# Frontend Design

> Create distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces with high design quality. Use this skill when the user asks to build web components, pages, or applications. Generates creative, polished code that avoids generic AI aesthetics.

- Skill: `duyet/frontend-design-3` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add duyet/frontend-design-3`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/duyet/frontend-design-3/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend
- Author: duyet (https://skillmd.com/u/duyet)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/duyet/frontend-design-3

---


This skill guides creation of distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces that avoid generic "AI slop" aesthetics. Implement real working code with exceptional attention to aesthetic details and creative choices.

## When to Invoke This Skill

Automatically activate for:
- Building UI components, pages, dashboards, or applications
- Creating landing pages, forms, or interactive interfaces
- Designing data visualizations or charts
- Implementing design systems or component libraries
- Any frontend work where visual quality matters

## Design Thinking

Before coding, understand the context and commit to a BOLD aesthetic direction:

1. **Purpose**: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it?
2. **Tone**: Pick a distinctive aesthetic:
   - 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-brutalist
   - Swiss/grid-based | Cyberpunk/neon | Scandinavian/calm
3. **Constraints**: Technical requirements (framework, performance, accessibility)
4. **Differentiation**: What makes this UNFORGETTABLE?

**CRITICAL**: Choose a clear conceptual direction and execute it with precision.

## Technology Stack Preferences

### Component Libraries (Priority Order)
1. **shadcn/ui** - First choice for React projects. Copy components, full customization.
2. **Radix UI** - Accessible primitives when shadcn isn't available
3. **Headless UI** - For Tailwind-based projects
4. **Custom CSS** - When libraries aren't appropriate

### Data Visualization
1. **Recharts** - First choice for charts in React. Clean, composable, customizable.
2. **Tremor** - Dashboard-ready charts with great defaults
3. **Victory** - When Recharts doesn't fit
4. **D3.js** - For complex, custom visualizations only

### Styling
1. **Tailwind CSS** - Utility-first, consistent spacing/colors
2. **CSS Variables** - For theming and design tokens
3. **CSS Modules** - When Tailwind isn't available

### Animation
1. **Framer Motion** - First choice for React animations
2. **CSS animations** - For simple, performant effects
3. **GSAP** - For complex timeline animations

## Anti-Slop Design Rules

### NEVER Use These (AI Slop Indicators)

**Typography Slop**:
- Inter, Roboto, Arial, system-ui as primary fonts
- Font sizes that are too uniform (everything 14-16px)
- Generic font pairings (Inter + Inter)

**Color Slop**:
- Purple/violet gradients on white backgrounds
- Blue-to-purple CTA buttons
- Washed-out, low-contrast color schemes
- Rainbow gradients for no reason
- Generic blue (#3B82F6) as primary color

**Layout Slop**:
- Perfectly centered everything
- Cards with equal rounded corners (rounded-lg everywhere)
- Symmetric layouts with no visual hierarchy
- Grid of 3-4 identical cards pattern
- Hero with centered text + gradient background + floating shapes

**Component Slop**:
- Glassmorphism on everything
- Shadows that are too soft and uniform
- Generic avatar circles with gradient backgrounds
- Empty state illustrations that are too cute
- Progress bars with gradient fills

**Animation Slop**:
- Fade-in on scroll for everything
- Bounce effects on buttons
- Spinning loaders when skeleton screens work better
- Hover effects that all feel the same

### INSTEAD, Create Distinctive Design

**Typography That Stands Out**:
```
Display fonts: Clash Display, Cabinet Grotesk, Satoshi, Space Grotesk (sparingly),
               Instrument Serif, Fraunces, Playfair Display, Editorial New
Body fonts: Geist, Plus Jakarta Sans, DM Sans, Source Serif Pro, Literata
Monospace: JetBrains Mono, Fira Code, IBM Plex Mono
```
- Create contrast between display and body fonts
- Use larger type than feels comfortable (48px+ for headlines)
- Vary font weights dramatically (300 vs 700)

**Color With Intent**:
- Pick ONE dominant color and use it sparingly
- Use near-black (#0A0A0A, #111111) instead of pure black
- Create depth with subtle gradients in backgrounds
- Use color for meaning, not decoration
- Consider dark mode as primary (not afterthought)

**Layouts That Break the Grid**:
- Asymmetric compositions with clear hierarchy
- Overlapping elements that create depth
- Generous negative space OR intentional density
- Grid-breaking hero elements
- Varying content widths within the same page

**Components With Character**:
- Micro-interactions that feel tactile
- Loading states that match the brand
- Error states that are helpful and on-brand
- Empty states that guide rather than decorate
- Form inputs that feel substantial

## React Component Architecture

Design components like you are the creator of React. Think in composition, reusability, and elegance.

