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use-js-interop

Add, review, or fix JavaScript interop in Blazor components. USE FOR: calling JavaScript from Blazor, calling .NET from JavaScript, collocated .razor.js modules, IJSRuntime, IJSObjectReference lifecycle, DotNetObjectReference, ElementReference, timing rules for when JS is available, IAsyncDisposable…

Install / Use

npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill use-js-interop

Installs into whichever agent you are using.

About this skill
📄

SKILL.md

Installable skill definition

Quality Score

87/100

Supported Platforms

Universal

Our assessment of use-js-interop

use-js-interop scores 87/100 on our quality scale, 849th of 2,398 Development & Engineering skills we index (top 36%).

Its SKILL.md is 11 KB long, well organised into 12 sections with 13 code examples: a thorough specification that gives an agent plenty to work with.

With 5,471 GitHub stars, it is one of the more widely adopted skills in the catalogue.

Substance
29/30
Structure
20/20
Description
15/15
Adoption
16/20
Freshness
15/15

Maintenance, license and trust

  • The repository was last updated 2 days ago, so use-js-interop is actively maintained.
  • It is released under the MIT license, a permissive license that allows use, modification and commercial use with attribution.
  • Its trust signals score 100/100, with no cautions. These come from repository metadata, not a code audit — read the skill file before letting an agent act on it.

use-js-interop compared with similar skills

All 4 of these similar skills score higher than use-js-interop; compare them before choosing.

SkillScoreStarsUpdatedFormat
use-js-interop (this skill)by dotnet875.5k2d agoSKILL.md
ai-job-searchby MadsLorentzen10044.0k5d agoCLAUDE.md
claude-howtoby luongnv8910041.7ktodayCLAUDE.md
algorithmic-artby anthropics100177.9k4d agoSKILL.md
pptxby anthropics100177.9k4d agoSKILL.md

Frequently asked questions

How do I install use-js-interop?
Run npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill use-js-interop. The install tabs above show the steps for each supported agent.
Which AI agents does use-js-interop work with?
It is written for Universal, as a SKILL.md file. Other agents that read the same format can often use it too.
Is use-js-interop safe to use?
It is MIT-licensed and scores 100/100 on trust signals. Skills are instructions an agent will follow, so read the file before installing it and do not approve commands you do not understand.
Is use-js-interop still maintained?
The repository was last updated 2 days ago, so use-js-interop is actively maintained.

license: MIT name: use-js-interop description: > Add, review, or fix JavaScript interop in Blazor components. USE FOR: calling JavaScript from Blazor, calling .NET from JavaScript, collocated .razor.js modules, IJSRuntime, IJSObjectReference lifecycle, DotNetObjectReference, ElementReference, timing rules for when JS is available, IAsyncDisposable disposal of JS references, server-side JS interop safety. DO NOT USE FOR: general Blazor component authoring without JS interop needs (use author-component), forms (use collect-user-input).

JS Interop in Blazor

1. Collocated JS Modules

Always use collocated .razor.js files with export — never global window.* functions or <script> tags.

// ChartPanel.razor.js — placed next to ChartPanel.razor
export function initialize(canvas, dotNetRef) { /* ... */ }
export function updateData(points) { /* ... */ }
export function dispose() { /* ... */ }

Import paths: same project = "./Components/ChartPanel.razor.js", RCL = "./_content/{AssemblyName}/...".

2. Lifecycle Timing

All JS interop must happen in OnAfterRenderAsync or event handlers — never in OnInitialized, OnParametersSet, or constructors. JS is not available during server prerendering.

Use a typed interop wrapper (see Section 4) — never call InvokeAsync/InvokeVoidAsync with raw string literals:

private ChartInterop? _chart;

protected override async Task OnAfterRenderAsync(bool firstRender)
{
    if (firstRender)
    {
        _chart = new ChartInterop(JS);
        await _chart.InitializeAsync(_canvasRef);
    }
}

Parameter changes: set a flag in OnParametersSet, apply in OnAfterRenderAsync:

private bool _dataChanged;

protected override void OnParametersSet() => _dataChanged = true;

protected override async Task OnAfterRenderAsync(bool firstRender)
{
    if (firstRender) { /* init */ }
    else if (_dataChanged && _chart is not null)
    {
        _dataChanged = false;
        await _chart.UpdateDataAsync(DataPoints);
    }
}

3. Batch Related Operations

Each JS interop call crosses the .NET-to-JS boundary (and in Blazor Server, the SignalR circuit). Batching applies in both directions — .NET→JS and JS→.NET.

