Start by deciding where your addon’s feature belongs: in Storybook’s Manager interface, in the story Preview, or in Node-based configuration. A panel, toolbar, or tab is a UI addon; framework or build-tool integration is usually a preset. Then use the starter and API documentation for the Storybook major version you intend to support. The detailed addon-writing guide cited here is for Storybook 8, while the installation guide is for Storybook 9, so do not assume their commands or imports are interchangeable.
Choose the addon type and runtime
Storybook separates its interface from the rendered story. The Manager renders navigation and addon UI; the Preview is an iframe where stories render. They can communicate over a channel. A preset instead runs in Node and supplies configuration or integration behavior. See Storybook’s addon overview.
| Choose | When it fits | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| UI addon | A user needs a panel, toolbar control, tab, or other visible Storybook interaction. | Manager UI, Preview, or both, depending on the feature. |
| Preset addon | The addon primarily wires up a framework, build tool, or other integration through configuration. | Node-based configuration; presets can also compose Manager entries and Preview annotations. |
Keep the runtime boundary explicit: Manager code, Preview code, and preset code have different environments. Avoid importing code across them without checking that it is compatible with the target runtime. Storybook’s configuration documentation describes presets and their role.
Start from the addon kit
The documented “Write an addon” workflow recommends starting with the Addon Kit template, installing its dependencies, and answering the setup prompts. The guide is specifically for Storybook 8 and describes a TypeScript setup with tsup preconfigured. Treat its template and build details as version-scoped, and check them against the Storybook release you plan to support.
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- Create the addon repository from the Addon Kit template. Follow the prompts and install the dependencies as described in the Storybook 8 addon-writing guide.
- Run the development watcher. In the addon repository, use
npm run startas documented by that guide. The watcher builds the addon while you work. - Check build outputs by runtime. The guide explains that preset, Manager, and Preview code may need different outputs. Review the kit’s configuration rather than assuming one output format suits every entry point.
The Storybook 8 guide says Storybook-provided packages are available in the relevant environments and says addons need not bundle or list them as dependencies in package.json. Because package guidance can change between releases, verify that point against current guidance for your target version before publishing.
Implement a UI addon or preset
Register a UI element
For a UI addon, give the addon and each UI element stable, unique IDs. The Addon API’s minimal panel pattern registers the addon and adds a panel with a type, title, and render function. Its examples use addons.register and addons.add; imports and component paths should be checked against the API documentation for your Storybook version.
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Use the documented APIs in the correct environment: storybook/manager-api for Manager interaction and storybook/preview-api for Preview behavior or configuration. The Addon API reference covers registration and available APIs. If Manager and Preview behavior must coordinate, use Storybook’s channel API deliberately: define the events and payloads the two sides need rather than coupling unrelated behavior through the channel.
Use a preset for configuration-led integrations
If the addon’s main purpose is changing build or framework configuration, implement it as a preset rather than building a panel that users do not need. Storybook documents preset hooks for Webpack and Babel, and presets can compose Manager entries and Preview annotations. Keep configuration code in the Node-side preset and place browser-facing behavior in its appropriate Manager or Preview entry.
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Make controls configurable only when useful
If a UI feature should be disabled for particular stories, Storybook’s addon knowledge base documents using a paramKey and a story parameter. Presets can also compose third-party addon entries and Preview annotations. Add settings only where they express a real user choice or integration requirement; expose a parameter or preset option with a clear purpose.
Develop and test in a host Storybook
Exercise the addon in a Storybook installation, not just by checking that its package builds. The addon knowledge base distinguishes standalone addon development from working on a local addon alongside an existing Storybook installation: standalone work can use a build watch script, while a local addon in an existing installation has HMR available out of the box. Use the approach that matches your repository and follow the kit’s local-testing instructions.
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- Install or link the addon in a host project using the local-development approach supported by the kit and host project.
- Start the host Storybook and verify the addon appears in its intended location and behaves with representative stories.
- Check runtime boundaries by exercising Manager UI, Preview behavior, and preset configuration separately wherever the addon uses more than one.
- Check configuration behavior, including any story-level disabling or integration options you expose.
For a published supported addon, Storybook 9’s installation guide documents npx storybook@latest add <addon>. It also documents manual installation of the package and adding an entry in .storybook/main.js or .storybook/main.ts. Preset addons are an exception to the CLI flow and may need separate setup; consult the addon’s own installation instructions. These are Storybook 9 instructions, not a guarantee that the same flow applies to every earlier version. See Storybook 9’s addon installation guide.
Package and publish the addon
Follow the publishing guidance in the addon-writing guide, then check the live catalog checklist if you want the addon included in Storybook’s integration catalog. Storybook’s catalog documentation describes npm distribution and these catalog-facing elements:
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- A
package.jsonwith module information and addon metadata. - A README with installation and configuration instructions.
- A
/distdirectory. - A root
preset.jswritten as an ES5 module. - Keywords beginning with
storybook-addon, followed by the addon category; additional keywords can act as search tags.
Catalog requirements are distinct from simply publishing a package to npm. Review the current integration catalog documentation before submitting, since the catalog checklist may change.
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Troubleshoot common development issues
- The addon does not appear: confirm it is registered and that the host Storybook loads the intended addon entry. For manual Storybook 9 installation, check the package and the entry in
.storybook/main.jsor.storybook/main.ts; preset addons may require a different setup. - The panel appears in the wrong place or not at all: check the UI element’s type, title, and registration. Use the Addon API reference for the target release rather than assuming an older example’s imports or paths still apply.
- Code fails in one environment: review whether it is being loaded by Manager, Preview, or the Node preset. These runtimes are distinct, and their code may need separate build outputs.
- A story cannot disable the feature: verify that the UI behavior uses the intended
paramKeyand that the story sets the matching parameter. - Local changes do not show up: verify the addon’s watch process is running. If developing it alongside an existing Storybook installation, use the local-addon workflow and HMR described in the knowledge base.
- The install CLI does not handle the addon: the documented Storybook 9 CLI flow applies to supported addons; preset addons are an exception. Use the addon’s manual setup instructions where needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I build a panel or a preset?
Choose a panel or other UI extension when the feature needs a visible Storybook control. Choose a preset when its main job is configuration or technology integration.
Can I use the Storybook 8 addon kit with Storybook 9?
The cited writing guide describes Storybook 8, not a universal compatibility guarantee. Check the kit and API guidance for the major version you target before adopting its imports, build setup, or commands.
Quick Recap
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