Custom Components

While Paste provides a comprehensive set of components, you may need to create custom components for unique use cases. Learn how to build custom components that integrate seamlessly with Paste’s theming system.

Overview

Creating custom components in Paste involves:

Using Paste primitives like Box and Text
Accessing theme tokens with useTheme
Leveraging style props for consistency
Following Paste’s accessibility patterns

Using Box as a Foundation

The Box component is the most flexible primitive for building custom components:

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

function CustomCard({ children, variant = 'default' }) {
  const isElevated = variant === 'elevated';
  
  return (
    <Box
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      padding="space70"
      boxShadow={isElevated ? 'shadowCard' : 'none'}
      borderWidth="borderWidth10"
      borderStyle="solid"
      borderColor="colorBorder"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

Accessing Theme Values

Use the useTheme hook to access raw theme values:

import { useTheme } from '@twilio-paste/core/theme';
import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

function CustomGradientBox({ children }) {
  const theme = useTheme();
  
  return (
    <Box
      padding="space60"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      style={{
        background: `linear-gradient(135deg, ${
          theme.backgroundColors.colorBackgroundPrimary
        }, ${
          theme.backgroundColors.colorBackgroundPrimaryStrong
        })`,
      }}
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

Composing Paste Components

Build complex components by combining existing Paste components:

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import { Text } from '@twilio-paste/core/text';
import { Heading } from '@twilio-paste/core/heading';
import { Button } from '@twilio-paste/core/button';
import { Stack } from '@twilio-paste/core/stack';

function FeatureCard({ title, description, action, onAction }) {
  return (
    <Box
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      padding="space70"
      boxShadow="shadowCard"
    >
      <Stack orientation="vertical" spacing="space50">
        <Heading as="h3" variant="heading30">
          {title}
        </Heading>
        <Text as="p" color="colorTextWeak">
          {description}
        </Text>
        {action && (
          <Box>
            <Button variant="primary" onClick={onAction}>
              {action}
            </Button>
          </Box>
        )}
      </Stack>
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage
<FeatureCard
  title="Get Started"
  description="Learn how to integrate Paste into your application"
  action="Read Documentation"
  onAction={() => console.log('Clicked')}
/>

Creating Styled Components

For more complex styling needs, use the Paste styling library:

import { styled } from '@twilio-paste/styling-library';
import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

const StyledCard = styled(Box)(({ theme, variant }) => ({
  backgroundColor: theme.backgroundColors.colorBackgroundBody,
  borderRadius: theme.radii.borderRadius30,
  padding: theme.space.space70,
  boxShadow: variant === 'elevated' 
    ? theme.shadows.shadowCard 
    : 'none',
  borderWidth: theme.borderWidths.borderWidth10,
  borderStyle: 'solid',
  borderColor: theme.borderColors.colorBorder,
  transition: 'all 0.2s ease',
  
  '&:hover': {
    boxShadow: theme.shadows.shadow,
    transform: 'translateY(-2px)',
  },
}));

function HoverCard({ children, variant }) {
  return <StyledCard variant={variant}>{children}</StyledCard>;
}

Advanced Custom Components

Interactive Component with State

import { useState } from 'react';
import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import { Text } from '@twilio-paste/core/text';
import { Stack } from '@twilio-paste/core/stack';

function Tabs({ items, defaultTab = 0 }) {
  const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState(defaultTab);
  
