Svelte 5 runes + SvelteKit

Explicit, signal-based reactivity (runes) plus the SvelteKit data-loading contract: knowing where code runs and how load data reaches a page.

Two things break Svelte code more than anything else: treating $effect as the default for computed values, and confusing server-only load with universal load. This skill keeps you on the right side of both.

When to use

• Authoring or editing .svelte / .svelte.js / .svelte.ts files.
• Choosing $state vs $derived vs $effect; migrating Svelte 4 let / $: / export let to runes.
• Writing or reviewing +page.svelte, +page.ts, +page.server.ts, +layout*, +server.ts, +error.svelte, hooks.server.ts.
• load design (universal vs server), PageData typing, depends/invalidate, streaming promises, form actions with use:enhance.
• Remote functions (query/form/command/prerender in *.remote.ts).
• Adapter choice and SSR/CSR/prerender flags; hydration-mismatch debugging.

When NOT to use

• Next.js / React Server Components → ../nextjs/SKILL.md. Different reactivity model and data-loading contract. Never cross runes with RSC.
• Pure TypeScript typing (generics, mapped/conditional types) with no Svelte dimension → ../typescript/SKILL.md.
• Deploy-target specifics (env, edge, project config) → ../vercel/SKILL.md, ../netlify/SKILL.md, ../cloudflare/SKILL.md. This skill picks the adapter; those skills own the platform.
• React, Vue/Nuxt, Astro, SolidJS, Angular are not in this catalog yet — keep any framework comparison brief and inline; do not link them.

Current as of June 2026: Svelte 5.56.x, SvelteKit 2.61.x. Svelte 5 (runes) shipped Oct 2024.

First: detect Svelte 4 vs 5 — before you write a single rune

The #1 way to hand someone broken advice is to mix Svelte 4 reactivity ($:, export let) with runes in the same file. They are silently incompatible: a $: block in a runes component does nothing reactive. Detect the mode first.

1. Read package.json → dependencies/devDependencies svelte. ^5 (or 5.x) = runes era. ^4 = legacy.
2. Read svelte.config.js. compilerOptions.runes: true forces runes everywhere; absent = per-file auto-detect (a file is in runes mode iff it uses any rune).
3. Grep the target file: $state( / $props( / $derived( → runes mode. export let / $: / <slot → legacy.

Rule: never give $:/export let advice and $state/$props advice for the same component. If the codebase is Svelte 4 and the task is new work, migrate the file to runes first (see references/runes.md migration map) rather than appending runes onto legacy syntax.

Runes decision table

Pick the rune by what the value is, not by habit. Reading a rune registers a dependency; writing one schedules an update.

You need	Rune	Why
A reactive value you mutate	$state(v)	The cell tracked for reads/writes; deep objects/arrays are proxied.
A value computed from others	$derived(expr) / $derived.by(fn)	Recomputed lazily from deps read synchronously; no manual wiring.
A side effect (DOM, subscription, log)	$effect(fn)	Runs after DOM update; return a cleanup fn. Escape hatch, not default.
A component input	let { x } = $props()	Destructure props; supports defaults and rest.
A two-way-bindable prop	let { x = $bindable() } = $props()	Opts the prop into parent bind:x.

$effect is the escape hatch. If an effect's only job is to set state from other state, it's a $derived in disguise — and worse, writing $state inside an effect that also reads it can loop.

<!-- Bad: effect used to compute → extra render, can loop -->
<script>
  let count = $state(0);
  let doubled = $state(0);
  $effect(() => { doubled = count * 2; });
</script>

<!-- Good: derived value, no effect -->
<script>
  let count = $state(0);
  let doubled = $derived(count * 2);
</script>

Deep mutation is reactive on $state (it returns a proxy), so mutate in place — you don't need to reassign.

<script>
  let todos = $state([{ done: false }]);
  // Good: proxied, the push is tracked
  function add() { todos.push({ done: false }); }
  // Also fine: todos[0].done = true;
</script>

Props with defaults and renaming:

<script>
  // Good: default + rename a reserved-ish name + rest props
  let { title = 'Untitled', class: klass = '', ...rest } = $props();
</script>

Shared / global state across modules

Reactive shared state must live in a .svelte.js or .svelte.ts module (the .svelte part tells the compiler to process runes). A plain .js file cannot use runes.

The trap: you cannot export let count = $state(0) and reassign it elsewhere — importers get the value at import time, not the live cell, so it appears to "stop being reactive." Export a container whose identity is stable.

// counter.svelte.js
// Bad: importers bind the value, not the reactive cell
export let count = $state(0); // reassigning count elsewhere won't propagate

// Good: object identity is stable; .value stays reactive
export const counter = $state({ value: 0 });

// Good: getter/setter object
let _n = $state(0);
export const n = {
  get value() { return _n; },
  set value(v) { _n = v; },
};

// Good: a class instance (fields are reactive)
export class Counter {
  value = $state(0);
  increment() { this.value += 1; }
}

Classic writable/readable/derived stores from svelte/store are still valid and still work — prefer them when you need the $store auto-subscription sugar in templates or are integrating Svelte 4 code. For new runes-first code, the module patterns above are simpler. Depth in references/runes.md.