### Component Philosophy

**Small, Focused Components**:
- Each component does ONE thing well
- Prefer 20-50 lines per component
- If a component exceeds 100 lines, split it
- Name components by what they ARE, not what they DO

**Composition Over Configuration**:
```tsx
// BAD: Monolithic component with many props
<Card
  title="User Profile"
  subtitle="Settings"
  avatar={user.avatar}
  showBadge={true}
  badgeColor="green"
  actions={[...]}
/>

// GOOD: Composable components
<Card>
  <Card.Header>
    <Avatar src={user.avatar} />
    <Card.Title>User Profile</Card.Title>
    <Badge variant="success" />
  </Card.Header>
  <Card.Content>...</Card.Content>
  <Card.Actions>...</Card.Actions>
</Card>
```

### Props Design Principles

**Meaningful, Typed Props**:
```tsx
// Generic, reusable props
interface ButtonProps {
  variant?: 'primary' | 'secondary' | 'ghost' | 'destructive';
  size?: 'sm' | 'md' | 'lg';
  loading?: boolean;
  disabled?: boolean;
  children: React.ReactNode;
}

// State props that tell a story
interface DataTableProps<T> {
  data: T[];
  columns: Column<T>[];
  isLoading?: boolean;
  isEmpty?: boolean;
  onRowClick?: (row: T) => void;
  selectedRows?: Set<string>;
}
```

**Prop Patterns**:
- Use `children` for content (not `content` prop)
- Use render props for customization: `renderItem`, `renderEmpty`
- Use compound patterns for complex UIs
- Avoid boolean props when variants work better

### State Management

**Local State First**:
```tsx
// Keep state as close to where it's used as possible
function SearchInput({ onSearch }: { onSearch: (query: string) => void }) {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
  const debouncedSearch = useDebouncedCallback(onSearch, 300);

  return (
    <Input
      value={query}
      onChange={(e) => {
        setQuery(e.target.value);
        debouncedSearch(e.target.value);
      }}
    />
  );
}
```

**Lift State Only When Needed**:
- Lift when siblings need to share state
- Lift when parent needs to control behavior
- Don't lift "just in case"

### Component Patterns

**1. Container/Presenter Pattern**:
```tsx
// Container: handles data fetching, state
function UserProfileContainer({ userId }: { userId: string }) {
  const { data: user, isLoading } = useUser(userId);
  if (isLoading) return <UserProfileSkeleton />;
  return <UserProfile user={user} />;
}

// Presenter: pure UI, receives props
function UserProfile({ user }: { user: User }) {
  return (
    <Card>
      <Avatar src={user.avatar} />
      <h2>{user.name}</h2>
    </Card>
  );
}
```

**2. Compound Components**:
```tsx
// Parent provides context
const TabsContext = createContext<TabsContextValue>(null);

function Tabs({ children, defaultValue }: TabsProps) {
  const [active, setActive] = useState(defaultValue);
  return (
    <TabsContext.Provider value={{ active, setActive }}>
      <div className="tabs">{children}</div>
    </TabsContext.Provider>
  );
}

Tabs.List = TabsList;
Tabs.Tab = Tab;
Tabs.Panel = TabPanel;

// Usage
<Tabs defaultValue="overview">
  <Tabs.List>
    <Tabs.Tab value="overview">Overview</Tabs.Tab>
    <Tabs.Tab value="settings">Settings</Tabs.Tab>
  </Tabs.List>
  <Tabs.Panel value="overview">...</Tabs.Panel>
</Tabs>
```

**3. Render Props for Flexibility**:
```tsx
interface ListProps<T> {
  items: T[];
  renderItem: (item: T, index: number) => React.ReactNode;
  renderEmpty?: () => React.ReactNode;
  keyExtractor: (item: T) => string;
}

function List<T>({ items, renderItem, renderEmpty, keyExtractor }: ListProps<T>) {
  if (items.length === 0 && renderEmpty) return renderEmpty();
  return (
    <ul>
      {items.map((item, i) => (
        <li key={keyExtractor(item)}>{renderItem(item, i)}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}
```

### File Organization

```
components/
├── ui/                    # Primitive components (Button, Input, Card)
│   ├── button.tsx
│   ├── input.tsx
│   └── card.tsx
├── patterns/              # Composed patterns (DataTable, Form, Modal)
│   ├── data-table/
│   │   ├── data-table.tsx
│   │   ├── data-table-header.tsx
│   │   ├── data-table-row.tsx
│   │   └── index.ts
│   └── form/
├── features/              # Feature-specific components
│   ├── dashboard/
│   └── settings/
└── layouts/               # Page layouts
    ├── sidebar-layout.tsx
    └── centered-layout.tsx
```

### Anti-Patterns to Avoid

**Component Slop**:
- Giant 500+ line components
- Props drilling through 5+ levels
- `useEffect` for everything
- Inline styles mixed with Tailwind
- `any` types on props

**Instead**:
- Split into smaller, focused components
- Use Context or composition for deep data
- Prefer derived state over effects
- Consistent styling approach
- Strict TypeScript types

## shadcn/ui Quick Reference

**Core Philosophy**: shadcn/ui is NOT a component library—it's how you build your component library. You get actual component code that you own and can modify.