.NET → JS: merge consecutive calls

If the C# side makes two or more JS calls in a row, combine them into one JS function:

// ❌ Two round-trips — theme and locale are always applied together
await _module.InvokeVoidAsync("applyTheme", theme);
await _module.InvokeVoidAsync("applyLocale", locale);

// ❌ Result of one call feeds into another — both can stay in JS
var token = await _module.InvokeAsync<string>("createAccessToken");
await _module.InvokeVoidAsync("storeToken", token);
// ✅ One call applies both — no data dependency, no reason for two trips
export function applyPreferences(theme, locale) {
    document.documentElement.dataset.theme = theme;
    document.documentElement.lang = locale;
}

// ✅ Chain stays in JS — the token never needs to cross the boundary
export function createAndStoreToken() {
    const token = cryp…[redacted]();
    sessionStorage.setItem('access-token', token);
    return token;
}

JS → .NET: batch callbacks

When JS needs to send multiple pieces of data back to .NET, send them in a single invokeMethodAsync call rather than making separate callbacks:

// ❌ Two .NET round-trips from JS
await dotNetRef.invokeMethodAsync(ON_VOLUME_CHANGED, volume);
await dotNetRef.invokeMethodAsync(ON_PLAYBACK_CHANGED, isPlaying);

// ✅ One callback with all data
await dotNetRef.invokeMethodAsync(ON_PLAYER_STATE_CHANGED, { volume, isPlaying });

Rule: if two interop calls always happen together from either side, merge them into one function.

4. Typed Interop Wrapper

Encapsulate interop for a feature in a plain class that owns the module lifecycle:

public sealed class ChartInterop : IAsyncDisposable
{
    internal const string ModulePath = "./Components/ChartPanel.razor.js";
    internal const string InitMethod = "initialize";
    internal const string UpdateMethod = "updateData";
    internal const string DisposeMethod = "dispose";

    private readonly IJSRuntime _js;
    private IJSObjectReference? _module;

    public ChartInterop(IJSRuntime js) => _js = js;

    private async ValueTask<IJSObjectReference> GetModuleAsync()
        => _module ??= await _js.InvokeAsync<IJSObjectReference>("import", ModulePath);

    public async ValueTask InitializeAsync(ElementReference canvas)
    {
        var module = await GetModuleAsync();
        await module.InvokeVoidAsync(InitMethod, canvas);
    }

    public async ValueTask UpdateDataAsync(IReadOnlyList<DataPoint> points)
    {
        var module = await GetModuleAsync();
        await module.InvokeVoidAsync(UpdateMethod, points);
    }

    public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
    {
        try
        {
            if (_module is not null)
            {
                await _module.InvokeVoidAsync(DisposeMethod);
                await _module.DisposeAsync();
            }
        }
        catch (JSDisconnectedException) { }
    }
}

The component creates and uses the wrapper with no magic strings:

@inject IJSRuntime JS
@implements IAsyncDisposable

<canvas @ref="_canvasRef" width="600" height="400"></canvas>

@code {
    private ElementReference _canvasRef;
    private ChartInterop? _chart;

    protected override async Task OnAfterRenderAsync(bool firstRender)
    {
        if (firstRender)
        {
            _chart = new ChartInterop(JS);
            await _chart.InitializeAsync(_canvasRef);
        }
    }

    async ValueTask IAsyncDisposable.DisposeAsync()
    {
        if (_chart is not null)
            await _chart.DisposeAsync();
    }
}

Prefer a concrete class over interface + implementation for interop wrappers. For unit testing, substitute IJSRuntime directly (it is already an interface).

