Design Anti-Patterns (Uncodixfy)
SOURCE: Uncodixfy (accessed 2026-03-17)
Before writing any UI code, apply the Uncodixfy metacognitive check: list the UI decisions you would make by default, then do NOT make them if they match any banned pattern below. Build interfaces that feel like Linear, Raycast, Stripe, or GitHub — functional, honest, no visual theatrics.
Pre-Flight Check
Before generating any UI component, run this internal check:
- List all styling decisions you would make by default for this component
- Cross-reference each against the banned patterns in this skill and the full rules reference
- Replace every match with the "normal" standard from the reference
- Verify the result contains zero banned patterns
Absolute Prohibitions
These patterns are never acceptable unless the user explicitly overrides:
- Border radius > 12px on any element
- Pill-shaped buttons or badges
- Glassmorphism, frosted panels, blur haze
- Soft corporate gradients (backgrounds, buttons, text)
- Hero sections inside dashboards or internal tools
- Decorative copy ("Operational clarity without the clutter")
- Eyebrow labels (uppercase
<small> with letter-spacing)
- KPI card grids as default dashboard layouts
- Fake charts that exist only to fill space
- Transform animations on hover (translateX, scale, bounce)
- Dramatic box shadows (> 8px blur, colored shadows)
- Floating detached sidebars with rounded outer shells
<small> subheaders above <h2> headline blocks- Decorative note cards with
<small> + <strong> pattern
- Generic startup copy in any UI element
- Donut charts with hand-wavy percentages
- Multiple nested panel types (panel, panel-2, rail-panel)
- Status indicators using
::before pseudo-element colored dots
- Nav badges showing "Live" or count indicators without functional purpose
- Footer meta lines ("Dashboard v2.1 - dark mode - single-file HTML")
Normal Standards
Apply these defaults to every component:
| Component |
Standard |
| Sidebar |
240-260px fixed, solid background, simple border-right |
| Buttons |
Solid fill or simple border, 8-10px radius max |
| Cards |
8-12px radius, subtle border, shadow max 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) |
| Typography |
System fonts or simple sans-serif, 14-16px body, clear hierarchy |
| Spacing |
4/8/12/16/24/32px scale only |
| Transitions |
100-200ms ease, opacity/color changes only |
| Containers |
max-width 1200-1400px, centered, standard padding |
| Toolbars |
Standard height 48-56px, simple horizontal layout |
| Inputs |
Solid borders, simple focus ring, labels above fields |
| Modals |
Centered overlay, simple backdrop, no slide-in animations |
Color Selection
Follow this priority order:
- Use the project's existing colors — search project files for existing palette definitions
- Pick from a predefined palette — see color palettes in the rules reference
- Never invent random color combinations unless the user explicitly requests it
When selecting from predefined palettes, pick randomly — do not default to the first one.
Quick Reference
For the complete set of 30+ specifically banned implementation patterns, per-component "normal" standards, and 19 predefined color palettes (10 dark, 9 light), read the full Uncodixfy rules.
1---2name: design-anti-patterns3description: Enforce anti-AI UI design rules based on the Uncodixfy methodology. Use when generating HTML, CSS, React, Vue, Svelte, or any frontend UI code. Prevents generic AI aesthetic — soft gradients, glassmorphism, hero sections in dashboards, oversized rounded corners, and decorative copy. Applies constraints from Linear/Raycast/Stripe/GitHub design philosophy for functional, honest, human-designed interfaces. Triggers on UI generation, dashboard building, component creation, CSS styling, landing page design, or any task producing visual interface code.4---56# Design Anti-Patterns (Uncodixfy)78SOURCE: [Uncodixfy](https://github.com/cyxzdev/Uncodixfy/blob/main/Uncodixfy.md) (accessed 2026-03-17)910Before writing any UI code, apply the Uncodixfy metacognitive check: list the UI decisions you would make by default, then do NOT make them if they match any banned pattern below. Build interfaces that feel like Linear, Raycast, Stripe, or GitHub — functional, honest, no visual theatrics.1112## Pre-Flight Check1314Before generating any UI component, run this internal check:15161. List all styling decisions you would make by default for this component172. Cross-reference each against the banned patterns in this skill and [the full rules reference](./references/uncodixfy-rules.md)183. Replace every match with the "normal" standard from the reference194. Verify the result contains zero banned patterns2021## Absolute Prohibitions2223These patterns are never acceptable unless the user explicitly overrides:2425- Border radius > 12px on any element26- Pill-shaped buttons or badges27- Glassmorphism, frosted panels, blur haze28- Soft corporate gradients (backgrounds, buttons, text)29- Hero sections inside dashboards or internal tools30- Decorative copy ("Operational clarity without the clutter")31- Eyebrow labels (uppercase `<small>` with letter-spacing)32- KPI card grids as default dashboard layouts33- Fake charts that exist only to fill space34- Transform animations on hover (translateX, scale, bounce)35- Dramatic box shadows (> 8px blur, colored shadows)36- Floating detached sidebars with rounded outer shells37- `<small>` subheaders above `<h2>` headline blocks38- Decorative note cards with `<small>` + `<strong>` pattern39- Generic startup copy in any UI element40- Donut charts with hand-wavy percentages41- Multiple nested panel types (panel, panel-2, rail-panel)42- Status indicators using `::before` pseudo-element colored dots43- Nav badges showing "Live" or count indicators without functional purpose44- Footer meta lines ("Dashboard v2.1 - dark mode - single-file HTML")4546## Normal Standards4748Apply these defaults to every component:4950| Component | Standard |51|-----------|----------|52| Sidebar | 240-260px fixed, solid background, simple border-right |53| Buttons | Solid fill or simple border, 8-10px radius max |54| Cards | 8-12px radius, subtle border, shadow max 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) |55| Typography | System fonts or simple sans-serif, 14-16px body, clear hierarchy |56| Spacing | 4/8/12/16/24/32px scale only |57| Transitions | 100-200ms ease, opacity/color changes only |58| Containers | max-width 1200-1400px, centered, standard padding |59| Toolbars | Standard height 48-56px, simple horizontal layout |60| Inputs | Solid borders, simple focus ring, labels above fields |61| Modals | Centered overlay, simple backdrop, no slide-in animations |6263## Color Selection6465Follow this priority order:66671. **Use the project's existing colors** — search project files for existing palette definitions682. **Pick from a predefined palette** — see [color palettes in the rules reference](./references/uncodixfy-rules.md#dark-color-schemes)693. **Never invent random color combinations** unless the user explicitly requests it7071When selecting from predefined palettes, pick randomly — do not default to the first one.7273## Quick Reference7475For the complete set of 30+ specifically banned implementation patterns, per-component "normal" standards, and 19 predefined color palettes (10 dark, 9 light), read [the full Uncodixfy rules](./references/uncodixfy-rules.md).
Jamie-BitFlight