| 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 โ 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
โ Produce ASCII blueprint for the requested component
โ No code written yet
Step 2: ITERATE
โ Present blueprint to user
โ Accept feedback and revise blueprint
โ Repeat until user confirms: "approved" / "looks good" / "build it"
โ No code written until explicit approval
Step 3: CONVERT
โ Translate accepted blueprint into an implementation spec
โ Spec includes: components, props, data flow, states, layout constraints
Step 4: BUILD
โ Write code from the spec
โ Code must match the blueprint exactly
โ Flag any deviation from blueprint as a decision point
ASCII Blueprint Standards
UI / Page Layouts
Use box-drawing characters. Always annotate components.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ HEADER โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โ
โ โ Logo + Nav โ โ Auth CTA โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโค
โ HERO โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ H1: [Primary Headline] โโ
โ โ p: [Supporting copy โ 2 lines max] โโ
โ โ [CTA Button] [Secondary CTA] โโ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโค
โ FEATURES (3-column grid) โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โ
โ โ Icon โ โ Icon โ โ Icon โ โ
โ โ Feature 1 โ โ Feature 2 โ โ Feature 3 โ โ
โ โ description โ โ description โ โ description โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