web-interface-design
Use when designing or reviewing web UI, implementing forms/buttons/inputs, fixing visual hierarchy issues, creating color systems, building layouts, or when interface feels cluttered, hard to read, or users don't know what to click.
What this skill does
# Web Interface Design ## Overview Design exists to **separate the primary from the secondary**. Users should instantly recognize what matters. Good interface design is invisible—users accomplish goals without noticing the interface. This skill orchestrates domain-specific reference files. Read only what you need for the task. ## Reference File Index | Task | Load Reference | |------|----------------| | Font sizes, line spacing, heading hierarchy, vertical rhythm | `references/typography.md` | | Input fields, validation, checkboxes, radios, selects, textareas | `references/forms-and-inputs.md` | | Button hierarchy, sizing, states, CTAs, ghost buttons | `references/buttons.md` | | Color palettes, dark mode, tints/shades, state colors | `references/color-systems.md` | | Navigation, cards, tabs, accordions, modals, tables, toasts | `references/ui-components.md` | | Grids, spacing scales, responsive patterns, whitespace | `references/layout-and-spacing.md` | | Focus techniques, hierarchy principles, action pyramid | `references/visual-hierarchy.md` | | Contrast ratios, focus states, screen readers, WCAG | `references/accessibility.md` | | CSS implementation patterns, variables, common styles | `references/css-patterns.md` | ## Quick Decision: Which Reference? ``` What's the problem? ├─ Text hard to read, spacing feels off → typography.md ├─ Form not working well, validation issues → forms-and-inputs.md ├─ Users don't know what to click → buttons.md OR visual-hierarchy.md ├─ Colors look wrong, dark mode broken → color-systems.md ├─ Need nav/cards/tabs/modals/tables → ui-components.md ├─ Spacing inconsistent, layout cramped → layout-and-spacing.md ├─ Everything competes for attention → visual-hierarchy.md ├─ Accessibility audit or contrast issues → accessibility.md └─ Need CSS implementation → css-patterns.md ``` ## Universal Quick Reference ### Spacing Scale (4px base) `4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 40, 48, 64, 80, 96` ### Typography Baseline - Body: 16px, line-height 1.5 - Heading:body ratio max 1:3 (48px heading for 16px body) - Paragraph spacing: line-height ÷ 1.5 ### Touch Targets - Minimum: 44×44px - Recommended: 48×48px ### Contrast Minimums (WCAG) - Normal text: 4.5:1 - Large text (18px+ or 14px+ bold): 3:1 - UI components: 3:1 ### Button Hierarchy | Level | Use For | Treatment | |-------|---------|-----------| | Primary | Main action (ONE per view) | Solid fill, high contrast | | Secondary | Alternative actions | Outlined or subtle fill | | Tertiary | Minor actions | Text-only or ghost | ### Dark Mode Essentials - Background: #121212 (not pure black) - Text: #E0E0E0 (not pure white) - Reduce color saturation ## Common Mistakes Checklist - [ ] Multiple primary buttons per view - [ ] Placeholder used as only label - [ ] Pure white on pure black - [ ] Thin/light font weights - [ ] Color-only error indicators - [ ] Long centered text - [ ] Inconsistent spacing values ## Design Review Protocol 1. **Hierarchy**: Is primary action obvious? Can you tell what matters? 2. **Readability**: Text contrast OK? Line length reasonable (45-75 chars)? 3. **Forms**: Labels above fields? Touch targets 44px+? Helpful errors? 4. **Spacing**: Consistent scale? Breathing room around elements? 5. **Accessibility**: Color not sole indicator? Focus states visible? ## When NOT to Use This Skill - Pure visual branding/identity work - Marketing copy decisions - Backend architecture - Mobile native patterns (iOS/Android differ) ## Sources - **Web Interface Handbook** by Aleksei Baranov (Imperavi) - **User Interface Typography** by Imperavi - **Refactoring UI** by Wathan & Schoger - WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines
Related in Design
contribute
IncludedLocal-only OSS contribution command center. Auto-refreshes the user's in-flight PR and issue state on invoke so conversations start with full context — no need to brief Claude on what's in flight. Helps the user find issues to contribute to on GitHub, builds per-repo dossiers of what each upstream expects (CLA, DCO, branch convention, AI policy, draft-first, review bots, issue templates), runs deterministic gates before any external action so AI-assisted contributions don't reach maintainers as slop. State is markdown-only: candidate files at ~/.contribute-system/candidates/, repo dossiers at ~/.contribute-system/research/, append-only event log at ~/.contribute-system/log.jsonl. No database, no cloud calls. Use when the user asks about their PRs / issues / contributions, wants to find new work to take on, claim an issue, build/refresh a repo's dossier, or draft a Design Issue or PR. Trigger with "/contribute", "what's my PR status", "find a contribution", "claim issue X", "draft a Design Issue for Y", "refresh dossier for Z".
