| id | blueprint-first |
| name | blueprint-first |
| type | rigid |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| created | 20/03/2026 |
| modified | 20/03/2026 |
| status | active |
| triggers | ["build a dashboard","create a landing page","design the UI","add a page","build the frontend","create the database schema","design the architecture","build a slide deck","create a layout","add a screen"] |
| description | > |
| context | fork |
Blueprint First Skill
Mandate: No code is written until an ASCII blueprint has been generated, reviewed, and accepted.
Dead code and incorrect layouts are eliminated at the planning stage, not the review stage.
Locale: en-AU — colour, behaviour, optimisation, organised, licence (noun).
Why Blueprint First
- Eliminates dead code: Layout disagreements are discovered in ASCII, not after 200 lines of JSX
- Aligns non-technical stakeholders: Founders can review ASCII wireframes without reading code
- Produces implementation specs: Accepted blueprints become the authoritative spec for code generation
- Reduces revision cycles: One blueprint iteration costs 0 tokens of code; one code revision costs thousands
This is a rigid skill. The workflow must be followed exactly.
Workflow
Step 1: GENERATE
→ Produce ASCII blueprint for the requested component
→ No code written yet
Step 2: ITERATE
→ Present blueprint to user
→ Accept feedback and revise blueprint
→ Repeat until user confirms: "approved" / "looks good" / "build it"
→ No code written until explicit approval
Step 3: CONVERT
→ Translate accepted blueprint into an implementation spec
→ Spec includes: components, props, data flow, states, layout constraints
Step 4: BUILD
→ Write code from the spec
→ Code must match the blueprint exactly
→ Flag any deviation from blueprint as a decision point
ASCII Blueprint Standards
UI / Page Layouts
Use box-drawing characters. Always annotate components.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HEADER │
│ ┌──────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Logo + Nav │ │ Auth CTA │ │
│ └──────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ HERO │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ H1: [Primary Headline] ││
│ │ p: [Supporting copy — 2 lines max] ││
│ │ [CTA Button] [Secondary CTA] ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ FEATURES (3-column grid) │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Icon │ │ Icon │ │ Icon │ │
│ │ Feature 1 │ │ Feature 2 │ │ Feature 3 │ │
│ │ description │ │ description │ │ description │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