ui-design-system

name	ui-design-system
description	Generates consistent UI components, layouts, and design tokens following a design system. Enforces spacing, color, typography, and accessibility standards across React/TypeScript projects. Use when creating new UI components, building page layouts, choosing colors or typography, setting up design tokens, or reviewing UI code for design consistency. Covers 8pt spacing grid, Tailwind CSS token usage, shadcn/ui primitives, WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, responsive breakpoints, semantic HTML structure, and TypeScript component interfaces. Does NOT cover backend implementation (use python-backend-expert), testing (use react-testing-patterns), or deployment (use deployment-pipeline).
license	MIT
compatibility	React 18+, TypeScript 5+, Tailwind CSS 3+, shadcn/ui
metadata	{"author":"platform-team","version":"1.0.0","sdlc-phase":"implementation"}
allowed-tools	Read Edit Write Bash(npm:*) Bash(npx:*)
context	fork

UI Design System

When to Use

Activate this skill when:

• Creating new UI components that must follow a design system
• Building page layouts with consistent spacing and structure
• Setting up or extending design tokens (colors, typography, spacing)
• Choosing colors, fonts, or spacing values for a project
• Reviewing UI code for design consistency and accessibility
• Integrating shadcn/ui components into existing layouts

Do NOT use this skill for:

• Backend API implementation (use python-backend-expert)
• Component or hook testing (use react-testing-patterns)
• E2E browser testing (use e2e-testing)
• General React patterns unrelated to design system (use react-frontend-expert)
• Deployment or CI/CD (use deployment-pipeline)

Instructions

Step 0: Read Existing Design Tokens

Before generating any UI code, check the project for existing tokens:

1. Read tailwind.config.ts (or .js) for custom theme extensions
2. Read src/styles/globals.css or app/globals.css for CSS custom properties
3. Read components.json if shadcn/ui is configured

If no design tokens exist, generate a starter set and ask the user to confirm before proceeding (see Edge Cases).

Design Tokens

Color Tokens

Define colors as CSS custom properties consumed by Tailwind. Never use hardcoded hex/rgb values in components.

CSS custom properties (HSL format for shadcn/ui compatibility):

/* globals.css */
@layer base {
  :root {
    --background: 0 0% 100%;
    --foreground: 222 47% 11%;
    --primary: 221 83% 53%;
    --primary-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --secondary: 210 40% 96%;
    --secondary-foreground: 222 47% 11%;
    --muted: 210 40% 96%;
    --muted-foreground: 215 16% 47%;
    --accent: 210 40% 96%;
    --accent-foreground: 222 47% 11%;
    --destructive: 0 84% 60%;
    --destructive-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --border: 214 32% 91%;
    --input: 214 32% 91%;
    --ring: 221 83% 53%;
    --radius: 0.5rem;
  }

  .dark {
    --background: 222 47% 11%;
    --foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --primary: 217 91% 60%;
    --primary-foreground: 222 47% 11%;
    --secondary: 217 33% 17%;
    --secondary-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --muted: 217 33% 17%;
    --muted-foreground: 215 20% 65%;
    --accent: 217 33% 17%;
    --accent-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --destructive: 0 63% 31%;
    --destructive-foreground: 210 40% 98%;
    --border: 217 33% 17%;
    --input: 217 33% 17%;
    --ring: 224 76% 48%;
  }
}

Tailwind config mapping:

// tailwind.config.ts
export default {
  theme: {
    extend: {
      colors: {
        background: "hsl(var(--background))",
        foreground: "hsl(var(--foreground))",
        primary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--primary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--primary-foreground))",
        },
        secondary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--secondary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--secondary-foreground))",
        },
        muted: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--muted))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--muted-foreground))",
        },
        accent: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--accent))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--accent-foreground))",
        },
        destructive: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--destructive))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--destructive-foreground))",
        },
        border: "hsl(var(--border))",
        input: "hsl(var(--input))",
        ring: "hsl(var(--ring))",
      },
    },
  },
} satisfies Config;

Color usage rules:

• Always use semantic token classes: bg-primary, text-foreground, border-border
• Never use raw Tailwind palette colors (bg-blue-500) in component code
• Every color must have a dark mode variant defined
• Use foreground variants for text on colored backgrounds

Typography Scale

Define a typographic scale using Tailwind's font-size utilities:

Token	Size	Line Height	Usage
text-xs	12px	16px	Captions, helper text
text-sm	14px	20px	Secondary text, labels
text-base	16px	24px	Body text (default)
text-lg	18px	28px	Subheadings
text-xl	20px	28px	Section headings
text-2xl	24px	32px	Page headings
text-3xl	30px	36px	Hero headings

