UI UX Pro Max

ui-ux-pro-max

Comprehensive design guide for web and mobile applications. Contains 67 styles, 96 color palettes, 57 font pairings, 99 UX guidelines, and 25 chart types across 13 technology stacks. Searchable database with priority-based recommendations.

Design Philosophy: Inspired by Anthropic's frontend-design skill. Every interface must have a bold, intentional aesthetic direction — never generic, never default. Production-grade code with extraordinary creative vision.

Prerequisites

Check if Python is installed:

python3 --version || python --version

If Python is not installed, install it based on user's OS:

macOS:

brew install python3

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3

Windows:

winget install Python.Python.3.12

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Designing new UI components or pages
• Choosing color palettes and typography
• Reviewing code for UX issues
• Building landing pages or dashboards
• Implementing accessibility requirements

Quick Reference — Rule Categories by Priority

1. Accessibility (CRITICAL)

• color-contrast — Minimum 4.5:1 ratio for normal text
• focus-states — Visible focus rings on interactive elements
• alt-text — Descriptive alt text for meaningful images
• aria-labels — aria-label for icon-only buttons
• keyboard-nav — Tab order matches visual order
• form-labels — Use <label> with for attribute

2. Touch & Interaction (CRITICAL)

• touch-target-size — Minimum 44×44px touch targets
• hover-vs-tap — Use click/tap for primary interactions
• loading-buttons — Disable button during async operations
• error-feedback — Clear error messages near the problem
• cursor-pointer — Add cursor-pointer to clickable elements

3. Performance (HIGH)

• image-optimization — Use WebP, srcset, lazy loading
• reduced-motion — Check prefers-reduced-motion
• content-jumping — Reserve space for async content

4. Layout & Responsive (HIGH)

• viewport-meta — width=device-width, initial-scale=1
• readable-font-size — Minimum 16px body text on mobile
• horizontal-scroll — Ensure content fits viewport width
• z-index-management — Define z-index scale (10, 20, 30, 50)

5. Typography & Color (MEDIUM)

• line-height — Use 1.5–1.75 for body text
• line-length — Limit to 65–75 characters per line
• font-pairing — Match heading/body font personalities

6. Animation (MEDIUM)

• duration-timing — Use 150–300ms for micro-interactions
• transform-performance — Use transform/opacity, not width/height
• loading-states — Skeleton screens or spinners

7. Style Selection (MEDIUM)

• style-match — Match style to product type
• consistency — Use same style across all pages
• no-emoji-icons — Use SVG icons, not emojis

8. Charts & Data (LOW)

• chart-type — Match chart type to data type
• color-guidance — Use accessible color palettes
• data-table — Provide table alternative for accessibility

How to Use This Skill

When user requests UI/UX work (design, build, create, implement, review, fix, improve), follow this workflow:

Step 0: Design Thinking — Commit to a Bold Aesthetic Direction (REQUIRED)

Before writing ANY code, answer these questions and commit to a clear creative direction:

1. Purpose: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it?
2. Aesthetic Tone: Pick a BOLD direction — don't be timid. Choose from:
   • Brutally minimal · Maximalist chaos · Retro-futuristic · Organic/natural
   • Luxury/refined · Playful/toy-like · Editorial/magazine · Brutalist/raw
   • Art deco/geometric · Soft/pastel · Industrial/utilitarian · Neo-gothic
   • Or invent your own — the key is intentionality, not intensity
3. The Memorable Thing: What's the ONE element someone will remember? A dramatic animation? An unusual color? A surprising layout? Name it explicitly.
4. Constraints: Technical requirements (framework, performance, a11y)

CRITICAL: Bold maximalism and refined minimalism both work. What NEVER works is the safe middle — generic, forgettable, "looks like every other AI-generated site." Execute your chosen direction with precision and conviction.

