Definition

What is Nested Instance?

A component instance placed inside another component, creating hierarchical component structures that maintain connections to multiple main components.

Why It Matters

Nested instances enable component composition—building complex components from simpler ones. A Modal component might contain nested Button instances and Icon instances. When you update the Button main component, all buttons inside all modals update automatically. This creates powerful cascading updates across your design system.

Examples

1

A form component containing nested Input, Label, and Button instances.

2

A card component with nested Avatar and Badge instances in the header.

3

A data table row built from nested Cell, Checkbox, and IconButton instances.

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