### Quick Start

```bash
# Initialize shadcn/ui
npx shadcn@latest init

# Add components
npx shadcn@latest add button card dialog

# Search registry
npx shadcn@latest search @shadcn -q "button"
```

### Key Principles

1. **Open Code**: Full transparency, easy customization, AI-readable
2. **Composition**: Common, composable interface across all components
3. **Distribution**: Flat-file schema + CLI for easy installation
4. **Beautiful Defaults**: Great design out-of-the-box, easily customizable
5. **AI-Ready**: Open code structure for LLMs to understand and improve

### Component Categories

| Category | Components |
|----------|------------|
| **Form & Input** | Form, Field, Button, Input, Textarea, Checkbox, Radio, Select, Switch, Slider, Calendar, Date Picker, Combobox |
| **Layout & Navigation** | Accordion, Breadcrumb, Navigation Menu, Sidebar, Tabs, Separator, Scroll Area, Resizable |
| **Overlays & Dialogs** | Dialog, Alert Dialog, Sheet, Drawer, Popover, Tooltip, Hover Card, Context Menu, Dropdown Menu, Command |
| **Feedback & Status** | Alert, Toast, Progress, Spinner, Skeleton, Badge, Empty |
| **Display & Media** | Avatar, Card, Table, Data Table, Chart, Carousel, Aspect Ratio, Typography |

### Theming Basics

```tsx
// Color convention: background + foreground
<div className="bg-background text-foreground">Hello</div>
<div className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground">Primary</div>
<div className="bg-muted text-muted-foreground">Muted</div>
```

### Customization Tips

1. **Customize the theme** - Don't use defaults
   ```css
   :root {
     --radius: 0.5rem; /* or 0 for sharp corners */
     --primary: 220 13% 10%; /* custom primary */
   }
   ```

2. **Extend components** - Add custom variants, modify animations, adjust spacing

3. **Combine primitives** - Layer components for unique effects

### For Complete Documentation

See [references/shadcn.md](references/shadcn.md) for:
- Complete components.json configuration
- Full theming system with CSS variables
- Dark mode setup guide
- CLI commands reference
- MCP server integration
- Registry schema for publishing components

## Recharts Quick Reference

When creating charts:

1. **Style the chart to match the UI**
   ```jsx
   <ResponsiveContainer>
     <LineChart data={data}>
       <Line
         type="monotone"
         strokeWidth={2}
         dot={false}
         stroke="hsl(var(--primary))"
       />
       <XAxis
         tickLine={false}
         axisLine={false}
         tick={{ fill: 'hsl(var(--muted-foreground))' }}
       />
     </LineChart>
   </ResponsiveContainer>
   ```

2. **Remove visual clutter**
   - Hide axis lines when not needed
   - Use subtle grid lines or none
   - Custom tooltips that match your design

3. **Add meaningful interactions**
   - Hover states that reveal detail
   - Click handlers for drill-down
   - Animate data changes smoothly

## Implementation Checklist

Before considering frontend work complete:

- [ ] Typography creates clear hierarchy (display vs body)
- [ ] Colors are intentional and consistent (CSS variables)
- [ ] Spacing follows a rhythm (8px/4px grid)
- [ ] Interactive elements have hover/focus/active states
- [ ] Loading and empty states exist
- [ ] Dark mode works (if applicable)
- [ ] Animations are smooth (60fps, no jank)
- [ ] Accessibility: keyboard navigation, ARIA labels, color contrast
- [ ] Mobile responsive (or explicitly desktop-only)
- [ ] Code is production-ready (no console logs, proper error handling)

## Output Format

When implementing frontend:

1. **Explain the aesthetic direction** (2-3 sentences)
2. **List key design decisions** (typography, colors, key components)
3. **Provide complete, working code** with:
   - All imports and dependencies noted
   - CSS/Tailwind classes included
   - TypeScript types when applicable
   - Comments for non-obvious choices

Remember: Claude is capable of extraordinary creative work. Commit fully to a distinctive vision that could only have been designed for this specific context.