Step 1: Analyze User Requirements

Extract key information from user request:

• Product type: SaaS, e-commerce, portfolio, dashboard, landing page, etc.
• Style keywords: minimal, playful, professional, elegant, dark mode, etc.
• Industry: healthcare, fintech, gaming, education, etc.
• Stack: React, Vue, Next.js, or default to html-tailwind

Step 2: Generate Design System (REQUIRED)

Always start with --design-system to get comprehensive recommendations with reasoning:

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<product_type> <industry> <keywords>" --design-system [-p "Project Name"]

This command:

1. Searches 5 domains in parallel (product, style, color, landing, typography)
2. Applies reasoning rules from ui-reasoning.csv to select best matches
3. Returns complete design system: pattern, style, colors, typography, effects
4. Includes anti-patterns to avoid

Example:

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "beauty spa wellness service" --design-system -p "Serenity Spa"

Step 2b: Persist Design System (Master + Overrides Pattern)

To save the design system for hierarchical retrieval across sessions, add --persist:

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system --persist -p "Project Name"

This creates:

• design-system/MASTER.md — Global Source of Truth with all design rules
• design-system/pages/ — Folder for page-specific overrides

With page-specific override:

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system --persist -p "Project Name" --page "dashboard"

This also creates:

• design-system/pages/dashboard.md — Page-specific deviations from Master

How hierarchical retrieval works:

1. When building a specific page (e.g., "Checkout"), first check design-system/pages/checkout.md
2. If the page file exists, its rules override the Master file
3. If not, use design-system/MASTER.md exclusively

Step 3: Supplement with Detailed Searches (as needed)

After getting the design system, use domain searches to get additional details:

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --domain <domain> [-n <max_results>]

When to use detailed searches:

Step 4: Stack Guidelines (Default: html-tailwind)

Get implementation-specific best practices. If user doesn't specify a stack, default to html-tailwind.

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --stack html-tailwind

Available stacks: html-tailwind, react, nextjs, vue, svelte, swiftui, react-native, flutter, shadcn, jetpack-compose

Search Reference

Available Domains

Available Stacks

Example Workflow

User request: "Làm landing page cho dịch vụ chăm sóc da chuyên nghiệp"

Step 1: Analyze Requirements

• Product type: Beauty/Spa service
• Style keywords: elegant, professional, soft
• Industry: Beauty/Wellness
• Stack: html-tailwind (default)

Step 2: Generate Design System (REQUIRED)

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "beauty spa wellness service elegant" --design-system -p "Serenity Spa"

Output: Complete design system with pattern, style, colors, typography, effects, and anti-patterns.

Step 3: Supplement with Detailed Searches (as needed)

# Get UX guidelines for animation and accessibility
python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "animation accessibility" --domain ux

# Get alternative typography options if needed
python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "elegant luxury serif" --domain typography

Step 4: Stack Guidelines

python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "layout responsive form" --stack html-tailwind

Then: Synthesize design system + detailed searches and implement the design.

Output Formats

The --design-system flag supports two output formats:

# ASCII box (default) - best for terminal display
python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "fintech crypto" --design-system

# Markdown - best for documentation
python3 skills/ui-ux-pro-max/scripts/search.py "fintech crypto" --design-system -f markdown

Tips for Better Results

1. Be specific with keywords - "healthcare SaaS dashboard" > "app"
2. Search multiple times - Different keywords reveal different insights
3. Combine domains - Style + Typography + Color = Complete design system
4. Always check UX - Search "animation", "z-index", "accessibility" for common issues
5. Use stack flag - Get implementation-specific best practices
6. Iterate - If first search doesn't match, try different keywords
7. Never converge - Each design should feel unique; vary themes, fonts, layouts across projects

Landing Page Strategy

Inspired by skill-zero/landing-page-design. Conversion-focused design decisions for landing pages.

Above-the-Fold Formula

Everything visible before scrolling must communicate value in 5 seconds:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [Logo]            [Nav]          [CTA Button]   │
│                                                 │
│   Headline (6-12 words)                         │
│   ─────────────────────────                     │
│   Subheadline (15-25 words)    [Hero Image]     │
│                                 showing the     │
│   [Primary CTA Button]         OUTCOME, not     │
│   "Start Free Trial"           the product      │
│                                                 │
│   Social proof: "Trusted by 10,000+ teams"      │
│   [logo] [logo] [logo] [logo] [logo]            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Headlines

Constraint: 6–12 words. Say what it DOES, not what it IS.

