Build and govern the token + library foundation of a Penpot design system: primitive/semantic/component token tiers, themes (light/dark), and inferring a token system from an existing hardcoded design. Use BEFORE building components or screens, or when a design has raw values that should become tokens. Triggers: 'set up design tokens', 'create a token system', 'build the design system foundation', 'add dark mode tokens', 'infer tokens from this design', 'tokenize this file', 'create semantic tokens', 'apply tokens to these shapes'.
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Build and govern the token + library foundation of a Penpot design system: primitive/semantic/component token tiers, themes (light/dark), and inferring a token system from an existing hardcoded design. Use BEFORE building components or screens, or when a design has raw values that should become tokens. Triggers: 'set up design tokens', 'create a token system', 'build the design system foundation', 'add dark mode tokens', 'infer tokens from this design', 'tokenize this file', 'create semantic tokens', 'apply tokens to these shapes'.
penpot-foundations is the load-bearing skill of the kit: nothing downstream is correct without
a governed token layer. Every mutation goes through execute_code; validate visually with
export_shape; read structure with penpotUtils.shapeStructure (full tool surface:
shared/penpot-mcp-tool-reference.md). This skill reads tokens with penpotUtils.tokenOverview(),
creates them through penpot.library.local.tokens (addSet, set.addToken({type,name,value})), and
binds them to shapes with shape.applyToken(token, properties). It works in three tiers — primitive →
semantic → component (see shared/tokens-schema.json) — and can also infer a token system from an
existing hardcoded design.
2. The One Rule That Matters Most
Tokens before everything, and never one-shot. Build the foundation in small, idempotent steps:
primitives first, then semantic aliases that reference them, then (only if needed) component tokens.
Validate after each tier with tokenOverview(). Never invent values silently — propose the scale and
let a human approve it at the checkpoint.
3. Penpot MCP Tool Reference
Full surface: shared/penpot-mcp-tool-reference.md. Domain calls this skill leans on:
penpotUtils.tokenOverview() / shapeStructure() (discovery + inference);
penpot.library.local.tokens.addSet / set.addToken / shape.applyToken (writes);
penpot_api_info('TokenSet'|'Token'|'TokenCatalog') before relying on member signatures.
4. Plugin API Essentials
Gotcha numbers refer to shared/plugin-api-gotchas.md.
#8 token creation — penpot.library.local.tokens; addSet({name})/addTheme({group,name}) take OBJECT args; new sets are INACTIVE (set.toggleActive()); token value is always a string (literal or "{reference}"); read token.resolvedValue.
Use the exact token type strings from shared/tokens-schema.json: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . (Note camelCase/plural — NOT or .)
color
dimension
spacing
typography
shadow
opacity
borderRadius
borderWidth
fontWeights
fontSizes
fontFamilies
letterSpacing
textDecoration
textCase
border-radius
font-size
#2 async token application — this skill's critical failure mode.shape.applyToken(token, properties) is async (~100 ms) and binds by NAME (bindings re-resolve when the active set/theme changes — that is what makes dark mode work). Apply in one execute_code call, verify shape.tokens in a LATER call. Never mass-apply in a single call — hundreds of applyTokens in one loop race and scramble bindings; apply in chunks of ≈25–40 shapes per call, verify each chunk, retry misses. Text/Rectangle fill bindings are the flakiest (Boards are reliable); bindings are sticky — overwrite a wrong one by applying the correct token, don't try to clear it via fills.
Verify any unfamiliar member with penpot_api_info('TokenSet') / penpot_api_info('Token') first.
5. Token-Aware Brief Contract
Before mutating, restate the request as:
Context — product, brand, existing system (if any), light/dark needs.
Objective — single and specific (e.g., "create primitive + semantic color/spacing tokens and a dark theme").
Inputs — existing tokens, brand palette, type scale ratio (default Minor Third 1.2), spacing grid (default 4px).
Constraints — no hardcoded values; semantic tokens must reference primitives; spacing on the 4px grid.
Acceptance Criteria — every token resolves; semantic tier references primitives; all spacing is a 4px multiple; (if requested) a working dark theme.
Act as a senior design-systems engineer who never hardcodes values.
6. Mandatory Workflow
Phase 0 — Discovery (read-only).high_level_overview, then penpotUtils.tokenOverview() and a
shapeStructure(penpot.currentPage.root, 3) read. Record what already exists in the RUN_ID ledger.
✋ Checkpoint: confirm scope (new system vs. extend vs. infer-from-design).
Phase 1 — Primitives. Create the primitives set and activate it (set.toggleActive() — new
sets are created inactive), then add raw color ramps, the spacing scale (4px grid), radius scale, and
type scale (font sizes via Minor Third). Use scripts/createTokenSet.js.
✋ Checkpoint: review the primitive scales (tokenOverview() + naming).
Phase 2 — Semantic. Add intent aliases that reference primitives, routed into two sets (the
referenced primitives set must be active or references fail validation):
scripts/createSemanticTokens.js does this split by token type. This is what makes dark mode a clean
parallel colour set. ✋ Checkpoint: review semantic mapping.
Phase 3 — Dark mode (optional). Create the parallel modes/dark colour set (same colour names
as modes/light, dark values) with scripts/createThemes.js; leave modes/light active as default
and hand the toggle to the user. Cover everymodes/light colour name (the script returns a
missing list). Dark mode works — bindings re-resolve by token name when the user activates
modes/dark — but the agent cannot render the switch from the plugin (theme.addSet() doesn't persist;
the plugin's read lags). The user toggles modes/dark on / modes/light off in Penpot's Tokens panel
(see references/04-themes-modes.md). ✋ Checkpoint: verify dark resolvedValues, restore light, and
tell the user how to switch.
