Use this when building interfaces with UnoCSS in any framework (React, Vue, Svelte, Solid, or plain HTML), from dense devtools panels to landing pages. Read core-design-read first to set the direction, then apply the token system plus the polish and anti-slop rules.
Core Rules
- Use semantic shortcuts (
bg-base, border-base, color-active, btn-action) instead of raw utility chains in markup.
- Design light and dark mode together. Core tokens must work in both themes.
- Name z-index layers (
z-top-nav, z-panel-content, z-drawer-content). Do not use raw z values in templates.
- Generate class-based utilities only (
class="..."). Avoid Attributify syntax in generated code.
- Keep icon/status class strings literal so UnoCSS can statically extract them (
// @unocss-include when needed).
- Use
font-mono + tabular-nums for technical values (paths, SHAs, counters, timestamps, percentages).
- For long paths and IDs, truncate visually but keep the full value in
title.
- Read the brief and set the three dials before choosing a look (core-design-read).
- Borders for dense or structural surfaces, layered shadows for elevated ones (features-micro-interactions).
- Zero em-dash and en-dash characters in any user-facing text (best-practices-anti-slop).
Starter shortcuts
A minimal semantic core. See core-starter-kit for the full uno.config.ts and base styles.
shortcuts: [
{
'color-base': 'color-neutral-800 dark:color-neutral-200',
'bg-base': 'bg-white dark:bg-#111',
'bg-secondary': 'bg-#eee dark:bg-#222',
'border-base': 'border-#8882',
'bg-active': 'bg-#8881',
'color-active': 'color-primary-600 dark:color-primary-300',
'border-active': 'border-primary-600/25 dark:border-primary-400/25',
'btn-action': 'inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded border border-base px2 py1 op75 hover:op100 hover:bg-active disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:op30!',
'op-fade': 'op65 dark:op55',
'op-mute': 'op30 dark:op25',
'z-top-nav': 'z-60',
'z-panel-content': 'z-70',
'z-drawer-content': 'z-100',
},
]
Core References
| Topic |
Description |
Reference |
| Core Principles |
Semantic tokens, dark mode parity, z-index naming, class-first output |
core-principles |
| Starter Kit |
Copy-paste UnoCSS starter config and base light/dark styles |
core-starter-kit |
| Tokens and Combos |
Token families, reusable class combinations, mobile-safe shell tokens |
core-tokens-and-combinations |
| Design Read and Dials |
Read the brief, declare a design read, set variance/motion/density dials |
core-design-read |
Best Practices
| Topic |
Description |
Reference |
| Strict Rules and Pre-Flight |
Do/don't checklist and the consolidated pre-flight |
best-practices-strict-rules |
| Class over Attributify |
Why generated code uses class utilities, with conversions |
best-practices-class-utilities-over-attributify |
| Anti-Slop Hygiene |
The dash ban and the AI-tell forbidden patterns |
best-practices-anti-slop |
| Bias Correction |
Typography, color, layout, and materiality defaults to override |
best-practices-bias-correction |
Features
| Topic |
Description |
Reference |
| Data Presentation |
Paths, icons, time, date, numbers, badges, buttons |
features-data-presentation |
| Micro-Interactions |
Radius, alignment, shadows, animation, numbers, outlines, hit areas |
features-micro-interactions |
| Floating Vue Overrides |
Shared Floating Vue setup and popper styling |
features-floating-vue-overrides |
Advanced
| Topic |
Description |
Reference |
| Pattern Vocabulary |
Named UI patterns to recognize and reach for |
advanced-pattern-vocabulary |
| Redesign Protocol |
Detect mode, audit first, preserve IA and SEO |
advanced-redesign-protocol |
1---2name: antfu-design3description: Build interfaces with UnoCSS using semantic tokens, dark mode parity, and design polish for devtools and landing pages.4---56Use this when building interfaces with UnoCSS in any framework (React, Vue, Svelte, Solid, or plain HTML), from dense devtools panels to landing pages. Read core-design-read first to set the direction, then apply the token system plus the polish and anti-slop rules.78## Core Rules910- Use semantic shortcuts (`bg-base`, `border-base`, `color-active`, `btn-action`) instead of raw utility chains in markup.11- Design light and dark mode together. Core tokens must work in both themes.12- Name z-index layers (`z-top-nav`, `z-panel-content`, `z-drawer-content`). Do not use raw z values in templates.13- Generate class-based utilities only (`class="..."