/writing-react-native-storybook-stories

name: writing-react-native-storybook-stories
description: Create and edit React Native Storybook stories using Component Story Format (CSF). Use when writing .stories.tsx files, adding stories to React Native components, configuring Storybook addons (controls, actions, backgrounds, notes), setting up argTypes, decorators, parameters, or working with portable stories for testing. Applies to any task involving @storybook/react-native story authoring.

React Native Storybook Stories

Write stories for React Native components using `@storybook/react-native` v10 and Component Story Format (CSF).

Quick Start

Minimal story file:

import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react-native';
import { MyComponent } from './MyComponent';

const meta = {
  component: MyComponent,
} satisfies Meta<typeof MyComponent>;

export default meta;
type Story = StoryObj<typeof meta>;

export const Basic: Story = {
  args: {
    label: 'Hello',
  },
};

File Conventions

• Name: `ComponentName.stories.tsx` colocated with the component
• Import `Meta` and `StoryObj` from `@storybook/react-native`
• Default export: `meta` object with `satisfies Meta<typeof Component>`
• Named exports: UpperCamelCase story names, typed as `StoryObj<typeof meta>`
• Use `args` for props, `argTypes` for control config, `parameters` for addon config
• Use `render` for custom render functions, `decorators` for wrappers

Story Patterns

Multiple stories with shared args

export const Primary: Story = {
  args: { variant: 'primary', title: 'Click me' },
};

export const Secondary: Story = {
  args: { ...Primary.args, variant: 'secondary' },
};

Custom render function

export const WithScrollView: Story = {
  render: (args) => (
    <ScrollView>
      <MyComponent {...args} />
    </ScrollView>
  ),
};

Render with hooks (must be a named function)

export const Interactive: Story = {
  render: function InteractiveRender() {
    const [count, setCount] = useReducer((s) => s + 1, 0);
    return <Counter count={count} onPress={setCount} />;
  },
};

Actions (mock callbacks)

import { fn } from 'storybook/test';

const meta = {
  component: Button,
  args: { onPress: fn() },
} satisfies Meta<typeof Button>;

Or via argTypes:

argTypes: { onPress: { action: 'pressed' } },

Custom story name

export const MyStory: Story = {
  storyName: 'Custom Display Name',
  args: { label: 'Hello' },
};

Custom title / nesting

const meta = {
  title: 'NestingExample/Message/Bubble',
  component: MyComponent,
} satisfies Meta<typeof MyComponent>;

Controls & ArgTypes

For the full control type reference, see [references/controls.md](references/controls.md).

Common patterns:

const meta = {
  component: MyComponent,
  argTypes: {
    // Select dropdown
    size: {
      options: ['small', 'medium', 'large'],
      control: { type: 'select' },
    },
    // Range slider
    opacity: {
      control: { type: 'range', min: 0, max: 1, step: 0.1 },
    },
    // Color picker
    color: { control: { type: 'color' } },
    // Conditional control (shows only when `advanced` arg is true)
    padding: { control: 'number', if: { arg: 'advanced' } },
  },
} satisfies Meta<typeof MyComponent>;

Auto-detection: TypeScript prop types are automatically mapped to controls (`string` -> text, `boolean` -> boolean, union types -> select, `number` -> number).

Parameters

Addon parameters

parameters: {
  // Markdown docs in the Notes addon tab
  notes: `# MyComponent\nUsage: \`<MyComponent label="hi" />\``,
  // Background options for Backgrounds addon
  backgrounds: {
    default: 'dark',
    values: [
      { name: 'light', value: 'white' },
      { name: 'dark', value: '#333' },
    ],
  },
},

RN-specific UI parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description | | ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `noSafeArea` | `boolean` | Remove top safe area padding. **When using this, the component itself must handle safe areas** since Storybook will no longer provide safe area padding. Prefer `useSafeAreaInsets()` over `SafeAreaView` — apply insets as `paddingTop`/`paddingBottom` on the container, and for scrollable content use `contentContainerStyle` padding instead of wrapping in `SafeAreaView`. | | `storybookUIVisibility` | `'visible'` \| `'hidden'` | Initial UI visibility | | `hideFullScreenButton` | `boolean` | Hide fullscreen toggle