MCPInstall

react-flow

React Flow (@xyflow/react) for workflow visualization with custom nodes and edges. Use when building graph visualizations, creating custom workflow nodes, implementing edge labels, or controlling viewport. Triggers on ReactFlow, @xyflow/react, Handle, NodeProps, EdgeProps, useReactFlow, fitView.

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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/existential-birds/beagle --skill react-flow
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads react-flow automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

React Flow

React Flow (@xyflow/react) is a library for building node-based graphs, workflow editors, and interactive diagrams. It provides a highly customizable framework for creating visual programming interfaces, process flows, and network visualizations.

Quick Start

Installation

pnpm add @xyflow/react

Basic Setup

import { ReactFlow, Node, Edge, Background, Controls, MiniMap } from '@xyflow/react';
import '@xyflow/react/dist/style.css';

const initialNodes: Node[] = [
  {
    id: '1',
    type: 'input',
    data: { label: 'Input Node' },
    position: { x: 250, y: 5 },
  },
  {
    id: '2',
    data: { label: 'Default Node' },
    position: { x: 100, y: 100 },
  },
  {
    id: '3',
    type: 'output',
    data: { label: 'Output Node' },
    position: { x: 400, y: 100 },
  },
];

const initialEdges: Edge[] = [
  { id: 'e1-2', source: '1', target: '2', animated: true },
  { id: 'e2-3', source: '2', target: '3' },
];

function Flow() {
  return (
    <div style={{ width: '100vw', height: '100vh' }}>
      <ReactFlow nodes={initialNodes} edges={initialEdges}>
        <Background />
        <Controls />
        <MiniMap />
      </ReactFlow>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Flow;

Core Concepts

Nodes

Nodes are the building blocks of the graph. Each node has:

  • id: Unique identifier
  • type: Node type (built-in or custom)
  • position: { x, y } coordinates
  • data: Custom data object
import { Node } from '@xyflow/react';

const node: Node = {
  id: 'node-1',
  type: 'default',
  position: { x: 100, y: 100 },
  data: { label: 'Node Label' },
  style: { background: '#D6D5E6' },
  className: 'custom-node',
};

Built-in node types:

  • default: Standard node
  • input: No target handles
  • output: No source handles
  • group: Container for other nodes

Edges

Edges connect nodes. Each edge requires:

  • id: Unique identifier
  • source: Source node ID
  • target: Target node ID
import { Edge } from '@xyflow/react';

const edge: Edge = {
  id: 'e1-2',
  source: '1',
  target: '2',
  type: 'smoothstep',
  animated: true,
  label: 'Edge Label',
  style: { stroke: '#fff', strokeWidth: 2 },
};

Built-in edge types:

  • default: Bezier curve
  • straight: Straight line
  • step: Orthogonal with sharp corners
  • smoothstep: Orthogonal with rounded corners

Handles

Handles are connection points on nodes. Use Position enum for placement:

import { Handle, Position } from '@xyflow/react';

<Handle type="target" position={Position.Top} />
<Handle type="source" position={Position.Bottom} />

Available positions: Position.Top, Position.Right, Position.Bottom, Position.Left

State Management

Controlled Flow

Use state hooks for full control:

import { useNodesState, useEdgesState, addEdge, OnConnect } from '@xyflow/react';
import { useCallback } from 'react';

function ControlledFlow() {
  const [nodes, setNodes, onNodesChange] = useNodesState(initialNodes);
  const [edges, setEdges, onEdgesChange] = useEdgesState(initialEdges);

  const onConnect: OnConnect = useCallback(
    (connection) => setEdges((eds) => addEdge(connection, eds)),
    [setEdges]
  );

  return (
    <ReactFlow
      nodes={nodes}
      edges={edges}
      onNodesChange={onNodesChange}
      onEdgesChange={onEdgesChange}
      onConnect={onConnect}
    />
  );
}

useReactFlow Hook

Access the React Flow instance for programmatic control:

import { useReactFlow } from '@xyflow/react';

function FlowControls() {
  const {
    getNodes,
    getEdges,
    setNodes,
    setEdges,
    addNodes,
    addEdges,
    deleteElements,
    fitView,
    zoomIn,
    zoomOut,
    getNode,
    getEdge,
    updateNode,
    updateEdge,
  } = useReactFlow();