5. DotNetObjectReference for JS-to-.NET Callbacks

_dotNetRef = DotNetObjectReference.Create(this);
await _module.InvokeVoidAsync("initialize", _dotNetRef);

On the JS side, wrap the dotNetRef in a class. Use async/await with try/catch (not .catch()) to guard against circuit loss. Define .NET method name constants at the top:

const ON_CLIPBOARD_CHANGED = 'OnClipboardChanged';

class ClipboardMonitor {
    #dotNetRef;
    #abortController;

    constructor(dotNetRef) {
        this.#dotNetRef = dotNetRef;
        this.#abortController = new AbortController();
    }

    start() {
        document.addEventListener('copy', async () => {
            try {
                const text = await navigator.clipboard.readText();
                await this.#dotNetRef.invokeMethodAsync(ON_CLIPBOARD_CHANGED, text);
            } catch { /* circuit disconnected or clipboard denied */ }
        }, { signal: this.#abortController.signal });
    }

    dispose() {
        this.#abortController.abort();
    }
}

let monitor;
export function initialize(dotNetRef) {
    monitor = new ClipboardMonitor(dotNetRef);
    monitor.start();
}

export function dispose() {
    monitor?.dispose();
}

Rules:

  • [JSInvokable] methods must be public — private/internal silently fails at runtime
  • Wrap StateHasChanged in InvokeAsync inside [JSInvokable] callbacks:
    [JSInvokable]
    public async Task OnClipboardChanged(string text)
    {
        await InvokeAsync(() => { _lastClipboard = text; StateHasChanged(); });
    }
    
  • Always try/catch around invokeMethodAsync in JS — circuit loss throws
  • Use const for .NET method name strings in JS — prevents typo bugs that silently fail
  • Dispose DotNetObjectReference in DisposeAsync

6. Disposal and Server Safety

Always implement IAsyncDisposable. Call JS cleanup first, then dispose references. Catch JSDisconnectedException for Blazor Server circuit loss:

public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
{
    try
    {
        if (_module is not null)
        {
            await _module.InvokeVoidAsync("dispose");
            await _module.DisposeAsync();
        }
    }
    catch (JSDisconnectedException) { }

    _dotNetRef?.Dispose();
}

Never use sync IDisposable for JS interop cleanup — InvokeVoidAsync returns ValueTask and must be awaited.

7. ElementReference

Pass DOM elements via @ref, not string IDs:

<canvas @ref="_canvasRef" width="600" height="400"></canvas>
await _chart.InitializeAsync(_canvasRef);

Checklist

  • [ ] JS is in collocated .razor.js with export — no window.* globals
  • [ ] All interop in OnAfterRenderAsync or event handlers — never during prerender
  • [ ] IAsyncDisposable catches JSDisconnectedException
  • [ ] DotNetObjectReference disposed in DisposeAsync; JS side has try/catch around invokeMethodAsync
  • [ ] [JSInvokable] methods are public and use await InvokeAsync(StateHasChanged)
  • [ ] InvokeVoidAsync used when no return value is needed
  • [ ] ElementReference instead of string IDs
  • [ ] Related operations batched into single interop calls (both .NET→JS and JS→.NET)

Common Mistakes Checklist

| Mistake | Fix | |---------|-----| | Using JS for something achievable with CSS | Use CSS custom properties, data- attributes, pseudo-classes | | Many fine-grained interop calls | Batch into coarse functions — both .NET→JS and JS→.NET | | Component imports JS module directly | Encapsulate in a strongly typed interop class | | Magic strings for method names / module paths | Define internal const fields in the interop class | | Interface + implementation for interop wrapper | Use a plain class; mock IJSRuntime for tests instead | | JS calls in OnInitializedAsync | Move to OnAfterRenderAsync(firstRender) | | InvokeAsync<object> for void calls | Use InvokeVoidAsync | | IDisposable with fire-and-forget JS | Use IAsyncDisposable with await | | Global window.* JS functions | Use collocated .razor.js with export | | String element IDs passed to JS | Use ElementReference with @ref | | [JSInvokable] on private method | Must be public — silently fails otherwise | | DotNetObjectReference not disposed | Dispose in DisposeAsync — causes memory leak | | StateHasChanged() without InvokeAsync | Wrap in await InvokeAsync(() => { StateHasChanged(); }) | | JS invokeMethodAsync without error handling | Wrap in try/catch — circuit loss throws | | Bare dotNetRef in JS event handlers | Wrap in a class with #dotNetRef private field | | Magic strings in JS invokeMethodAsync calls | Use const at module top — typos silently fail at runtime | | JS calls in OnParametersSetAsync | Track changes, apply in OnAfterRenderAsync with guard | | No null check before calling module | Check module is not null before use |

Related Skills

View on GitHub
GitHub Stars5.5k
CategoryDevelopment
Updated2d ago
Forks418

Languages

C#

Trust signals

100/100

From repository metadata: license, adoption, age and documentation. Not a code audit — see the Safety scan above for what the skill file itself contains.

No cautions