Use when adding interactive RSC (React Server Components) code examples to React docs using <SandpackRSC>, or when modifying the RSC sandpack infrastructure.
For general Sandpack conventions (code style, naming, file naming, line highlighting, hidden files, CSS guidelines), see /docs-sandpack. This skill covers only RSC-specific patterns.
Minimal single-file <SandpackRSC> example:
<SandpackRSC>
` ` `js src/App.js
export default function App() {
return <h1>Hello from a Server Component!</h1>;
}
` ` `
</SandpackRSC>
<Sandpack>| Feature | <Sandpack> | <SandpackRSC> |
|---|---|---|
| Execution model | All code runs in iframe | Server code runs in Web Worker, client code in iframe |
'use client' directive | Ignored (everything is client) | Required to mark client components |
'use server' directive | Not supported | Marks Server Functions callable from client |
async components | Not supported | Supported (server components can be async) |
| External dependencies | Supported via package.json | Not supported (only React + react-dom) |
| Entry point | App.js with export default | src/App.js with export default |
| Component tag | <Sandpack> | <SandpackRSC> |
Files are classified by the directive at the top of the file:
| Directive | Where it runs | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| (none) | Web Worker (server) | Default. Can be async. Can import other server files. Cannot use hooks, event handlers, or browser APIs. |
'use client' | Sandpack iframe (browser) | Must be first statement. Can use hooks, event handlers, browser APIs. Cannot be async. Cannot import server files. |
'use server' | Web Worker (server) | Marks Server Functions. Can be module-level (all exports are actions) or function-level. Callable from client via props or form action. |
<SandpackRSC>
` ` `js src/App.js
import Counter from './Counter';
export default function App() {
return (
<div>
<h1>Server-rendered heading</h1>
<Counter />
</div>
);
}
` ` `
` ` `js src/Counter.js
'use client';
import { useState } from 'react';
export default function Counter() {
const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
return (
<button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
Count: {count}
</button>
);
}
` ` `
</SandpackRSC>
<SandpackRSC>
` ` `js src/App.js
import { Suspense } from 'react';
import Albums from './Albums';
export default function App() {
return (
<Suspense fallback={<p>Loading...</p>}>
<Albums />
</Suspense>
);
}
` ` `
` ` `js src/Albums.js
async function fetchAlbums() {
await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
return ['Abbey Road', 'Let It Be', 'Revolver'];
}
export default async function Albums() {
const albums = await fetchAlbums();
return (
<ul>
{albums.map(album => (
<li key={album}>{album}</li>
))}
</ul>
);
}
` ` `
</SandpackRSC>
<SandpackRSC>
` ` `js src/App.js
import { addLike, getLikeCount } from './actions';
import LikeButton from './LikeButton';
export default async function App() {
const count = await getLikeCount();
return (
<div>
<p>Likes: {count}</p>
<LikeButton addLike={addLike} />
</div>
);
}
` ` `
` ` `js src/actions.js
'use server';
let count = 0;
export async function addLike() {
count++;
}
export async function getLikeCount() {
return count;
}
` ` `
` ` `js src/LikeButton.js
'use client';
export default function LikeButton({ addLike }) {
return (
<form action={addLike}>
<button type="submit">Like</button>
</form>
);
}
` ` `
</SandpackRSC>
src/App.js is required as the main entry pointexport default (function component)src/app.js also worksThese files are automatically injected by sandpack-rsc-setup.ts and should never be included in MDX:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
/src/index.js | Bootstraps the RSC pipeline |
/src/rsc-client.js | Client bridge — creates Worker, consumes Flight stream |
/src/rsc-server.js | Wraps pre-bundled worker runtime as ES module |
/node_modules/__webpack_shim__/index.js | Minimal webpack compatibility layer |
/node_modules/__rsdw_client__/index.js | react-server-dom-webpack/client as local dependency |
<SandpackRSC> does not support external npm packages. Only react and react-dom are available. Do not include package.json in RSC examples.
react.dev page (Next.js)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ <SandpackRSC> │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Editor │ │ Preview (iframe) │ │
│ │ App.js │ │ Client React app │ │
│ │ (edit) │ │ consumes Flight │ │
│ │ │ │ stream from Worker │ │
│ └─────────┘ └──────────┬───────────┘ │
└───────────────────────────┼─────────────┘
│ postMessage
┌───────────────────────────▼─────────────┐
│ Web Worker (Blob URL) │
│ - React server build (pre-bundled) │
│ - react-server-dom-webpack/server │
│ - webpack shim │
│ - User server code (Sucrase → CJS) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
src/components/MDX/Sandpack/sandpack-rsc/RscFileBridge.tsx | Monitors Sandpack; posts raw files to iframe |
src/components/MDX/Sandpack/SandpackRSCRoot.tsx | SandpackProvider setup, custom bundler URL, UI layout |
src/components/MDX/Sandpack/templateRSC.ts | RSC template files |
.../sandbox-code/src/__react_refresh_init__.js | React Refresh shim |
.../sandbox-code/src/rsc-server.js | Worker runtime: module system, Sucrase compilation, renderToReadableStream() |
.../sandbox-code/src/rsc-client.source.js | Client bridge: Worker creation, file classification, Flight stream consumption |
.../sandbox-code/src/webpack-shim.js | Minimal __webpack_require__ / __webpack_module_cache__ shim |
.../sandbox-code/src/worker-bundle.dist.js | Pre-bundled IIFE (generated): React server + RSDW/server + Sucrase |
scripts/buildRscWorker.mjs | esbuild script: bundles rsc-server.js into worker-bundle.dist.js |
After modifying rsc-server.js or webpack-shim.js:
node scripts/buildRscWorker.mjs
This runs esbuild with:
format: 'iife', platform: 'browser'conditions: ['react-server', 'browser'] (activates React server export conditions)minify: truewebpack-shim.js to the outputIn templateRSC.js files are loaded as raw strings with the !raw-loader.
The strings are necessary to provide to Sandpack as local files (skips Sandpack bundling).
node scripts/buildRscWorker.mjs # Rebuild worker bundle after source changes
yarn dev # Start dev server to test examples
```37:["$","$L3f",null,{"content":"$40","frontMatter":{"name":"docs-rsc-sandpack","description":"Use when adding interactive RSC (React Server Components) code examples to React docs using <SandpackRSC>, or when modifying the RSC sandpack infrastructure."}}]