  return (
    <Box>
      <Stack orientation="horizontal" spacing="space0">
        {items.map((item, index) => (
          <Box
            key={index}
            as="button"
            onClick={() => setActiveTab(index)}
            paddingX="space60"
            paddingY="space40"
            backgroundColor={
              activeTab === index
                ? 'colorBackgroundPrimaryWeakest'
                : 'transparent'
            }
            borderBottomWidth="borderWidth20"
            borderBottomStyle="solid"
            borderBottomColor={
              activeTab === index
                ? 'colorBorderPrimary'
                : 'transparent'
            }
            cursor="pointer"
            _hover={{
              backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundPrimaryWeakest',
            }}
          >
            <Text
              as="span"
              fontWeight={
                activeTab === index ? 'fontWeightBold' : 'fontWeightNormal'
              }
            >
              {item.label}
            </Text>
          </Box>
        ))}
      </Stack>
      <Box padding="space70">
        {items[activeTab].content}
      </Box>
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage
<Tabs
  items={[
    { label: 'Overview', content: <div>Overview content</div> },
    { label: 'Details', content: <div>Details content</div> },
    { label: 'Settings', content: <div>Settings content</div> },
  ]}
/>

Component with Variants

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import { Text } from '@twilio-paste/core/text';

const variantStyles = {
  info: {
    backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundNeutralWeakest',
    borderColor: 'colorBorderNeutral',
    iconColor: 'colorTextNeutral',
  },
  success: {
    backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundSuccessWeakest',
    borderColor: 'colorBorderSuccess',
    iconColor: 'colorTextSuccess',
  },
  warning: {
    backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundWarningWeakest',
    borderColor: 'colorBorderWarning',
    iconColor: 'colorTextWarning',
  },
  error: {
    backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundErrorWeakest',
    borderColor: 'colorBorderError',
    iconColor: 'colorTextError',
  },
};

function Callout({ variant = 'info', title, children }) {
  const styles = variantStyles[variant];
  
  return (
    <Box
      backgroundColor={styles.backgroundColor}
      borderLeftWidth="borderWidth30"
      borderLeftStyle="solid"
      borderLeftColor={styles.borderColor}
      padding="space60"
      borderRadius="borderRadius20"
    >
      {title && (
        <Text
          as="div"
          fontWeight="fontWeightBold"
          color={styles.iconColor}
          marginBottom="space30"
        >
          {title}
        </Text>
      )}
      <Text as="div">{children}</Text>
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage
<Callout variant="warning" title="Important">
  This action cannot be undone.
</Callout>

Responsive Custom Component

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import { useTheme } from '@twilio-paste/core/theme';

function ResponsiveGrid({ children }) {
  return (
    <Box
      display="grid"
      gridTemplateColumns={[
        'repeat(1, 1fr)',     // Mobile: 1 column
        'repeat(2, 1fr)',     // Tablet: 2 columns
        'repeat(3, 1fr)',     // Desktop: 3 columns
      ]}
      columnGap="space60"
      rowGap="space60"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage
<ResponsiveGrid>
  <FeatureCard title="Feature 1" />
  <FeatureCard title="Feature 2" />
  <FeatureCard title="Feature 3" />
  <FeatureCard title="Feature 4" />
</ResponsiveGrid>

Using Element Names

Add custom element names to your components for customization:

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

function CustomCard({ element = 'CUSTOM_CARD', children }) {
  return (
    <Box
      element={element}
      padding="space60"
      borderRadius="borderRadius20"
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

// Allow customization via CustomizationProvider
<CustomizationProvider
  elements={{
    CUSTOM_CARD: {
      padding: 'space90',
      boxShadow: 'shadowCard',
    },
  }}
>
  <CustomCard>Customizable card</CustomCard>
</CustomizationProvider>

Forwarding Props

Create flexible components that accept additional props:

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

function FlexContainer({ children, direction = 'row', gap = 'space50', ...props }) {
  return (
    <Box
      display="flex"
      flexDirection={direction}
      gap={gap}
      {...props}
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage with additional props
<FlexContainer
  direction="column"
  gap="space70"
  padding="space60"
  backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
>
  <div>Item 1</div>
  <div>Item 2</div>
</FlexContainer>

