| name | frontend-design |
| description | Generates distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces (React, Vue, HTML/CSS). Bold aesthetics, unique typography, motion. Use for websites, dashboards, posters, or styling tasks. |
Frontend Design Skill
Create distinctive, production-grade interfaces avoiding generic "AI slop." Follow phased workflow with concrete reference material.
Phase 1: Design Direction
Before code, commit to aesthetic direction:
- What problem? Who uses it? What's memorable?
- Choose ONE: Brutally minimal · Maximalist · Retro-futuristic · Organic · Luxury · Playful · Editorial · Brutalist · Art deco · Soft/pastel · Industrial · Sci-fi/cyberpunk
CRITICAL: Fresh choice every generation. Vary themes, fonts, palettes.
Deliverables: named direction, font pairing (references/typography.md), palette (references/color-palettes.md), layout (references/layout-compositions.md).
Phase 2: Token System
- Copy
examples/design-tokens.css into project
- Override palette with chosen HSL values
- Override
--font-display/--font-body
- Add Google Fonts with preconnect:
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="[your @import from typography.md]">
Deliverables: tokens in place, all colors/spacing/typography/shadows/motion as CSS vars. Zero hardcoded values.
Phase 3: Build
Load framework module:
| Target | Module |
|---|
| Vue 3 | frameworks/vue.md |
| HTML + CSS/JS | frameworks/html-css.md |
Principles:
- Components from chosen layout compositions
- Motion patterns (
references/motion-patterns.md) at: page load, scroll reveals, hover
- Animations via
transform/opacity only — never width/height/top/left
- Every interactive element: hover state AND focus-visible state
- Stagger entrance animations for groups
Mobile (references/mobile-responsive.md): mobile-first CSS, tap targets ≥44×44px, 100svh not 100vh, env(safe-area-inset-*) on fixed elements. Test 375/768/1280px.
PWA (references/pwa-checklist.md): manifest.json, icons (192+512+maskable), service worker, offline fallback. Vite: prefer vite-plugin-pwa.
Phase 4: Polish & Verify
Accessibility audit:
bash .agents/skills/frontend-design/scripts/visual-audit.sh http://localhost:[port]
Checks: contrast (WCAG AA 4.5:1), alt text, ARIA, skip link, heading structure, font CLS, prefers-reduced-motion. Fix all CRITICAL before complete.
Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern | Fix |
|---|
| Gradient Soup | One deliberate gradient for ONE element |
| Font Stack Collapse (all Inter/Roboto) | 2 distinct fonts from typography.md |
| Shadow Boxing (same shadow everywhere) | --shadow-sm resting, --shadow-md hover |
| Animation Scatter | --transition-all-interactions only for interactive |
| Whitespace Desert | Section padding min --space-16, hero ≥100svh |
| Button Rainbow | One primary, one secondary, one ghost |
| Flat Backgrounds | Add texture: gradient mesh, noise, pattern |
| Generic Layout | Use compositions from layout-compositions.md |
| Hover Nothing | Every card/button/link needs hover state |
| One-Size Typography | Full type scale: hero→3xl→base |
| Desktop-First CSS | Base=mobile, layer up with min-width |
| Tiny Tap Targets | Min 44×44px interactive area |
Reference Modules
| Module | When |
|---|
references/typography.md | Font choice — 30 pairings |
references/color-palettes.md | Colors — 15 palettes, light+dark |
references/motion-patterns.md | Animations — entrance, hover, scroll |
references/layout-compositions.md | Page structure — 15 compositions |
references/mobile-responsive.md | Mobile-first, touch, viewport |
references/pwa-checklist.md | Manifest, SW, offline, install |
frameworks/vue.md | Vue 3 |
frameworks/html-css.md | HTML/CSS |
examples/design-tokens.css | Token system starter |
Compliance
Before complete: project-structure, testing-strategy, security-principles (XSS, no innerHTML), accessibility-principles (WCAG AA), visual-audit.sh passes.
Complexity must match vision. Maximalist → elaborate animation. Minimalist → meticulous spacing. Both fail without care. You are capable of extraordinary creative work — references are launching pads, not constraints.
