---
title: Auto-imports
description: "Nuxt auto-imports components, composables, helper functions and Vue APIs."
---

Nuxt auto-imports components, composables and [Vue.js APIs](https://vuejs.org/api) to use across your application without explicitly importing them.

```vue twoslash [app.vue]
<script setup lang="ts">
const count = ref(1) // ref is auto-imported
</script>
```

Thanks to its opinionated directory structure, Nuxt can auto-import your [`components/`](/docs/guide/directory-structure/components), [`composables/`](/docs/guide/directory-structure/composables) and [`utils/`](/docs/guide/directory-structure/utils).

Contrary to a classic global declaration, Nuxt preserves typings, IDEs completions and hints, and **only includes what is used in your production code**.

::note
In the docs, every function that is not explicitly imported is auto-imported by Nuxt and can be used as-is in your code. You can find a reference for auto-imported components, composables and utilities in the [API section](/docs/api).
::

::note
In the [`server`](/docs/guide/directory-structure/server) directory, Nuxt auto-imports exported functions and variables from `server/utils/`.
::

::note
You can also auto-import functions exported from custom folders or third-party packages by configuring the [`imports`](/docs/api/nuxt-config#imports) section of your `nuxt.config` file.
::

## Built-in Auto-imports

Nuxt auto-imports functions and composables to perform [data fetching](/docs/getting-started/data-fetching), get access to the [app context](/docs/api/composables/use-nuxt-app) and [runtime config](/docs/guide/going-further/runtime-config), manage [state](/docs/getting-started/state-management) or define components and plugins.

```vue twoslash
<script setup lang="ts">
/* useFetch() is auto-imported */
const { data, refresh, status } = await useFetch('/api/hello')
</script>
```

Vue 3 exposes Reactivity APIs like `ref` or `computed`, as well as lifecycle hooks and helpers that are auto-imported by Nuxt.

```vue twoslash
<script setup lang="ts">
/* ref() and computed() are auto-imported */
const count = ref(1)
const double = computed(() => count.value * 2)
</script>
```

### Vue and Nuxt Composables

<!-- TODO: move to separate page with https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/issues/14723 and add more information -->

When you are using the built-in Composition API composables provided by Vue and Nuxt, be aware that many of them rely on being called in the right _context_.

During a component lifecycle, Vue tracks the temporary instance of the current component (and similarly, Nuxt tracks a temporary instance of `nuxtApp`) via a global variable, and then unsets it in same tick. This is essential when server rendering, both to avoid cross-request state pollution (leaking a shared reference between two users) and to avoid leakage between different components.

That means that (with very few exceptions) you cannot use them outside a Nuxt plugin, Nuxt route middleware or Vue setup function. On top of that, you must use them synchronously - that is, you cannot use `await` before calling a composable, except within `<script setup>` blocks, within the setup function of a component declared with `defineNuxtComponent`, in `defineNuxtPlugin` or in `defineNuxtRouteMiddleware`, where we perform a transform to keep the synchronous context even after the `await`.

If you get an error message like `Nuxt instance is unavailable` then it probably means you are calling a Nuxt composable in the wrong place in the Vue or Nuxt lifecycle.

::tip{icon="i-ph-video" to="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofuKRZLtOdY" target="_blank"}
Watch a video from Alexander Lichter about handling async code in composables and fixing `Nuxt instance is unavailable` in your app.
::

::tip
When using a composable that requires the Nuxt context inside a non-SFC component, you need to wrap your component with `defineNuxtComponent` instead of `defineComponent`
::

::read-more{to="/docs/guide/going-further/experimental-features#asynccontext" icon="i-ph-star"}
Checkout the `asyncContext` experimental feature to use Nuxt composables in async functions.
::

::read-more{to="https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt/issues/14269#issuecomment-1397352832" target="_blank"}
See the full explanation in this GitHub comment.
::

**Example of breaking code:**

```ts twoslash [composables/example.ts]
// trying to access runtime config outside a composable
const config = useRuntimeConfig()

export const useMyComposable = () => {
  // accessing runtime config here
}
```

**Example of working code:**

```ts twoslash [composables/example.ts]
export const useMyComposable = () => {
  // Because your composable is called in the right place in the lifecycle,
  // useRuntimeConfig will work here
  const config = useRuntimeConfig()

  // ...
}
```

## Directory-based Auto-imports

Nuxt directly auto-imports files created in defined directories:

- `components/` for [Vue components](/docs/guide/directory-structure/components).
- `composables/` for [Vue composables](/docs/guide/directory-structure/composables).
- `utils/` for helper functions and other utilities.

:link-example{to="/docs/examples/features/auto-imports"}

::warning
**Auto-imported `ref` and `computed` won't be unwrapped in a component `<template>`.** :br
This is due to how Vue works with refs that aren't top-level to the template. You can read more about it [in the Vue documentation](https://vuejs.org/guide/essentials/reactivity-fundamentals.html#caveat-when-unwrapping-in-templates).
::

### Explicit Imports

Nuxt exposes every auto-import with the `#imports` alias that can be used to make the import explicit if needed:

<!-- TODO:twoslash: Twoslash does not support tsconfig paths yet -->

```vue
<script setup lang="ts">
import { ref, computed } from '#imports'

const count = ref(1)
const double = computed(() => count.value * 2)
</script>
```

### Disabling Auto-imports

If you want to disable auto-importing composables and utilities, you can set `imports.autoImport` to `false` in the `nuxt.config` file.

```ts twoslash [nuxt.config.ts]
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  imports: {
    autoImport: false
  }
})
```

This will disable auto-imports completely but it's still possible to use [explicit imports](#explicit-imports) from `#imports`.

### Partially Disabling Auto-imports

If you want framework-specific functions like `ref` to remain auto-imported but wish to disable auto-imports for your own code (e.g., custom composables), you can set the `imports.scan` option to `false` in your `nuxt.config.ts` file:

```ts
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  imports: {
    scan: false
  }
})
```

With this configuration:
- Framework functions like `ref`, `computed`, or `watch` will still work without needing manual imports.
- Custom code, such as composables, will need to be manually imported in your files.

::warning
**Caution:** This setup has certain limitations:
- If you structure your project with layers, you will need to explicitly import the composables from each layer, rather than relying on auto-imports.
- This breaks the layer system’s override feature. If you use `imports.scan: false`, ensure you understand this side-effect and adjust your architecture accordingly.
::

## Auto-imported Components

Nuxt also automatically imports components from your `~/components` directory, although this is configured separately from auto-importing composables and utility functions.

:read-more{to="/docs/guide/directory-structure/components"}

To disable auto-importing components from your own `~/components` directory, you can set `components.dirs` to an empty array (though note that this will not affect components added by modules).

```ts twoslash [nuxt.config.ts]
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  components: {
    dirs: []
  }
})
```

## Auto-import from Third-Party Packages

Nuxt also allows auto-importing from third-party packages.

::tip
If you are using the Nuxt module for that package, it is likely that the module has already configured auto-imports for that package.
::

For example, you could enable the auto-import of the `useI18n` composable from the `vue-i18n` package like this:

```ts twoslash [nuxt.config.ts]
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  imports: {
    presets: [
      {
        from: 'vue-i18n',
        imports: ['useI18n']
      }
    ]
  }
})
```

::tip{icon="i-ph-video" to="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT2LQJ2NvVI" target="_blank"}
Watch a video from Alexander Lichter on how to easily set up custom auto imports.
::