Phase 4 — Apply / Infer / Bind. Either bind tokens to a selection (scripts/applyTokensToShapes.js),
infer tokens from a hardcoded design (scripts/inferTokensFromShapes.js), or — fundamental —
auto-bind tokens to every unbound element by exact value match so the user doesn't have to do it by
hand (scripts/bindTokensToElements.js). This is also the precondition for theming: a design only
follows a light/dark switch if its shapes are bound to token names (bindings re-resolve by name when
sets/themes change). Apply in chunks and verify — applyToken is async and mass-application in one
call races/scrambles bindings; Text/Rectangle fill bindings are flaky and need verify+retry (see
shared/plugin-api-gotchas.md). Value-only matches are a heuristic: flag inverse-colored chrome for a
semantic-role review. ✋ Checkpoint: review bindings + coverage.
Phase 5 — Validate.scripts/validateTokens.js — orphans, unresolved references, off-grid spacing.
Produce the structured report.
7. Critical Rules
Primitives → semantic → component. Shapes bind to semantic tokens, never primitives.
All spacing/padding/gap/radius values are multiples of 4px.
Never create a token you can't justify; propose new tokens at a checkpoint, don't auto-create them.
Idempotent: check for an existing set/token by name before adding (no duplicates).
Type sizes follow a Minor Third (1.2) scale unless the brand dictates otherwise.
Do not apply and read back a token in the same execute_code call (async).
Keep the RUN_ID ledger updated so a truncated session can resume.
8. Domain Architecture
Three token tiers (see shared/tokens-schema.json):
primitives — raw, context-free scale (color.blue.500, spacing.4, radius.md, font.size.300). Never bound directly to shapes when a semantic token exists.
semantic — intent aliases referencing primitives (color.text.default → {color.gray.900}, spacing.inset.md → {spacing.4}). This is what shapes bind to.
components — optional per-component overrides referencing semantic tokens. Create only when a component needs its own surface.
Set layout (see shared/modes-and-policies.md): mode-invariant semantics live in semantic; colour
semantics live in modes/light / modes/dark (same names in both). Themes are modeled as Penpot token
themes (addTheme({ group, name })) that toggle the matching modes/* set; primitives and the
mode-invariant semantic set stay constant.
9. Modes & Policies
Default review. Creating a new token, building a theme, or applying tokens to shapes all require a
checkpoint. The only auto-applicable action (safe set, shared/modes-and-policies.md) is replacing a
raw value that is exactly equal to an existing token's resolved value with that token.
10. State Management
Ledger keys under RUN_ID (see shared/state-management.md): phase, created:[{kind:'set'|'token'|'theme', name, id}], proposed:[...], applied:[...]. Re-derive reality with tokenOverview() after truncation before continuing.
11. User Checkpoints
After phase
Artifacts shown
What we ask
0 Discovery
existing tokens summary
New / extend / infer?
1 Primitives
tokenOverview() of primitives
Approve scales & naming?
2 Semantic
semantic→primitive mapping
Approve intent mapping?
3 Themes
resolved values per theme
Approve theme switch?
4 Apply/Infer
before/after on a sample
Approve bindings?
12. Naming Conventions
Dot-notation per shared/naming-conventions.md: sets are primitives / semantic (mode-invariant) /
modes/light + modes/dark (colour) / optional components; tokens are lowercase dot paths; themes
grouped mode with names Light / Dark / High Contrast.
13. Anti-Rationalization Table
Excuse the LLM makes
Why it's wrong
Deterministic countermeasure
"I'll hardcode this hex now and tokenize later."
Hardcoded values break theming and governance; "later" never comes.
Stop. Read tokenOverview(), bind to a semantic token, or propose one for review.
"I'll bind shapes straight to a primitive to save a step."
Primitives can't switch per theme; dark mode breaks.
Bind to a semantic token that references the primitive.
"This spacing is 18px, close enough."
Off-grid values erode rhythm and fail governance.
Round to the nearest 4px-grid token (16 or 20). Document any exception only with human approval.
"I'll create a dozen tokens up front to be safe."
Unused/orphan tokens are debt.
Create only what's needed now; propose the rest at a checkpoint.
14. Helper Code Snippets
// Idempotent set + token creation (Phase 1)const tok = penpot.library.local.tokens;
let prim = tok.sets.find(s => s.name === "primitives") || tok.addSet({ name: "primitives" });
if (!prim.active) prim.toggleActive(); // new sets are INACTIVE by defaultif (!prim.tokens.find(t => t.name === "color.blue.500")) {
prim.addToken({ type: "color", name: "color.blue.500", value: "#0066FF" });
}
return { set: prim.name, count: prim.tokens.length };
// Semantic alias referencing a primitive (Phase 2)const tok = penpot.library.local.tokens;
let sem = tok.sets.find(s => s.name === "semantic") || tok.addSet({ name: "semantic" });
if (!sem.active) sem.toggleActive(); // and the referenced 'primitives' set must be active tooif (!sem.tokens.find(t => t.name === "color.action.primary.bg")) {
sem.addToken({ type: "color", name: "color.action.primary.bg", value: "{color.blue.500}" });
}
return { ok: true };
