Developing UI

UI Development & Front-end Engineering

This skill defines the standard operating procedure for front-end development. It ensures all UI code is consistent, performant, accessible, and robust, while strictly adhering to the brand-identity skill.

When to use this skill

• Creating new UI components (Framework agnostic: React, Vue, Svelte, etc.)
• Styling new or existing pages
• Debugging layout, visual, or performance issues
• Refactoring CSS or component logic

Workflow

When building a new UI element, follow this process:

1. Analyze & Plan

   • Check brand-identity/resources/design-tokens.json for available tokens.
   • Define all component states: Idle, Loading, Error, Empty, Success.

2. Scaffold

   • Create the file structure.
   • Define the component interface (Props) with strict typing.

3. Style

   • Apply layout (Flex/Grid) first.
   • Apply spacing/sizing using design tokens.
   • Optimization: Use CSS variables for theming and avoid heavy animations on non-composite properties (stick to transform/opacity).

4. Interact & Logic

   • Add state and event handlers.
   • Implement accessible focus management.
   • Ensure error handling is graceful (e.g., Error Boundaries or fallback UI).

5. Verify & Test

   • Check responsiveness (Mobile -> Desktop).
   • Check accessibility (ARIA, keyboard navigation, screen reader).
   • Performance: Check for unnecessary re-renders or layout shifts (CLS).
   • Run the Component Checklist (see Resources).

Instructions

1. Brand Alignment

You MUST use the variables defined in the brand-identity skill.

• ❌ color: #ff0000;
• ✅ color: var(--color-error-500);

2. Semantic HTML & Accessibility

• Use semantic tags (<button>, <nav>, <article>) over <div>.
• Ensure strict ARIA compliance for interactive elements.
• All images must have alt text or role="presentation".
• Touch targets must be at least 44x44px.

3. State Management (The "5 States" Rule)

Don't just build the "happy path." You must account for:

1. Loading: Skeletons or spinners.
2. Error: User-friendly error messages/retries.
3. Empty: What happens when there is no data?
4. Success: Feedback for successful actions.
5. Idle: The default state.

4. Performance & Optimization

• Images: Use optimized formats (WebP/AVIF) and loading="lazy" where appropriate.
• Animations: Aim for 60fps. Animate only transform and opacity. Use will-change sparingly.
• Code: Avoid massive bundles. Lazy load heavy components or routes.

5. Testing Requirements

• Unit Tests: Logic and state changes must be tested (e.g., Jest/Vitest).
• Integration: Critical user flows must be verified.
• Cross-Browser: Verify functionality on Chrome, Firefox, Safari (latest 2 versions).

Resources

• Component Checklist