Hero Images

Rule: Show the OUTCOME, not the product.

CTA Buttons

Formula: Action verb + value/outcome + (optional: reduce risk)

Proven Section Order

The high-conversion landing page sequence:

1. Hero — Headline + subheadline + CTA + hero image
2. Social Proof — Logos, testimonial count, or trust badges
3. Problem — Name the pain your audience feels
4. Solution — Show how your product solves it
5. Features/Benefits — 3–5 key capabilities with outcomes
6. Testimonials — Real quotes with names and photos
7. Pricing (if applicable) — Clear tiers, highlight recommended
8. FAQ — Address top 3–5 objections
9. Final CTA — Repeat primary CTA with urgency or bonus
10. Footer — Links, legal, trust badges

Social Proof Types

OG Image for Sharing

Every landing page needs a 1200×630px OG image:

• Include product name and tagline
• Use brand colors on a clean gradient or photo background
• Must be readable at thumbnail size (large text, high contrast)
• Set via <meta property="og:image"> in <head>

Common Rules for Professional UI

These are frequently overlooked issues that make UI look unprofessional:

Anti-AI-Slop Rules (MANDATORY)

These patterns are BANNED — they signal generic, AI-generated design:

Typography (Elevated)

• Display fonts: Choose something distinctive and characterful — NOT the usual suspects
• Body fonts: Pair a refined body font that complements (not matches) the display
• Hierarchy: Dominant sizes with sharp contrast; avoid evenly-stepped scales
• Use CSS @font-face or Google Fonts for premium choices

Color & Palette Philosophy

• Dominant + accent outperforms timid, evenly-distributed palettes
• Commit to a cohesive aesthetic through CSS custom properties
• One bold color choice > five safe ones

Motion & Animation

• High-impact moments first: One well-orchestrated page load with staggered animation-delay reveals creates more delight than scattered micro-interactions
• Prioritize CSS-only solutions; use Motion library (Framer Motion) for React when needed
• Scroll-triggered and hover states should surprise, not just confirm
• Match complexity to vision: maximalist designs need elaborate animations; minimal designs need surgical precision

Backgrounds & Visual Depth

Create atmosphere — never default to flat solid colors:

Spatial Composition

• Unexpected layouts: Asymmetry, overlap, diagonal flow, grid-breaking elements
• Generous negative space OR controlled density — both work, the middle doesn't
• Break the 12-column grid when the design demands it

Icons & Visual Elements

Interaction & Cursor

Light/Dark Mode Contrast

Layout & Spacing

Pre-Delivery Checklist

Before delivering UI code, verify these items:

Creative Intentionality (Step 0 Verification)

• Aesthetic direction was explicitly chosen and documented
• The "memorable thing" is identifiable — what will users remember?
• Design does NOT match any anti-AI-slop banned patterns
• Fonts are distinctive — NOT Inter, Roboto, Arial, or system defaults
• Background has depth/atmosphere — NOT a flat solid color
• Layout has spatial interest — NOT a predictable centered grid

Visual Quality

• No emojis used as icons (use SVG instead)
• All icons from consistent icon set (Heroicons/Lucide)
• Brand logos are correct (verified from Simple Icons)
• Hover states don't cause layout shift
• Use theme colors directly (bg-primary) not var() wrapper
• Color palette is cohesive with dominant + accent strategy

Interaction

• All clickable elements have cursor-pointer
• Hover states provide clear visual feedback
• Transitions are smooth (150-300ms)
• Focus states visible for keyboard navigation
• At least one high-impact animation moment (page load, scroll reveal, or hover surprise)

Light/Dark Mode

• Light mode text has sufficient contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
• Glass/transparent elements visible in light mode
• Borders visible in both modes
• Test both modes before delivery

Layout

• Floating elements have proper spacing from edges
• No content hidden behind fixed navbars
• Responsive at 375px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px
• No horizontal scroll on mobile

Accessibility

• All images have alt text
• Form inputs have labels
• Color is not the only indicator
• prefers-reduced-motion respected