Typography rules:

• Set a base font in tailwind.config.ts: fontFamily: { sans: ["Inter", "system-ui", "sans-serif"] }
• Use font-medium (500) for headings and labels, font-normal (400) for body
• Use tracking-tight for headings text-2xl and above
• Limit line length with max-w-prose (65ch) for readability

Spacing (8pt Grid)

All spacing values follow an 8pt base grid:

Tailwind Class	Value	Use Case
p-1 / gap-1	4px	Inline icon padding, tight gaps
p-2 / gap-2	8px	Compact element spacing
p-3 / gap-3	12px	Input padding, small card padding
p-4 / gap-4	16px	Standard component padding
p-6 / gap-6	24px	Card padding, section gaps
p-8 / gap-8	32px	Section padding
p-12 / gap-12	48px	Page section spacing
p-16 / gap-16	64px	Major layout spacing

Spacing rules:

• Use gap-* for flex/grid children instead of individual margins
• Prefer space-y-* for vertical stacking of sibling elements
• Cards: p-6 padding with gap-4 between internal elements
• Page sections: py-12 or py-16 vertical padding
• Never mix spacing systems (no margin: 13px)

Component Structure

Hierarchy: Container > Layout > Content

Every component follows a three-layer structure:

// Container: outer wrapper with spacing, background, border
<Card className="p-6">
  {/* Layout: flex/grid arrangement */}
  <div className="flex items-center gap-4">
    {/* Content: actual UI elements */}
    <Avatar src={user.avatar} alt={user.name} />
    <div className="space-y-1">
      <h3 className="text-sm font-medium">{user.name}</h3>
      <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{user.role}</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</Card>

Semantic HTML

Use the correct HTML element for every purpose:

Element	Use For	Not
<button>	Clickable actions	<div onClick>
<a>	Navigation links	<button> for links
<nav>	Navigation regions	<div>
<main>	Primary page content	<div>
<article>	Self-contained content (card, post)	<div>
<section>	Thematic grouping with heading	<div>
<aside>	Sidebar or tangential content	<div>
<header>	Introductory content for a section	<div>
<footer>	Footer content for a section	<div>
<ul> / <ol>	Lists of items	<div> for each item

shadcn/ui Primitives

Prefer shadcn/ui components over custom implementations:

Need	Use	Not
Buttons	<Button>	Custom <button> with styles
Modals	<Dialog>	Custom modal with portal
Dropdowns	<DropdownMenu>	Custom dropdown
Cards	<Card>	Styled <div>
Inputs	<Input>	Styled <input>
Selects	<Select>	Native <select>
Tooltips	<Tooltip>	Custom tooltip
Tabs	<Tabs>	Custom tab component
Tables	<Table>	Plain <table>
Alerts	<Alert>	Custom banner div

If shadcn/ui is not installed, fall back to plain Tailwind with equivalent patterns and consistent class ordering.

TypeScript Component Interfaces

Export props as TypeScript interfaces with JSDoc descriptions:

/** Props for the UserProfileCard component. */
interface UserProfileCardProps {
  /** User data to display. */
  user: User;
  /** Called when the edit button is clicked. */
  onEdit?: (userId: string) => void;
  /** Visual variant of the card. */
  variant?: "default" | "compact";
  /** Additional CSS classes applied to the root element. */
  className?: string;
}

export function UserProfileCard({
  user,
  onEdit,
  variant = "default",
  className,
}: UserProfileCardProps) {
  // ...
}

Props rules:

• Name interface {ComponentName}Props
• Include className?: string on every component for composition
• Use variant prop for visual variations, not separate components
• Default optional props in destructuring, not in interface
• Use union types for constrained string values: "sm" | "md" | "lg"

Responsive Design

Breakpoints

Use Tailwind's mobile-first breakpoints:

Prefix	Min Width	Target
(none)	0px	Mobile (default)
sm:	640px	Large phones / small tablets
md:	768px	Tablets
lg:	1024px	Desktops
xl:	1280px	Large desktops

Responsive rules:

• Design mobile-first: base styles for mobile, then add breakpoint overrides
• Use grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 for responsive grids
• Stack navigation vertically on mobile: flex-col md:flex-row
• Hide non-essential elements on mobile: hidden md:block
• Set max container width: max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8

Responsive Layout Pattern

<div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8">
  <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
    {items.map((item) => (
      <ItemCard key={item.id} item={item} />
    ))}
  </div>
</div>

Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)