`). Avoid Attributify syntax in generated code.14- Keep icon/status class strings literal so UnoCSS can statically extract them (`// @unocss-include` when needed).15- Use `font-mono` + `tabular-nums` for technical values (paths, SHAs, counters, timestamps, percentages).16- For long paths and IDs, truncate visually but keep the full value in `title`.17- Read the brief and set the three dials before choosing a look (core-design-read).18- Borders for dense or structural surfaces, layered shadows for elevated ones (features-micro-interactions).19- Zero em-dash and en-dash characters in any user-facing text (best-practices-anti-slop).2021## Starter shortcuts2223A minimal semantic core. See core-starter-kit for the full `uno.config.ts` and base styles.2425```ts26shortcuts: [27 {28 'color-base': 'color-neutral-800 dark:color-neutral-200',29 'bg-base': 'bg-white dark:bg-#111',30 'bg-secondary': 'bg-#eee dark:bg-#222',31 'border-base': 'border-#8882',3233 'bg-active': 'bg-#8881',34 'color-active': 'color-primary-600 dark:color-primary-300',35 'border-active': 'border-primary-600/25 dark:border-primary-400/25',3637 'btn-action': 'inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded border border-base px2 py1 op75 hover:op100 hover:bg-active disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:op30!',38 'op-fade': 'op65 dark:op55',39 'op-mute': 'op30 dark:op25',4041 'z-top-nav': 'z-60',42 'z-panel-content': 'z-70',43 'z-drawer-content': 'z-100',44 },45]46```4748## Core References4950| Topic | Description | Reference |51|-------|-------------|-----------|52| Core Principles | Semantic tokens, dark mode parity, z-index naming, class-first output | [core-principles](references/core-principles.md) |53| Starter Kit | Copy-paste UnoCSS starter config and base light/dark styles | [core-starter-kit](references/core-starter-kit.md) |54| Tokens and Combos | Token families, reusable class combinations, mobile-safe shell tokens | [core-tokens-and-combinations](references/core-tokens-and-combinations.md) |55| Design Read and Dials | Read the brief, declare a design read, set variance/motion/density dials | [core-design-read](references/core-design-read.md) |5657## Best Practices5859| Topic | Description | Reference |60|-------|-------------|-----------|61| Strict Rules and Pre-Flight | Do/don't checklist and the consolidated pre-flight | [best-practices-strict-rules](references/best-practices-strict-rules.md) |62| Class over Attributify | Why generated code uses class utilities, with conversions | [best-practices-class-utilities-over-attributify](references/best-practices-class-utilities-over-attributify.md) |63| Anti-Slop Hygiene | The dash ban and the AI-tell forbidden patterns | [best-practices-anti-slop](references/best-practices-anti-slop.md) |64| Bias Correction | Typography, color, layout, and materiality defaults to override | [best-practices-bias-correction](references/best-practices-bias-correction.md) |6566## Features6768| Topic | Description | Reference |69|-------|-------------|-----------|70| Data Presentation | Paths, icons, time, date, numbers, badges, buttons | [features-data-presentation](references/features-data-presentation.md) |71| Micro-Interactions | Radius, alignment, shadows, animation, numbers, outlines, hit areas | [features-micro-interactions](references/features-micro-interactions.md) |72| Floating Vue Overrides | Shared Floating Vue setup and popper styling | [features-floating-vue-overrides](references/features-floating-vue-overrides.md) |7374## Advanced7576| Topic | Description | Reference |77|-------|-------------|-----------|78| Pattern Vocabulary | Named UI patterns to recognize and reach for | [advanced-pattern-vocabulary](references/advanced-pattern-vocabulary.md) |79| Redesign Protocol | Detect mode, audit first, preserve IA and SEO | [advanced-redesign-protocol](references/advanced-redesign-protocol.md) |8081<!--82Source references:83- https://github.com/antfu/node-modules-inspector84- https://github.com/vitejs/devtools/tree/main/packages/rolldown85- https://github.com/eslint/config-inspector86- https://github.com/antfu/vite-plugin-inspect87- https://github.com/antfu/agent-container88- https://github.com/Leonxlnx/taste-skill89- https://github.com/jakubkrehel/make-interfaces-feel-better90-->