Data Client Setup

Setup Reactive Data Client

Detection Steps

Before installing, detect the project type and protocol by checking these files:

1. Detect Package Manager

Check which lock file exists:

• yarn.lock → use yarn add
• pnpm-lock.yaml → use pnpm add
• package-lock.json or bun.lockb → use npm install or bun add

2. Detect Project Type

Check package.json dependencies:

3. Detect Protocol Type

Scan the codebase to determine which data-fetching protocols are used:

REST Detection

Look for these patterns:

• fetch() calls with REST-style URLs (/api/, /users/, etc.)
• HTTP client libraries: axios, ky, got, superagent in package.json
• Files with REST patterns: api.ts, client.ts, services/*.ts
• URL patterns with path parameters: /users/:id, /posts/:postId/comments
• HTTP methods in code: method: 'GET', method: 'POST', .get(, .post(

GraphQL Detection

Look for these patterns:

• @apollo/client, graphql-request, urql, graphql-tag in package.json
• .graphql or .gql files in the project
• `gql`` template literal tags
• GraphQL query patterns: query {, mutation {, subscription {
• GraphQL endpoint URLs: /graphql

Custom Protocol Detection

For async operations that don't match REST or GraphQL:

• Custom async functions returning Promises
• Third-party SDK clients (Firebase, Supabase, AWS SDK, etc.)
• IndexedDB or other local async storage

4. Install the Skills This Project Needs

Protocol setup guides are bundled in this skill, but defining and using data afterwards is covered by other Data Client skills. Install the ones that match what you detected, skipping any already installed:

Use the installer that installed this skill. For OpenSkills and the skills CLI, add -g if this skill lives under your home directory rather than the project.

• Claude Code plugin (this skill is under ~/.claude/plugins/): claude plugin install react@data-client or claude plugin install vue@data-client. Either includes every skill above.
• OpenSkills (AGENTS.md lists skills in an <available_skills> block): npx openskills install reactive/data-client/.agents/skills/<skill>, once per skill.
• Otherwise use the skills CLI: npx skills add reactive/data-client --yes --skill <skill> --skill <skill> ...

Newly installed skills may not be loaded until the next session, so read their SKILL.md directly when this skill says to apply them.

Installation

Core Packages

Install Command Examples

React (NextJS, Expo, React Native, plain React):

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npm install @data-client/react && npm install -D @data-client/test
yarn add @data-client/react && yarn add -D @data-client/test
pnpm add @data-client/react && pnpm add -D @data-client/test

Vue:

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npm install @data-client/vue
yarn add @data-client/vue
pnpm add @data-client/vue

Provider Setup

After installing, add the provider at the top-level component.

NextJS (App Router)

Edit app/layout.tsx:

tsxCopy code
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react/nextjs';

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html>
      <DataProvider>
        <body>
          {children}
        </body>
      </DataProvider>
    </html>
  );
}

Important: NextJS uses @data-client/react/nextjs import path.

Expo

Edit app/_layout.tsx:

tsxCopy code
import { Stack } from 'expo-router';
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react';

export default function RootLayout() {
  return (
    <DataProvider>
      <Stack>
        <Stack.Screen name="index" />
      </Stack>
    </DataProvider>
  );
}

React Native

Edit entry file (e.g., index.tsx):

tsxCopy code
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react';
import { AppRegistry } from 'react-native';

const Root = () => (
  <DataProvider>
    <App />
  </DataProvider>
);
AppRegistry.registerComponent('MyApp', () => Root);

Plain React (Vite, CRA, etc.)

Edit entry file (e.g., index.tsx, main.tsx, or src/index.tsx):

tsxCopy code
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react';
import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';

createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(
  <DataProvider>
    <App />
  </DataProvider>,
);

Vue

Edit main.ts:

tsCopy code
import { createApp } from 'vue';
import { DataClientPlugin } from '@data-client/vue';
import App from './App.vue';

const app = createApp(App);

app.use(DataClientPlugin, {
  // optional overrides
  // managers: getDefaultManagers(),
  // initialState,
  // Controller,
  // gcPolicy,
});

app.mount('#app');

Protocol-Specific Setup

After provider setup, follow the guide for each detected protocol. These guides are bundled copies of the standalone protocol setup skills, so they need nothing else installed.

REST APIs

Follow references/data-client-rest-setup.md, which will:

1. Install @data-client/rest
2. Offer to create a custom BaseEndpoint class extending RestEndpoint
3. Configure common behaviors: urlPrefix, authentication, error handling

GraphQL APIs

Follow references/data-client-graphql-setup.md, which will:

1. Install @data-client/graphql
2. Create and configure GQLEndpoint instance
3. Set up authentication headers

Custom Async Operations

Follow references/data-client-endpoint-setup.md, which will:

1. Install @data-client/endpoint
2. Offer to wrap existing async functions with new Endpoint()
3. Configure schemas and caching options

Multiple Protocols

If multiple protocols are detected, follow each protocol's guide. Each protocol package can be installed alongside others.

Verification Checklist

After setup, verify:

• Core packages installed in package.json
• Provider/Plugin wraps the app at root level
• Correct import path used (especially @data-client/react/nextjs for NextJS)
• No duplicate providers in component tree
• Protocol-specific setup completed via its guide

Common Issues

NextJS: Wrong Import Path

❌ Wrong:

tsxCopy code
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react';

✅ Correct for NextJS:

tsxCopy code
import { DataProvider } from '@data-client/react/nextjs';

Provider Not at Root

The DataProvider must wrap all components that use data-client hooks. Place it at the topmost level possible. In Vue, call app.use(DataClientPlugin) on the root app before app.mount().

Next Steps

After core setup and protocol-specific setup:

1. Define data schemas using Entity - see skill "data-client-schema"
2. Use hooks like useSuspense, useQuery, useController - see skill "data-client-react" or "data-client-vue"
3. Define REST resources - see skill "data-client-rest"

References

Vue projects: read <name>.vue.md instead of <name>.md when it exists.

For detailed API documentation, see the references directory:

• DataProvider - React root provider component (Vue installs DataClientPlugin instead; see installation)
• DataClientPlugin - Plugin options (Vue)
• installation - Installation guide
• getDefaultManagers - Default managers
• REST setup - @data-client/rest setup and migration from axios, fetch, ky, superagent or got
• GraphQL setup - @data-client/graphql setup
• Custom endpoint setup - Wrapping other async functions with @data-client/endpoint