Contrast Ratios

• Normal text (< 18px or < 14px bold): minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio
• Large text (>= 18px or >= 14px bold): minimum 3:1 contrast ratio
• UI components and graphical objects: minimum 3:1 contrast ratio

Interactive Element Requirements

Every interactive element must have:

1. Visible label or aria-label: <Button aria-label="Close dialog">X</Button>
2. Focus indicator: Tailwind's ring utilities: focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring
3. Keyboard access: Reachable via Tab, activatable via Enter/Space
4. Disabled state: Both visual and aria-disabled or disabled attribute

ARIA Patterns

• Icon-only buttons: aria-label="Delete item"
• Loading states: aria-busy="true" on the loading container
• Dynamic content updates: aria-live="polite" on the container
• Form errors: aria-invalid="true" on the input, role="alert" on the message
• Modals: aria-modal="true", focus trap, Escape to close
• Navigation landmarks: <nav aria-label="Main navigation">

Examples

User Profile Card

interface UserProfileCardProps {
  user: { id: string; name: string; role: string; avatarUrl: string };
  onEdit?: (userId: string) => void;
  className?: string;
}

export function UserProfileCard({ user, onEdit, className }: UserProfileCardProps) {
  return (
    <Card className={cn("p-6", className)}>
      <div className="flex items-center gap-4">
        <Avatar className="h-12 w-12">
          <AvatarImage src={user.avatarUrl} alt={user.name} />
          <AvatarFallback>{user.name.charAt(0)}</AvatarFallback>
        </Avatar>
        <div className="space-y-1">
          <h3 className="text-sm font-medium leading-none">{user.name}</h3>
          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{user.role}</p>
        </div>
      </div>
      {onEdit && (
        <div className="mt-4">
          <Button
            variant="outline"
            size="sm"
            onClick={() => onEdit(user.id)}
            aria-label={`Edit ${user.name}'s profile`}
          >
            Edit Profile
          </Button>
        </div>
      )}
    </Card>
  );
}

SaaS Dashboard Design Tokens Setup

Tailwind config extension:

// tailwind.config.ts
import type { Config } from "tailwindcss";

export default {
  theme: {
    extend: {
      colors: {
        background: "hsl(var(--background))",
        foreground: "hsl(var(--foreground))",
        primary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--primary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--primary-foreground))",
        },
        secondary: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--secondary))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--secondary-foreground))",
        },
        muted: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--muted))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--muted-foreground))",
        },
        accent: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--accent))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--accent-foreground))",
        },
        destructive: {
          DEFAULT: "hsl(var(--destructive))",
          foreground: "hsl(var(--destructive-foreground))",
        },
        border: "hsl(var(--border))",
        input: "hsl(var(--input))",
        ring: "hsl(var(--ring))",
      },
      fontFamily: {
        sans: ["Inter", "system-ui", "sans-serif"],
      },
      borderRadius: {
        lg: "var(--radius)",
        md: "calc(var(--radius) - 2px)",
        sm: "calc(var(--radius) - 4px)",
      },
    },
  },
} satisfies Config;

Responsive Dashboard Layout

export function DashboardLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  return (
    <div className="min-h-screen bg-background">
      <nav className="border-b border-border" aria-label="Main navigation">
        <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8 h-16 flex items-center">
          {/* nav content */}
        </div>
      </nav>
      <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8 py-8">
        <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-[240px_1fr] gap-8">
          <aside className="hidden lg:block" aria-label="Sidebar">
            {/* sidebar content */}
          </aside>
          <main>{children}</main>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

Edge Cases

• No existing design tokens: Generate a starter token set (see references/design-tokens-reference.md) and present it to the user for confirmation before writing any component code. Ask: "No design tokens found. Here's a starter set — should I apply these?"

• shadcn/ui not installed: Fall back to plain Tailwind with equivalent patterns. Use <button className="..."> instead of <Button>, styled <div> instead of <Card>. Maintain the same spacing and color token approach.

• Component overlap: If a requested component duplicates an existing one, flag it: "A similar UserCard component exists at src/components/UserCard.tsx. Should I extend it or create a separate component?"

• Dark mode tokens missing: If :root tokens exist but .dark variants are absent, generate matching dark variants before proceeding. Every semantic color token must have both light and dark values.

• Custom brand colors: When the user provides specific brand hex values, convert them to HSL and integrate into the token system. Never use the hex values directly in components.

• Inconsistent spacing in existing code: Flag the inconsistency, suggest the closest 8pt grid values, and ask whether to normalize existing components or only apply the grid to new code.

See references/design-tokens-reference.md for starter token sets, color palette guide, and typography scales.