Storybook for Design Systems: Component Documentation That Stays Up to Date

Documentation that isn't tied to the code goes stale. Storybook keeps it live.
Here's how to build a component library that documents itself.

Setup

npx storybook@latest init
npm run storybook  # starts at localhost:6006

Writing Stories

// components/Button/Button.stories.tsx
import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react'
import { Button } from './Button'

const meta: Meta<typeof Button> = {
  title: 'Components/Button',
  component: Button,
  tags: ['autodocs'],  // auto-generate docs from JSDoc
  argTypes: {
    variant: {
      control: 'select',
      options: ['primary', 'secondary', 'destructive'],
    },
    size: {
      control: 'radio',
      options: ['sm', 'md', 'lg'],
    },
  },
}

export default meta
type Story = StoryObj<typeof Button>

export const Primary: Story = {
  args: {
    children: 'Click me',
    variant: 'primary',
  },
}

export const Destructive: Story = {
  args: {
    children: 'Delete',
    variant: 'destructive',
  },
}

export const Loading: Story = {
  args: {
    children: 'Saving...',
    loading: true,
    disabled: true,
  },
}

export const AllVariants: Story = {
  render: () => (
    <div className="flex gap-4">
      <Button variant="primary">Primary</Button>
      <Button variant="secondary">Secondary</Button>
      <Button variant="destructive">Delete</Button>
    </div>
  ),
}

Decorators for Shared Context

// .storybook/preview.tsx
import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query'
import { ThemeProvider } from '../components/ThemeProvider'

const queryClient = new QueryClient()

export const decorators = [
  (Story) => (
    <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
      <ThemeProvider>
        <Story />
      </ThemeProvider>
    </QueryClientProvider>
  ),
]

Interaction Tests

import { within, userEvent, expect } from '@storybook/test'

export const SubmitForm: Story = {
  play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
    const canvas = within(canvasElement)

    // Simulate user interaction
    await userEvent.type(canvas.getByLabelText('Email'), '[e-mail]')
    await userEvent.type(canvas.getByLabelText('Password'), 'password123')
    await userEvent.click(canvas.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' }))

    // Assert outcomes
    await expect(canvas.getByText('Welcome!')).toBeInTheDocument()
  },
}

These play functions run as tests: npm run test-storybook.

Mock Service Worker Integration

import { http, HttpResponse } from 'msw'

export const WithLoadedData: Story = {
  parameters: {
    msw: {
      handlers: [
        http.get('/api/users', () =>
          HttpResponse.json([
            { id: '1', name: 'Atlas', email: '[e-mail]' },
          ])
        ),
      ],
    },
  },
}

export const WithError: Story = {
  parameters: {
    msw: {
      handlers: [
        http.get('/api/users', () =>
          HttpResponse.json({ error: 'Server error' }, { status: 500 })
        ),
      ],
    },
  },
}

Each story can mock different API responses. Test loading, error, and success states in isolation.

Visual Regression with Chromatic

npm install --save-dev chromatic
npx chromatic --project-token=<your-token>

Add to CI:

- name: Publish Storybook and run visual tests
  uses: chromaui/action@latest
  with:
    projectToken: ${{ secrets.CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN }}
    exitZeroOnChanges: true

Every PR shows a visual diff of changed components. Catch unintended style regressions.

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