Accessibility Patterns

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

function AccessibleButton({ children, onClick }) {
  const handleKeyPress = (event) => {
    if (event.key === 'Enter' || event.key === ' ') {
      event.preventDefault();
      onClick?.(event);
    }
  };
  
  return (
    <Box
      as="button"
      onClick={onClick}
      onKeyPress={handleKeyPress}
      padding="space40"
      cursor="pointer"
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundPrimary"
      color="colorTextInverse"
      borderRadius="borderRadius20"
      _focus={{
        outline: 'none',
        boxShadow: 'shadowFocus',
      }}
      _hover={{
        backgroundColor: 'colorBackgroundPrimaryStrong',
      }}
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

ARIA Attributes

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import { Text } from '@twilio-paste/core/text';

function StatusBadge({ status, children }) {
  const isActive = status === 'active';
  
  return (
    <Box
      role="status"
      aria-live="polite"
      display="inline-flex"
      alignItems="center"
      paddingX="space40"
      paddingY="space20"
      backgroundColor={
        isActive 
          ? 'colorBackgroundSuccessWeakest' 
          : 'colorBackgroundNeutralWeakest'
      }
      borderRadius="borderRadiusPill"
    >
      <Box
        width="sizeSquare20"
        height="sizeSquare20"
        borderRadius="borderRadiusCircle"
        backgroundColor={
          isActive
            ? 'colorBackgroundSuccess'
            : 'colorBackgroundWeak'
        }
        marginRight="space30"
        aria-hidden="true"
      />
      <Text as="span" fontSize="fontSize20">
        {children}
      </Text>
    </Box>
  );
}

Animation and Transitions

import { styled } from '@twilio-paste/styling-library';
import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

const AnimatedBox = styled(Box)`
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
  
  &:hover {
    transform: scale(1.05);
  }
`;

function AnimatedCard({ children }) {
  return (
    <AnimatedBox
      padding="space60"
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      boxShadow="shadowCard"
    >
      {children}
    </AnimatedBox>
  );
}

TypeScript Support

Add proper TypeScript types to your custom components:

import { Box } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';
import type { BoxProps } from '@twilio-paste/core/box';

interface CustomCardProps extends Omit<BoxProps, 'padding' | 'borderRadius'> {
  variant?: 'default' | 'elevated' | 'outlined';
  children: React.ReactNode;
}

function CustomCard({ 
  variant = 'default', 
  children, 
  ...props 
}: CustomCardProps) {
  const getVariantStyles = () => {
    switch (variant) {
      case 'elevated':
        return { boxShadow: 'shadowCard' as const };
      case 'outlined':
        return { 
          borderWidth: 'borderWidth10' as const,
          borderStyle: 'solid' as const,
          borderColor: 'colorBorder' as const,
        };
      default:
        return {};
    }
  };
  
  return (
    <Box
      padding="space60"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
      {...getVariantStyles()}
      {...props}
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

Best Practices

1. Use Paste Primitives

// Good: Build on Paste primitives
import { Box, Text } from '@twilio-paste/core';

function CustomComponent() {
  return (
    <Box padding="space50">
      <Text>Content</Text>
    </Box>
  );
}

// Avoid: Raw HTML elements
function CustomComponent() {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '16px' }}>
      <span>Content</span>
    </div>
  );
}

2. Use Theme Tokens

// Good: Reference theme tokens
<Box
  padding="space50"
  backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
  color="colorText"
/>

// Avoid: Hardcoded values
<Box
  padding="16px"
  backgroundColor="#FFFFFF"
  color="#000000"
/>

3. Make Components Customizable

// Good: Accept element prop
function CustomCard({ element = 'CUSTOM_CARD', ...props }) {
  return <Box element={element} {...props} />;
}

// Avoid: No customization hooks
function CustomCard(props) {
  return <Box {...props} />;
}

4. Follow Accessibility Guidelines

// Good: Proper semantics and ARIA
<Box
  as="button"
  role="button"
  aria-label="Close dialog"
  tabIndex={0}
>
  Close
</Box>

