Registry / serialization / prism-react-renderer

prism-react-renderer

library2.4.1jsnpmunverified

Prism React Renderer is a lightweight, render-props-driven React component that facilitates syntax highlighting of code using a bundled and modified version of PrismJS. It is currently stable at version 2.4.1 and is actively maintained by FormidableLabs, with regular updates to support new React features and fix bugs. The library distinguishes itself by not polluting the global namespace with PrismJS, supporting React Native out-of-the-box, and offering a VSCode-like theming format that allows for easy theme integration or programmatic theme creation. It powers syntax highlighting in frameworks like Docusaurus and provides utilities for custom language support and token normalization, making it a flexible choice for displaying code snippets.

serialization

npm install prism-react-renderer

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · PRISM-REACT-RENDER

prism-react-renderer

serializationjavascriptv2.4.1

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

Highlight

✓ import { Highlight } from 'prism-react-renderer'

✗ const { Highlight } = require('prism-react-renderer')

Main component for rendering highlighted code. Primarily used with ESM imports.

themes

✓ import { themes } from 'prism-react-renderer'

✗ import themes from 'prism-react-renderer/themes'

Named export providing built-in themes (e.g., `themes.shadesOfPurple`).

normalizeTokens

✓ import { normalizeTokens } from 'prism-react-renderer'

Utility function for normalizing token arrays, exported since v2.3.1.

useTokenize

✓ import { useTokenize } from 'prism-react-renderer'

Utility hook for tokenizing code, exported since v2.3.1, useful for custom rendering flows.

This quickstart demonstrates how to use the <Highlight /> component with a built-in theme and custom rendering logic.

import React from "react" import ReactDOM from "react-dom/client" import { Highlight, themes } from "prism-react-renderer" const codeBlock = ` const GroceryItem: React.FC<GroceryItemProps> = ({ item }) => { return ( <div> <h2>{item.name}</h2> <p>Price: {item.price}</p> <p>Quantity: {item.quantity}</p> </div> ); } ` export const App = () => ( <Highlight theme={themes.shadesOfPurple} code={codeBlock} language="typescript" > {({ className, style, tokens, getLineProps, getTokenProps }) => ( <pre style={style} className={className}> {tokens.map((line, i) => ( <div {...getLineProps({ line, key: i })}> {line.map((token, key) => ( <span {...getTokenProps({ token, key })} /> ))} </div> ))} </pre> )} </Highlight> ); ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(<App />)

Debug

Known issues

breakingThe `theme dictionary hook` was removed in v2.4.1. If you were using this internal hook, your code will break.

fix

Review the changelog for alternative approaches to theme management if you relied on internal APIs.

affects: >=2.4.1

breakingUpgrading from v1 to v2 involved significant changes. Specific breaking changes are documented in the upgrade guide.

fix

Refer to the 'Upgrading from v1 to v2' section in the package README for a detailed migration path. This often involves changes in how themes are applied or prop structures.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaPrism React Renderer requires `react` as a peer dependency. Ensure you have `react` installed in your project at a compatible version.

fix

Install `react` and `react-dom` if not already present: `npm install react react-dom` or `yarn add react react-dom`.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaWhen using custom Prism setups, ensure the `prism` prop is correctly passed to the `Highlight` component to avoid issues with language definitions or tokenization.

fix

If using a custom Prism instance, pass it via the `prism` prop: `<Highlight prism={myCustomPrismInstance} ... />`. This is an 'escape-hatch' for advanced use cases.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaSince v2.4.1, React Server Components (RSC) are supported. If deploying to an RSC environment, ensure your setup is compatible with this change.

fix

No specific fix required if your environment supports RSC, but be aware of how components behave in server-side vs. client-side contexts.

affects: >=2.4.1

Errors

Common errors & fixes

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'languages')

The Prism instance is not correctly loaded or accessible, often when attempting to highlight a language that isn't registered or if the custom Prism prop is misconfigured.

fix

Ensure the `language` prop is a valid Prism language. If using a custom Prism instance, verify it's correctly passed to the `prism` prop. Check for `prism-react-renderer`'s bundled languages or add custom ones via the escape-hatch.

Error: Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite components) but got: undefined.

Often indicates that the `Highlight` component was not imported correctly, or there's a problem with the React environment.

fix

Verify the import statement: `import { Highlight } from 'prism-react-renderer'`. Ensure React and ReactDOM are properly installed and configured for your project.

Unhandled Rejection (TypeError): theme is undefined

The `theme` prop received an `undefined` value, which can happen if a theme isn't found or loaded correctly.

fix

Use one of the `themes` exported by `prism-react-renderer` (e.g., `themes.shadesOfPurple`) or ensure your custom theme object is valid. Version 2.0.5 fixed a bug where an undefined theme would cause a runtime error, so ensure you are on a recent version if this issue persists.

Upgrade

Version history

2.4.1latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

reactrequiredPeer dependency required for the React component.

Agent activity

10 hits · last 30 days

node

Amazon

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/FormidableLabs/prism-react-renderer ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/prism-react-renderer ↗

homepagehttps://formidable.com/open-source/prism-react-renderer ↗