  return (
    <button onClick={() => fitView()}>Fit View</button>
  );
}

Custom Nodes

Define custom nodes using NodeProps<T> with typed data:

import { NodeProps, Node, Handle, Position } from '@xyflow/react';

export type CustomNode = Node<{ label: string; status: 'active' | 'inactive' }, 'custom'>;

function CustomNodeComponent({ data, selected }: NodeProps<CustomNode>) {
  return (
    <div className={`px-4 py-2 ${selected ? 'ring-2' : ''}`}>
      <Handle type="target" position={Position.Top} />
      <div className="font-bold">{data.label}</div>
      <Handle type="source" position={Position.Bottom} />
    </div>
  );
}

Register with nodeTypes:

const nodeTypes: NodeTypes = { custom: CustomNodeComponent };
<ReactFlow nodeTypes={nodeTypes} />

Key Patterns

  • Multiple Handles: Use id prop and style for positioning
  • Dynamic Handles: Call useUpdateNodeInternals([nodeId]) after adding/removing handles
  • Interactive Elements: Add className="nodrag" to prevent dragging on inputs/buttons

See Custom Nodes Reference for detailed patterns including styling, aviation map pins, and dynamic handles.

Custom Edges

Define custom edges using EdgeProps<T> and path utilities:

import { BaseEdge, EdgeProps, getBezierPath } from '@xyflow/react';

export type CustomEdge = Edge<{ status: 'normal' | 'error' }, 'custom'>;

function CustomEdgeComponent(props: EdgeProps<CustomEdge>) {
  const [edgePath] = getBezierPath(props);

  return (
    <BaseEdge
      id={props.id}
      path={edgePath}
      style={{ stroke: props.data?.status === 'error' ? '#ef4444' : '#64748b' }}
    />
  );
}

Path Utilities

  • getBezierPath() - Smooth curves
  • getStraightPath() - Straight lines
  • getSmoothStepPath() - Orthogonal with rounded corners
  • getSmoothStepPath({ borderRadius: 0 }) - Orthogonal with sharp corners (step edge)

All return [path, labelX, labelY, offsetX, offsetY].

Interactive Labels

Use EdgeLabelRenderer for HTML-based labels with pointer events:

import { EdgeLabelRenderer, BaseEdge, getBezierPath } from '@xyflow/react';

function ButtonEdge(props: EdgeProps) {
  const [edgePath, labelX, labelY] = getBezierPath(props);
  return (
    <>
      <BaseEdge id={props.id} path={edgePath} />
      <EdgeLabelRenderer>
        <div
          style={{
            position: 'absolute',
            transform: `translate(-50%, -50%) translate(${labelX}px, ${labelY}px)`,
            pointerEvents: 'all',
          }}
          className="nodrag nopan"
        >
          <button onClick={() => console.log('Delete')}>×</button>
        </div>
      </EdgeLabelRenderer>
    </>
  );
}

See Custom Edges Reference for animated edges, time labels, and SVG text patterns.

Viewport Control

Use useReactFlow() hook for programmatic viewport control:

import { useReactFlow } from '@xyflow/react';

function ViewportControls() {
  const { fitView, zoomIn, zoomOut, setCenter, screenToFlowPosition } = useReactFlow();

  // Fit all nodes in view
  const handleFitView = () => fitView({ padding: 0.2, duration: 400 });

  // Zoom controls
  const handleZoomIn = () => zoomIn({ duration: 300 });
  const handleZoomOut = () => zoomOut({ duration: 300 });

  // Center on specific coordinates
  const handleCenter = () => setCenter(250, 250, { zoom: 1.5, duration: 500 });

  // Convert screen coordinates to flow coordinates
  const addNodeAtClick = (event: React.MouseEvent) => {
    const position = screenToFlowPosition({ x: event.clientX, y: event.clientY });
    // Use position to add node
  };

  return null;
}

See Viewport Reference for save/restore state, controlled viewport, and coordinate transformations.