architectural-analysis
IncludedUser-triggered deep architectural analysis of a codebase or scoped subtree across eight modes — information architecture, data flow, integration points, UI surfaces, interaction patterns, data model, control flow, and failure modes. This skill should be used when the user asks to "diagram this codebase," "map the architecture," "show the data flow," "give me an ERD," "trace control flow," "find the integration points," "verify the layout pattern," "audit the UX architecture," or any similar request whose primary deliverable is mermaid diagrams plus cited reports under docs/architecture/. Dispatches haiku/sonnet sub-agents in parallel for per-mode exploration, then verifies every citation mechanically before any node lands in a diagram. Not for one-off prose explanations of code (use code-explanation) or for high-level system design from scratch (use system-design).
mcp
IncludedModel Context Protocol (MCP) server development and tool management. Languages: Python, TypeScript. Capabilities: build MCP servers, integrate external APIs, discover/execute MCP tools, manage multi-server configs, design agent-centric tools. Actions: create, build, integrate, discover, execute, configure MCP servers/tools. Keywords: MCP, Model Context Protocol, MCP server, MCP tool, stdio transport, SSE transport, tool discovery, resource provider, prompt template, external API integration, Gemini CLI MCP, Claude MCP, agent tools, tool execution, server config. Use when: building MCP servers, integrating external APIs as MCP tools, discovering available MCP tools, executing MCP capabilities, configuring multi-server setups, designing tools for AI agents.
react-native-skia
IncludedDesign, build, debug, and optimise high-polish animated graphics in React Native or Expo using @shopify/react-native-skia, Reanimated, and Gesture Handler. Use when the user wants canvas-driven UI, shaders, paths, rich text, image filters, sprite fields, Skottie, video frames, snapshots, web CanvasKit setup, or performance tuning for custom motion-heavy elements such as loaders, hero art, cards, charts, progress indicators, particle systems, or gesture-driven surfaces. Also use when the user asks for fluid, glow, glass, blob, parallax, 60fps/120fps, or GPU-friendly animated effects in React Native, even if they do not explicitly say "Skia". Do not use for ordinary form/layout work with standard views.
plaid
IncludedProduct Led AI Development — guides founders from idea to launched product. Six capabilities: Idea (discover a product idea), Validate (pressure-test the idea against fatal flaws, problem reality, competition, and 2-week MVP feasibility), Plan (vision intake + document generation), Design (translate image references into a design.md spec), Launch (go-to-market strategy), and Build (roadmap execution). Use when someone says "PLAID", "plaid idea", "help me find an idea", "product idea", "idea from my business", "idea from my expertise", "plaid validate", "validate my idea", "pressure-test", "is this idea good", "find fatal flaws", "validate the problem", "plan a product", "define my vision", "generate a PRD", "product strategy", "plaid design", "design from image", "translate image to design", "create design.md", "extract design tokens", "plaid launch", "go-to-market", "launch plan", "GTM strategy", "launch playbook", "plaid build", "build the app", "start building", or "execute the roadmap".
nextjs-framer-motion-animations
IncludedAdds production-safe Motion for React or Framer Motion animations to Next.js apps, including reveal, hover and tap micro-interactions, whileInView, stagger, AnimatePresence, layout and layoutId transitions, reorder, scroll-linked UI, and lightweight route-content transitions. Use when the user asks to add, refactor, or debug Motion or Framer Motion in App Router or Pages Router codebases, especially around server/client boundaries, reduced motion, LazyMotion, bundle size, hydration, or route transitions. Avoid for GSAP-style timelines, WebGL or 3D scenes, heavy scroll storytelling, or CSS-only effects unless Motion is explicitly requested.