React Three Fiber Best Practices

Comprehensive guide for React Three Fiber and the Poimandres ecosystem. Contains 70+ rules across 12 categories, prioritized by impact.

Sources & Credits

Additional tips from 100 Three.js Tips by Utsubo

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

Writing new R3F components
Optimizing R3F performance (re-renders are the #1 issue)
Using Drei helpers correctly
Managing state with Zustand
Implementing post-processing or physics

Ecosystem Coverage

@react-three/fiber - React renderer for Three.js
@react-three/drei - Useful helpers and abstractions
@react-three/postprocessing - Post-processing effects
@react-three/rapier - Physics engine
zustand - State management
leva - Debug GUI

Rule Categories by Priority


perf-
frame-
component-
canvas-
drei-
loading-
state-
events-
postpro-
physics-
leva-

Priority	Category	Impact	Prefix
1	Performance & Re-renders	CRITICAL	`perf-`
2	useFrame & Animation	CRITICAL	`frame-`
3	Component Patterns	HIGH	`component-`
4	Canvas & Setup	HIGH	`canvas-`
5	Drei Helpers	MEDIUM-HIGH	`drei-`
6	Loading & Suspense	MEDIUM-HIGH	`loading-`
7	State Management	MEDIUM	`state-`
8	Events & Interaction	MEDIUM	`events-`
9	Post-processing	MEDIUM	`postpro-`
10	Physics (Rapier)	LOW-MEDIUM	`physics-`
11	Leva (Debug GUI)	LOW	`leva-`

Quick Reference

1. Performance & Re-renders (CRITICAL)

```
perf-never-set-state-in-useframe
```
- NEVER call setState in useFrame
```
perf-isolate-state
```
- Isolate components that need React state
```
perf-zustand-selectors
```
- Use Zustand selectors, not entire store
```
perf-transient-subscriptions
```
- Use transient subscriptions for continuous values
```
perf-memo-components
```
- Memoize expensive components
```
perf-keys-for-lists
```
- Use stable keys for dynamic lists
```
perf-avoid-inline-objects
```
- Avoid creating objects/arrays in JSX
```
perf-dispose-auto
```
- Understand R3F auto-dispose behavior
```
perf-visibility-toggle
```
- Toggle visibility instead of remounting
```
perf-r3f-perf
```
- Use r3f-perf for performance monitoring

2. useFrame & Animation (CRITICAL)

```
frame-priority
```
- Use priority for execution order
```
frame-delta-time
```
- Always use delta for animations
```
frame-conditional-subscription
```
- Disable useFrame when not needed
```
frame-destructure-state
```
- Destructure only what you need
```
frame-render-on-demand
```
- Use invalidate() for on-demand rendering
```
frame-avoid-heavy-computation
```
- Move heavy work outside useFrame

3. Component Patterns (HIGH)

```
component-jsx-elements
```
- Use JSX for Three.js objects
```
component-attach-prop
```
- Use attach for non-standard properties
```
component-primitive
```
- Use primitive for existing objects
```
component-extend
```
- Use extend() for custom classes
```
component-forwardref
```
- Use forwardRef for reusable components
```
component-dispose-null
```
- Set dispose={null} on shared resources

4. Canvas & Setup (HIGH)

```
canvas-size-container
```
- Canvas fills parent container
```
canvas-camera-default
```
- Configure camera via prop
```
canvas-gl-config
```
- Configure WebGL context
```
canvas-shadows
```
- Enable shadows at Canvas level
```
canvas-frameloop
```
- Choose appropriate frameloop mode
```
canvas-events
```
- Configure event handling
```
canvas-linear-flat
```
- Use linear/flat for correct colors

5. Drei Helpers (MEDIUM-HIGH)

```
drei-use-gltf
```
- useGLTF with preloading
```
drei-use-texture
```
- useTexture for texture loading
```
drei-environment
```
- Environment for realistic lighting
```
drei-orbit-controls
```
- OrbitControls from Drei
```
drei-html
```
- Html for DOM overlays
```
drei-text
```
- Text for 3D text
```
drei-instances
```
- Instances for optimized instancing
```
drei-use-helper
```
- useHelper for debug visualization
```
drei-bounds
```
- Bounds to fit camera
```
drei-center
```
- Center to center objects
```
drei-float
```
- Float for floating animation