// Avoid: Poor accessibility
<Box onClick={handleClick}>
  Close
</Box>

5. Document Your Components

/**
 * FeatureCard displays a feature with title, description, and action.
 * 
 * @param {string} title - The card title
 * @param {string} description - The card description
 * @param {string} action - The action button text
 * @param {Function} onAction - Callback when action is clicked
 * 
 * @example
 * <FeatureCard
 *   title="Get Started"
 *   description="Learn the basics"
 *   action="Start Learning"
 *   onAction={() => navigate('/learn')}
 * />
 */
function FeatureCard({ title, description, action, onAction }) {
  // Component implementation
}

Common Patterns

Compound Components

function Card({ children }) {
  return (
    <Box
      backgroundColor="colorBackgroundBody"
      borderRadius="borderRadius30"
      boxShadow="shadowCard"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
}

Card.Header = function CardHeader({ children }) {
  return (
    <Box
      padding="space60"
      borderBottomWidth="borderWidth10"
      borderBottomStyle="solid"
      borderBottomColor="colorBorder"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
};

Card.Body = function CardBody({ children }) {
  return <Box padding="space60">{children}</Box>;
};

Card.Footer = function CardFooter({ children }) {
  return (
    <Box
      padding="space60"
      borderTopWidth="borderWidth10"
      borderTopStyle="solid"
      borderTopColor="colorBorder"
    >
      {children}
    </Box>
  );
};

// Usage
<Card>
  <Card.Header>Header content</Card.Header>
  <Card.Body>Body content</Card.Body>
  <Card.Footer>Footer content</Card.Footer>
</Card>

Render Props Pattern

function DataDisplay({ data, render }) {
  return (
    <Box padding="space60">
      {render(data)}
    </Box>
  );
}

// Usage
<DataDisplay
  data={{ name: 'John', role: 'Developer' }}
  render={(data) => (
    <Stack orientation="vertical" spacing="space30">
      <Text>Name: {data.name}</Text>
      <Text>Role: {data.role}</Text>
    </Stack>
  )}
/>

Next Steps

Learn about Style Props available on Box
Explore Design Tokens for styling values
Review CustomizationProvider for theme overrides
Check out Paste’s component source code for examples

Theming

Advanced

Custom Components

Overview

Using Box as a Foundation

Accessing Theme Values

Composing Paste Components

Creating Styled Components

Advanced Custom Components

Interactive Component with State

Component with Variants

Responsive Custom Component

Using Element Names

Forwarding Props

Accessibility Patterns

Keyboard Navigation

ARIA Attributes

Animation and Transitions

TypeScript Support

Best Practices

1. Use Paste Primitives

2. Use Theme Tokens

3. Make Components Customizable

4. Follow Accessibility Guidelines

5. Document Your Components

Common Patterns

Compound Components

Render Props Pattern

Next Steps

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Theming

Advanced

​Overview

​Using Box as a Foundation

​Accessing Theme Values

​Composing Paste Components

​Creating Styled Components

​Advanced Custom Components

​Interactive Component with State

​Component with Variants

​Responsive Custom Component

​Using Element Names

​Forwarding Props

​Accessibility Patterns

​Keyboard Navigation

​ARIA Attributes

​Animation and Transitions

​TypeScript Support

​Best Practices

​1. Use Paste Primitives

​2. Use Theme Tokens

​3. Make Components Customizable

​4. Follow Accessibility Guidelines

​5. Document Your Components

​Common Patterns

​Compound Components

​Render Props Pattern

​Next Steps

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Using Box as a Foundation

Accessing Theme Values

Composing Paste Components

Creating Styled Components

Advanced Custom Components

Interactive Component with State

Component with Variants

Responsive Custom Component

Using Element Names

Forwarding Props

Accessibility Patterns

Keyboard Navigation

ARIA Attributes

Animation and Transitions

TypeScript Support

Best Practices

1. Use Paste Primitives

2. Use Theme Tokens

3. Make Components Customizable

4. Follow Accessibility Guidelines

5. Document Your Components

Common Patterns

Compound Components

Render Props Pattern

Next Steps