Events

React Flow provides comprehensive event handling:

Node Events

import { NodeMouseHandler, OnNodeDrag } from '@xyflow/react';

const onNodeClick: NodeMouseHandler = (event, node) => {
  console.log('Node clicked:', node.id);
};

const onNodeDrag: OnNodeDrag = (event, node, nodes) => {
  console.log('Dragging:', node.id);
};

<ReactFlow
  onNodeClick={onNodeClick}
  onNodeDrag={onNodeDrag}
  onNodeDragStop={onNodeClick}
/>

Edge and Connection Events

import { EdgeMouseHandler, OnConnect } from '@xyflow/react';

const onEdgeClick: EdgeMouseHandler = (event, edge) => console.log('Edge:', edge.id);
const onConnect: OnConnect = (connection) => console.log('Connected:', connection);

<ReactFlow onEdgeClick={onEdgeClick} onConnect={onConnect} />

Selection and Viewport Events

import { useOnSelectionChange, useOnViewportChange } from '@xyflow/react';

useOnSelectionChange({
  onChange: ({ nodes, edges }) => console.log('Selected:', nodes.length, edges.length),
});

useOnViewportChange({
  onChange: (viewport) => console.log('Viewport:', viewport.zoom),
});

See Events Reference for complete event catalog including validation, deletion, and error handling.

Common Patterns

Preventing Drag/Pan

<input className="nodrag" />
<button className="nodrag nopan">Click me</button>

Connection Validation

const isValidConnection = (connection: Connection) => {
  return connection.source !== connection.target; // Prevent self-connections
};

<ReactFlow isValidConnection={isValidConnection} />

Adding Nodes on Click

const { screenToFlowPosition, setNodes } = useReactFlow();

const onPaneClick = (event: React.MouseEvent) => {
  const position = screenToFlowPosition({ x: event.clientX, y: event.clientY });
  setNodes(nodes => [...nodes, { id: `node-${Date.now()}`, position, data: { label: 'New' } }]);
};

Updating Node Data

const { updateNodeData } = useReactFlow();
updateNodeData('node-1', { label: 'Updated' });
updateNodeData('node-1', (node) => ({ ...node.data, count: node.data.count + 1 }));

Provider Pattern

Wrap the app with ReactFlowProvider when using useReactFlow() outside the flow:

import { ReactFlow, ReactFlowProvider, useReactFlow } from '@xyflow/react';

function Controls() {
  const { fitView } = useReactFlow(); // Must be inside provider
  return <button onClick={() => fitView()}>Fit View</button>;
}

function App() {
  return (
    <ReactFlowProvider>
      <Controls />
      <ReactFlow nodes={nodes} edges={edges} />
    </ReactFlowProvider>
  );
}

Implementation gates

Use these sequenced checks before treating an integration as done (they target common footguns, not style preferences).

  1. CSS in the bundle — Ensure import '@xyflow/react/dist/style.css' runs in the app (entry or layout). Pass: nodes and edges have expected default styling; handles are visible and interactable.
  2. Stable nodeTypes / edgeTypes — Do not pass a fresh object literal every render; define maps outside the component or memoize with useMemo and correct deps. Pass: no remount flicker or “maximum update depth” / runaway updates when only selection or viewport changes.
  3. Provider boundary — Components that call useReactFlow() must be descendants of ReactFlowProvider, and the flow must actually mount. Pass: no missing-context error at runtime; programmatic APIs (fitView, etc.) work where expected.

Reference Files

For detailed implementation patterns, see:

  • Custom Nodes - NodeProps typing, Handle component, dynamic handles, styling patterns
  • Custom Edges - EdgeProps typing, path utilities, EdgeLabelRenderer, animated edges
  • Viewport - useReactFlow methods, fitView options, coordinate conversion
  • Events - Node/edge/connection events, selection handling, viewport changes

FAQ

What does the react-flow skill do?

React Flow (@xyflow/react) for workflow visualization with custom nodes and edges. Use when building graph visualizations, creating custom workflow nodes, implementing edge labels, or controlling viewport. Triggers on ReactFlow, @xyflow/react, Handle, NodeProps, EdgeProps, useReactFlow, fitView.

How do I install react-flow?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/existential-birds/beagle --skill react-flow in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/react-flow/ (personal) or .claude/skills/react-flow/ (project).

Which AI agents can use react-flow?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is react-flow safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains react-flow?

It is published by existential-birds in existential-birds/beagle. It has 1,297 recorded installs.

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