Managing Multiple Storybook Instances

1. Introduction

Managing multiple Storybook instances allows developers to work on different projects or components simultaneously. This can be particularly useful in large applications where different teams work on separate modules.

2. Use Cases

Some common scenarios for managing multiple Storybook instances include:

• Developing multiple components in isolation.
• Testing different design systems or themes.
• Working on feature branches without affecting the main Storybook.

3. Setting Up Multiple Instances

Follow these steps to set up multiple Storybook instances:

1. Install Storybook: Make sure you have Storybook installed in your project.

   npx sb init

2. Create Separate Configuration Directories: Create dedicated directories for each Storybook instance.

   mkdir .storybook-instance1

   mkdir .storybook-instance2

3. Configure Each Instance: Create a separate main.js configuration file for each instance in its directory.

   touch .storybook-instance1/main.js

   touch .storybook-instance2/main.js

4. Configuration

Each instance's main.js file should be configured based on the components it will manage.

// .storybook-instance1/main.js
module.exports = {
    stories: ['../src/components/**/*.stories.@(js|jsx|ts|tsx)'],
    addons: ['@storybook/addon-links', '@storybook/addon-essentials'],
};
                

// .storybook-instance2/main.js
module.exports = {
    stories: ['../src/other-components/**/*.stories.@(js|jsx|ts|tsx)'],
    addons: ['@storybook/addon-links', '@storybook/addon-essentials'],
};
                

5. Best Practices

To efficiently manage multiple Storybook instances, consider the following best practices:

• Ensure each instance has a clear purpose and is well-documented.
• Regularly update dependencies for all instances to avoid compatibility issues.
• Utilize version control to manage changes across different Storybook instances.

6. FAQ