SvelteKit file map — what runs where

File	Runs	Purpose
+page.svelte	client + SSR	The page component; reads data: PageData.
+page.ts / +layout.ts	server (SSR) and browser (client nav)	Universal load. No secrets — code ships to the client.
+page.server.ts / +layout.server.ts	server only	Server load + actions. DB, secrets, filesystem live here.
+server.ts	server only	API route: GET/POST/… returning Response.
+error.svelte	client + SSR	Rendered when a load/render throws.
hooks.server.ts	server only	handle, handleFetch, handleError middleware.

Data loading

Universal vs server is the core decision. Secrets, DB clients, and $env/static/private belong in +page.server.ts — +page.ts code is shipped to the browser. Type the return with the generated ./$types.

// +page.server.ts — server only; safe to touch DB/secrets
import type { PageServerLoad } from './$types';
import { db } from '$lib/server/db';

export const load: PageServerLoad = async ({ params, depends }) => {
  depends('app:post'); // custom dep, target of invalidate('app:post')
  const post = await db.post.find(params.id);
  // Top-level promise streams: the page renders, comments arrive later.
  return { post, comments: db.comment.forPost(params.id) };
};

<!-- +page.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  import type { PageData } from './$types';
  let { data }: { data: PageData } = $props();
</script>

<h1>{data.post.title}</h1>

{#await data.comments}
  <p>Loading comments…</p>
{:then comments}
  <ul>{#each comments as c}<li>{c.body}</li>{/each}</ul>
{/await}

Streaming a top-level promise works only from a server load. Universal load cannot stream the same way — await there or move the slow fetch to the server. Re-run a load with invalidate('app:post') (matches depends) or invalidateAll(). Patterns for parent(), named actions, and validation live in references/sveltekit-data.md.

Mutations: form actions first, remote functions second

Default to form actions. They live in +page.server.ts, are posted to by a real <form method="POST">, and work without JS. use:enhance upgrades them to no-reload submission progressively.

// +page.server.ts
import { fail, redirect } from '@sveltejs/kit';
import type { Actions } from './$types';

export const actions: Actions = {
  login: async ({ request, cookies }) => {
    const data = await request.formData();
    const email = String(data.get('email') ?? '');
    if (!email) return fail(400, { email, missing: true });
    cookies.set('session', '…', { path: '/' });
    throw redirect(303, '/dashboard');
  },
};

<!-- +page.svelte -->
<script lang="ts">
  import { enhance } from '$app/forms';
  import type { ActionData } from './$types';
  let { form }: { form: ActionData } = $props();
</script>

<form method="POST" action="?/login" use:enhance>
  <input name="email" type="email" />
  {#if form?.missing}<p>Email required</p>{/if}
  <button>Log in</button>
</form>

Remote functions are EXPERIMENTAL (available since SvelteKit 2.27, iterated through 2.61; API subject to change). They live in *.remote.ts and require opting in with both flags in svelte.config.js — kit.experimental.remoteFunctions: true and compilerOptions.experimental.async: true (the latter enables top-level await/awaited deriveds the feature relies on; without it remote functions do not actually enable). Four kinds: query (cached server read), form (progressive, parses its own FormData, no schema), command (mutation outside a form — requires JS), prerender (build-time). Use them for JS-driven flows where a plain form action is awkward; otherwise stick to form actions. Full usage in references/sveltekit-data.md.

SSR / CSR / prerender + adapters

Control rendering per route with module-level exports in +page.ts/+page.server.ts:

export const prerender = true; // render at build time → static HTML
export const ssr = false;      // skip server render; client-only
export const csr = false;      // no client JS; pure SSR/static

Pick the adapter for the deploy target, then hand platform details to the platform skill:

• adapter-auto — zero-config on Vercel / Netlify / Cloudflare. Good default.
• adapter-node — long-running Node server (your own host, Docker).
• adapter-static — full prerender; the whole site is static (needs prerender = true reachable everywhere).

Env vars, edge runtime, KV/D1 bindings, build settings: that's ../vercel/SKILL.md, ../netlify/SKILL.md, ../cloudflare/SKILL.md, not this skill.

Anti-patterns

Anti-pattern	Why it's wrong	Do this instead
$effect to compute a value from $state	Extra render pass; can loop if it reads what it writes	$derived(expr) / $derived.by(fn)
export let count = $state(0) for shared state	Importers bind the value, not the live cell → "not reactive"	Export an object / getter / class instance
Runes in a plain .js file	Compiler doesn't process runes there	Name it .svelte.js / .svelte.ts
Mixing $: / export let with runes in one file	$: is dead in runes mode → silent non-reactivity	Migrate the whole file to runes (see references)
DB call / secret in +page.ts	Universal load ships to the browser; secret leaks	Move to +page.server.ts (server-only)
Streaming a top-level promise from universal load	Only server load streams	Await in load, or move the fetch server-side
Mutating a non-$state object expecting reactivity	Only $state proxies are tracked	Wrap the value in $state(...)
Reaching for remote functions by default	Experimental, JS-required, API may change	Form actions first; remote functions only when needed

Verify

Run scripts/verify.sh from the SvelteKit project root: svelte-check → tsc --noEmit → Vitest → vite build. Each tool is detected and skipped (not failed) if absent; it exits non-zero only on a real failure. The build step writes the output dir — not read-only.