6. Loading & Suspense (MEDIUM-HIGH)

```
loading-suspense
```
- Wrap async components in Suspense
```
loading-preload
```
- Preload assets with useGLTF.preload
```
loading-use-progress
```
- useProgress for loading UI
```
loading-lazy-components
```
- Lazy load heavy components
```
loading-error-boundary
```
- Handle loading errors

7. State Management (MEDIUM)

```
state-zustand-store
```
- Create focused Zustand stores
```
state-avoid-objects-in-store
```
- Be careful with Three.js objects
```
state-subscribeWithSelector
```
- Fine-grained subscriptions
```
state-persist
```
- Persist state when needed
```
state-separate-concerns
```
- Separate stores by concern

8. Events & Interaction (MEDIUM)

```
events-pointer-events
```
- Use pointer events on meshes
```
events-stop-propagation
```
- Prevent event bubbling
```
events-cursor-pointer
```
- Change cursor on hover
```
events-raycast-filter
```
- Filter raycasting
```
events-event-data
```
- Understand event data structure

9. Post-processing (MEDIUM)

```
postpro-effect-composer
```
- Use EffectComposer
```
postpro-common-effects
```
- Common effects reference
```
postpro-selective-bloom
```
- SelectiveBloom for optimized glow
```
postpro-custom-shader
```
- Create custom effects
```
postpro-performance
```
- Optimize post-processing

10. Physics Rapier (LOW-MEDIUM)

```
physics-setup
```
- Basic Rapier setup
```
physics-body-types
```
- dynamic, fixed, kinematic
```
physics-colliders
```
- Choose appropriate colliders
```
physics-events
```
- Handle collision events
```
physics-api-ref
```
- Use ref for physics API
```
physics-performance
```
- Optimize physics

11. Leva (LOW)

```
leva-basic
```
- Basic Leva usage
```
leva-folders
```
- Organize with folders
```
leva-conditional
```
- Hide in production

How to Use

Read individual rule files for detailed explanations and code examples:

rules/perf-never-set-state-in-useframe.md
rules/drei-use-gltf.md
rules/state-zustand-selectors.md

Full Compiled Document

For the complete guide with all rules expanded:

../R3F_BEST_PRACTICES.md

Critical Patterns

NEVER setState in useFrame

jsx

// BAD - 60 re-renders per second!
function BadComponent() {
  const [position, setPosition] = useState(0);
  useFrame(() => {
    setPosition(p => p + 0.01); // NEVER DO THIS
  });
  return <mesh position-x={position} />;
}

// GOOD - Mutate refs directly
function GoodComponent() {
  const meshRef = useRef();
  useFrame(() => {
    meshRef.current.position.x += 0.01;
  });
  return <mesh ref={meshRef} />;
}

Zustand Selectors

jsx

// BAD - Re-renders on ANY store change
const store = useGameStore();

// GOOD - Only re-renders when playerX changes
const playerX = useGameStore(state => state.playerX);

// BETTER - No re-renders, direct mutation
useFrame(() => {
  const { value } = useStore.getState();
  ref.current.position.x = value;
});

Drei useGLTF

jsx

import { useGLTF } from '@react-three/drei';

function Model() {
  const { scene } = useGLTF('/model.glb');
  return <primitive object={scene} />;
}

// Preload for instant loading
useGLTF.preload('/model.glb');

Suspense Loading

jsx

function App() {
  return (
    <Canvas>
      <Suspense fallback={<Loader />}>
        <Model />
      </Suspense>
    </Canvas>
  );
}

r3f-perf Monitoring

jsx

import { Perf } from 'r3f-perf';

function App() {
  return (
    <Canvas>
      <Perf position="top-left" />
      <Scene />
    </Canvas>
  );
}

Toggle Visibility (Not Remounting)

jsx

// BAD: Remounting destroys and recreates
{showModel && <Model />}

// GOOD: Toggle visibility, keeps instance alive
<Model visible={showModel} />

r3f-best-practices

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content