Overview

Architecture

The Cerberus theming system is built around the API of Panda CSS.

Here's a quick overview of how the system is structured to provide a performant and extensible styling system:

• Define the styling system configuration using the createCerberusConfig function
• Create the styling engine using the makeSystemConfig function
• Pass the styling engine to the CerberusProvider component

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'use client'
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import {
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  CerberusProvider,
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  defineIcons,
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  makeSystemConfig,
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} from '@cerberus-design/react'
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import {
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  Calendar,
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  Checkmark,
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  CheckmarkOutline,
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  ChevronDown,
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  ChevronLeft,
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  ChevronRight,
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  Close,
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  CloudUpload,
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  Information,
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  Restart,
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  TrashCan,
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  UserFilled,
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  Warning,
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  WarningAlt,
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  WarningFilled,
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} from '@carbon/icons-react'
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import type { PropsWithChildren } from 'react'
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const icons = defineIcons({
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  accordionIndicator: ChevronDown,
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  avatar: UserFilled,
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  calendar: Calendar,
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  calendarPrev: ChevronLeft,
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  calendarNext: ChevronRight,
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  close: Close,
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  confirmModal: Information,
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  delete: TrashCan,
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  promptModal: Information,
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  waitingFileUploader: CloudUpload,
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  infoNotification: Information,
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  successNotification: CheckmarkOutline,
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  warningNotification: WarningAlt,
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  dangerNotification: WarningFilled,
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  invalid: WarningFilled,
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  invalidAlt: Warning,
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  redo: Restart,
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  selectArrow: ChevronDown,
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  selectChecked: Checkmark,
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  toggleChecked: Checkmark,
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})
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const config = makeSystemConfig({
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  icons,
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})
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export default function CerberusConfig(props: PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
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  return <CerberusProvider config={config}>{props.children}</CerberusProvider>
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}

Config

The Cerberus system is configured using the createCerberusConfig function. This function accepts a configuration object that allows you to customize the styling system's behavior.

After a config is defined, the makeSystemConfig function creates internal options for Cerberus components to utilize when needed.

cssVarRoot

cssVarRoot is the root element where the token CSS variables will be applied.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  cssVarRoot: ":where(:root, :host)",
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})

globalCss

globalCss is used to apply global styles to the system. This will not be atomized, and will be applied to the root element.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  globalCss: {
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    "html, body": {
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      margin: 0,
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      padding: 0,
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    },
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  },
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})

preflight

preflight is used to apply css reset styles to the system.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  preflight: false,
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})

Alternatively, you can use the preflight config property to apply css reset styles to the system. This is useful if you want to apply css reset styles to a specific element.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  preflight: {
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    scope: ".custom-reset",
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  },
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})

theme

Use the theme config property to define the system theme. This property accepts the following properties:

• breakpoints: for defining breakpoints
• keyframes: for defining css keyframes animations
• tokens: for defining primitive tokens
• semanticTokens: for defining semantic tokens (which consume primitive tokens)
• textStyles: for defining typography styles
• layerStyles: for defining layer styles
• animationStyles: for defining animation styles
• recipes: for defining component recipes
• slotRecipes: for defining component slot recipes

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  theme: {
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    breakpoints: {
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      sm: "320px",
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      md: "768px",
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      lg: "960px",
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      xl: "1200px",
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    },
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    tokens: {
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      colors: {
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        red: "#EE0F0F",
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      },
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    },
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    semanticTokens: {
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      colors: {
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        customRed: { value: "{colors.red}" },
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      },
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    },
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    keyframes: {
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      spin: {
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        from: { transform: "rotate(0deg)" },
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        to: { transform: "rotate(360deg)" },
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      },
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    },
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  },
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})

conditions

Use the conditions config property to define custom selectors and media query conditions for applying conditional styles in the system.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  conditions: {
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    cqSm: "@container(min-width: 320px)",
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    child: "& > *",
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  },
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})

Sample usage:

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<Box mt="40px" _cqSm={{ mt: "0px" }}>
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  <Text>Hello World</Text>
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</Box>

strictTokens

Use the strictTokens config property to enforce the usage of only design tokens. This will throw a TS error if you try to use a token that is not defined in the theme.

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export default createCerberusConfig({
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  strictTokens: true,
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})

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// ❌ This will throw a TS error
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<Box color="#4f343e">Hello World</Box>
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// ✅ This will work
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<Box color="red.400">Hello World</Box>

TypeScript

When you configure the system properties (like colors, space, fonts, etc.), the Panda CLI can be used to generate type definitions for them.

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npm panda codegen

This will update the internal types in the styled-system directory, and make sure they are in sync with the theme. Providing a type-safe API and delightful experience for developers.

System

After a config is defined, it is passed to the makeSystemConfig function to create low level options that become internally available to components.

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const icons = defineIcons({...})
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const config = makeSystemConfig({
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  icons,
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})

The system includes the following properties:

icons

The token function is used to create a mapping of icon names to their respective icon components. This allows you to easily reference and use custom icons throughout your application for the Cerberus components that depend on rendering icons for their functionality.

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import { defineIcons } from '@cerberus-design/react'
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import { Calendar, Checkmark } from '@carbon/icons-react'
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const icons = defineIcons({
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  calendar: Calendar,
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  checkmark: Checkmark,
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})

Tokens

To learn more about tokens, please refer to the tokens section.

Recipes

To learn more about recipes, please refer to the recipes section.