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React Hook Form + Zod Validation Library

Build a reusable, type-safe form library with React Hook Form and Zod: shared field components, multi-step forms, and server-error mapping.

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Your Prompt
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You are an expert in React forms and type-safe validation. Help me build a reusable form library for a SaaS application application using React Hook Form and Zod.

Step 1: Set up the foundational form wrapper component that integrates React Hook Form with Zod resolver. Create a generic FormProvider component in src/components/forms that accepts a Zod schema as a type parameter and infers all field types automatically. Ensure the wrapper supports onBlur validation mode and configurable revalidation strategies.

Step 2: Build 7 reusable field components (TextInput, SelectInput, CheckboxGroup, DatePicker, FileUpload, PhoneInput, RichTextArea) that automatically connect to the form context. Each component should display validation errors from the Zod schema, support custom error messages, and handle the disabled/loading states. Use shadcn/ui for base styling.

Step 3: Create a Zod schema library with reusable validators for common patterns: email validation, password strength (minimum 12 characters with complexity rules), phone numbers with international format, URLs, currency amounts, and date ranges. Export each as a composable Zod refinement that can be combined in form-specific schemas.

Step 4: Implement multi-step form logic with a useMultiStepForm hook that validates each step independently using partial Zod schemas. Support forward and backward navigation, persist partial data between steps, and show a progress indicator. Design for 4 steps as the default configuration.

Step 5: Add server-side validation integration that accepts error responses from the REST JSON with errors object API and maps server errors to specific form fields using setError. Handle both field-level errors and form-level errors with appropriate UI feedback.

Step 6: Write a testing utility that renders any form component with a mock FormProvider and Zod schema. Include helpers for filling fields, triggering validation, submitting forms, and asserting error messages. Provide example tests for the most complex form in the application.

What this prompt does

This prompt casts the AI as an expert in React forms and asks it to build a reusable, type-safe form library for a [project_type] app using React Hook Form and Zod. It sets up a generic FormProvider in [components_directory] that accepts a Zod schema as a type parameter and infers all field types automatically, supporting [form_mode] validation. That inference is what makes the library type-safe end to end instead of forcing you to hand-write field types per form.

The structure works because forms are repetitive in predictable ways. It builds [field_count] reusable field components wired to form context and styled with [ui_library], a Zod schema library of composable validators (email, password with [password_min_length], phone, URL, currency, date ranges), a useMultiStepForm hook validating each step with partial schemas across [step_count] steps, and server-error mapping that takes [api_format] responses and routes them to fields via setError. A testing utility renders any form with a mock provider. Each field component connects to the form context automatically, displays Zod validation errors, and handles disabled and loading states, so you compose forms from building blocks instead of wiring validation by hand each time. The validators are written as composable Zod refinements — email, password with [password_min_length], phone, URL, currency, date ranges — that combine into form-specific schemas, and choosing [form_mode] controls whether validation runs on blur, on change, or on submit.

When to use it

  • You are tired of hand-rolling validation for every form in a project
  • You want field types inferred automatically from a Zod schema
  • You need a set of reusable, context-connected field components
  • You build multi-step forms and want per-step partial-schema validation
  • You need server errors mapped back to specific form fields
  • You want a testing utility for form components with a mock provider

Example output

The AI returns a generic FormProvider in [components_directory] that infers field types from a Zod schema with [form_mode] validation, [field_count] reusable field components styled with [ui_library], a Zod validator library covering email, password (min [password_min_length]), phone, URL, currency, and date ranges, a useMultiStepForm hook validating [step_count] steps with partial schemas and a progress indicator, server-error mapping from [api_format] responses via setError, and a testing utility with helpers for filling fields and asserting errors.

Pro tips

  • Let the Zod resolver infer field types from one schema — duplicating types by hand is exactly what this library removes
  • Build validators as composable Zod refinements so form-specific schemas combine them instead of repeating rules
  • Use partial schemas per step in useMultiStepForm so each step validates independently before advancing
  • Map [api_format] server errors to fields with setError so backend validation surfaces inline, not as a toast
  • Pick [form_mode] deliberately; onBlur feels responsive without the noise of validating on every keystroke
  • Cover your most complex form with the testing utility first — that is where validation regressions usually hide

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the library stay type-safe across all forms?
The FormProvider accepts a Zod schema as a type parameter and infers every field's type from it automatically. You define the schema once, and field types flow through without hand-writing TypeScript interfaces per form, which is the main thing this library eliminates.
Does it support multi-step forms?
Yes. The useMultiStepForm hook validates each step independently using partial Zod schemas, supports forward and backward navigation, persists partial data between steps, and shows a progress indicator. The default is `[step_count]` steps but it is configurable.
How are server-side validation errors handled?
It maps error responses from your `[api_format]` API to specific form fields using setError, handling both field-level and form-level errors. That surfaces backend validation inline next to the relevant input rather than as a generic message.
Can the form components be tested in isolation?
Yes. The prompt includes a testing utility that renders any form component with a mock FormProvider and Zod schema, plus helpers for filling fields, triggering validation, submitting, and asserting error messages. It is best aimed at your most complex form first.
Engr Mejba Ahmed

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Engr Mejba Ahmed

AI Developer · Software Engineer

I'm Mejba — I design and ship production AI systems, automations, and full-stack apps. If you want this turned into a working solution for your team, let's talk.

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