from 'solid-js';

// Default props
const merged = mergeProps({ size: 'medium' }, props);

// Split props (for spreading)
const [local, others] = splitProps(props, ['class', 'onClick']);
return <button class={local.class} {...others} />;

Props rules:

Props are reactive getters — don't destructure at top level
Use props.value in JSX, not const { value } = props

Children Helper

import { children } from 'solid-js';

const Wrapper: Component = (props) => {
    const resolved = children(() => props.children);

    createEffect(() => {
        console.log('Children:', resolved());
    });

    return <div>{resolved()}</div>;
};

Control Flow Components

Show — Conditional Rendering

import { Show } from 'solid-js';

<Show when={user()} fallback={<Login />}>
    {(user) => <Profile user={user()} />}
</Show>;

For — List Rendering (keyed by reference)

import { For } from 'solid-js';

<For each={items()} fallback={<Empty />}>
    {(item, index) => (
        <div>
            {index()}: {item.name}
        </div>
    )}
</For>;

Note: index is a signal, item is the value.

Index — List Rendering (keyed by index)

import { Index } from 'solid-js';

<Index each={items()}>{(item, index) => <input value={item().text} />}</Index>;

Note: item is a signal, index is the value. Better for primitive arrays or inputs.

Switch/Match — Multiple Conditions

import { Switch, Match } from 'solid-js';

<Switch fallback={<Default />}>
    <Match when={state() === 'loading'}>
        <Loading />
    </Match>
    <Match when={state() === 'error'}>
        <Error />
    </Match>
    <Match when={state() === 'success'}>
        <Success />
    </Match>
</Switch>;

Dynamic — Dynamic Component

import { Dynamic } from 'solid-js/web';

<Dynamic component={selected()} someProp="value" />;

Portal — Render Outside DOM Hierarchy

import { Portal } from 'solid-js/web';

<Portal mount={document.body}>
    <Modal />
</Portal>;

ErrorBoundary — Error Handling

import { ErrorBoundary } from 'solid-js';

<ErrorBoundary
    fallback={(err, reset) => (
        <div>
            Error: {err.message}
            <button onClick={reset}>Retry</button>
        </div>
    )}
>
    <RiskyComponent />
</ErrorBoundary>;

Suspense — Async Loading

import { Suspense } from 'solid-js';

<Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
    <AsyncComponent />
</Suspense>;

Context API

import { createContext, useContext } from 'solid-js';

// Create context
const CounterContext = createContext<{
    count: () => number;
    increment: () => void;
}>();

// Provider component
export function CounterProvider(props) {
    const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0);

    return (
        <CounterContext.Provider
            value={{
                count,
                increment: () => setCount((c) => c + 1),
            }}
        >
            {props.children}
        </CounterContext.Provider>
    );
}

// Consumer hook
export function useCounter() {
    const ctx = useContext(CounterContext);
    if (!ctx) throw new Error('useCounter must be used within CounterProvider');
    return ctx;
}

Lifecycle

import { onMount, onCleanup } from 'solid-js';

function MyComponent() {
    onMount(() => {
        console.log('Mounted');
        const handler = () => {};
        window.addEventListener('resize', handler);

        onCleanup(() => {
            window.removeEventListener('resize', handler);
        });
    });

    return <div>Content</div>;
}

Refs

let inputRef: HTMLInputElement;

<input ref={inputRef} />
<input ref={(el) => { /* el is the DOM element */ }} />

Event Handling

// Standard events (lowercase)
<button onClick={handleClick}>Click</button>
<button onClick={(e) => handleClick(e)}>Click</button>

// Delegated events (on:)
<input on:input={handleInput} />

// Native events (on:) - not delegated
<div on:scroll={handleScroll} />

Routing (Solid Router)

See [references/routing.md](references/routing.md) for complete routing guide.

Quick setup:

import { Router, Route } from '@solidjs/router';

<Router>
    <Route path="/" component={Home} />
    <Route path="/users/:id" component={User} />
    <Route path="*404" component={NotFound} />
</Router>;

SolidStart

See [references/solidstart.md](references/solidstart.md) for full-stack development guide.