# Aksel Builder

> Expert builder for Aksel, the Nav / @navikt design system — React components, design tokens, layout primitives, theming (light/dark), icons, CSS, the Tailwind preset, version migrations, Figma-to-code. Triggers — Aksel, "using/with aksel", Nav/Navikt, "designsystemet", "design system", @navikt/ds-* (e.g. @navikt/ds-react) or @navikt/aksel-* packages; add/create/build/refactor a component (button, input, modal, table, alert, card, form) or layout; implement a design from Figma (pasted figma.com/design/...?node-id link, "implement this design", "build this from Figma", design-to-code). Invoke for frontend UI work with any Aksel signal unless the user opts out.

- Skill: `navikt/aksel-builder` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 13 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add navikt/aksel-builder`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/navikt/aksel-builder/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Design & Media
- License: MIT
- Author: navikt (https://skillmd.com/u/navikt)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/navikt/aksel-builder

---


# Aksel design system skill

## Mission

Build correct, accessible, production-quality UI with the **Aksel design system** (Nav).
Lead the user to the right component, token, and primitive — and back every choice with the
**Aksel MCP server**, not memory. The MCP (5 tools + 4 resources) returns live data from
`aksel.nav.no`. Aim for the _fewest correct calls_.

---

## MCP-First rule (hard rule)

> **Never generate, edit, or debug Aksel code from training memory alone.**

Aksel moves fast — token names, props, and whole components change between majors, and your
weights are stale. Before writing any import, prop, token, or icon name:

1. **Confirm it exists** and how it's used via the MCP.
2. **Never invent** doc paths, prop names, token names, or icon exports.
3. **MCP wins** over memory. If MCP returns nothing after a real attempt, say what you
   tried — don't fall back to a guess.

This one rule prevents the most common failure: confidently shipping an Aksel API that no
longer exists.

---

## Preflight: is the MCP available?

This skill is built around the Aksel MCP. **Before your first lookup, check whether the
`aksel_*` tools exist**, and branch:

**✅ MCP available (strongly preferred).** Use the tools below — they return live,
version-correct data (structured props, real token values, verified icon names) you can't
reconstruct from memory.

**Note**: The url "https://aksel-mcp.nav.no" will need to be whitelisted in your environment to work. If you can't access it, use the fallback below but recommend installing the MCP for a better experience.

**❌ MCP not available → recommend installing it, then fall back to fetching docs.**

1. **Recommend the MCP** — it removes guesswork and stays current. Install by adding the
   server:

```
"io.github.navikt/aksel-mcp": {
	"type": "streamable-http",
	"url": "https://aksel-mcp.nav.no/mcp",
	"gallery": "https://mcp-registry.nav.no",
	"version": "1.0.0"
}
```

2. **Until it's installed, fall back to the public LLM docs over HTTP.** Start from the
   index at `https://aksel.nav.no/llm.md` — it lists every page as an individual `.md` file
   — then fetch the specific `.md` page you need. This is the **same content** the MCP
   serves, so the anti-hallucination rules still apply: read the real page; never invent
   paths, props, tokens, or icon names.

### Tool → manual-fetch fallback

When the MCP is absent, map each tool to a direct fetch:

| MCP tool (preferred)             | Without MCP, fetch instead                                                                       |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `aksel_find_docs` (`docs`)       | `https://aksel.nav.no/llm.md` index → follow the matching `.md` link                             |
| `aksel_get_doc`                  | the page's `.md` URL directly (e.g. `https://aksel.nav.no/komponenter/core/button.md`)           |
| `aksel_get_component_info`       | the component's `.md` page — it documents props & usage (prose, not a structured table)          |
| `aksel_get_token_details`        | `https://aksel.nav.no/grunnleggende/styling/design-tokens.md`                                    |
| `aksel_find_icons`               | `https://aksel.nav.no/komponenter/ikoner.md`                                                     |
| `aksel_find_docs` (`migrations`) | `https://aksel.nav.no/grunnleggende/kode/codemods-config.md` + `…/migreringsguider/versjon-8.md` |

Prefer fetching individual `.md` pages over the full collection — only pull `llm.md` (or
`komponenter.md`) when you need to discover the right page.

---

## Tool capability matrix

Route by _intent_. Pick the narrowest tool. The default loop is **Find → Fetch**.

| Intent                                  | Tool                       | Key args                           | Returns                        | Common failure to avoid                         |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Find the doc/component path for a topic | `aksel_find_docs`          | `{ query, kind:"docs" }`           | ranked `results[]` with `path` | Guessing a path instead of searching first      |
| Read a full doc page                    | `aksel_get_doc`            | `{ path }` (exact, from find)      | markdown                       | Hand-writing a path; must start `/`, end `.md`  |
| Get a component's props/API             | `aksel_get_component_info` | `{ component }` slug or path       | structured props               | Reading prose docs when you need the prop table |
| Look up a design token's value/usage    | `aksel_get_token_details`  | `{ tokenName }`                    | value, accessors, semantics    | Using `find_docs` for tokens — wrong tool       |
| Browse tokens by keyword                | `aksel_find_docs`          | `{ query, kind:"tokens" }`         | token catalog matches          | Then call `get_token_details` for the exact one |
| Find an icon                            | `aksel_find_icons`         | `{ keyword, category?, variant? }` | `icons[]` with `name`          | Assuming an icon export name from memory        |
| Find a migration/codemod                | `aksel_find_docs`          | `{ query, kind:"migrations" }`     | codemods + run command         | Using `kind:"docs"` for upgrade questions       |

**Resources** (read directly when you want the whole catalog, not a search):
`aksel-docs://index`, `aksel-tokens://catalog`, `aksel-icons://category-catalog`,
`aksel-migrations://catalog`.

---

## Core workflow: Find → Fetch → Build → Validate

Most tasks need 2–4 MCP calls.

1. **Find** — `aksel_find_docs({ query })` with 1–2 keywords (component names work best;
   Norwegian and English both work). Use the returned `path`; never build one yourself.
   Switch `kind`: tokens/colors/spacing → `"tokens"`, upgrades/codemods → `"migrations"`.
2. **Fetch** — `get_doc` (usage, examples, props as prose), `get_component_info` (props as
   JSON), `get_token_details` (one token), `find_icons` (then map `name` → `${name}Icon`).
3. **Build** — style with tokens + primitive props, never raw hex/px
   ([tokens-styling.md](references/tokens-styling.md)); reach for layout primitives before
   custom CSS ([primitives-layout.md](references/primitives-layout.md)); add the a11y props
   Aksel requires ([accessibility.md](references/accessibility.md)).
4. **Validate** — run the checklist at the end of this file.

---

## Decision tree: route the task

The Find → Fetch → Build → Validate loop is _how_ you work; this is _where_ to go for a
given task. Orient once, then take the matching branch(es). **Load a reference the first
time a task touches its domain — don't preload all of them.** All reference files live in
`references/` (e.g. `references/components.md`).

**0. Orient (once per task).** Glance at the project before building:

- **Are the `aksel_*` MCP tools available?** If not, see **Preflight** above — encourage
  installing the MCP, and until then fall back to fetching `https://aksel.nav.no/llm.md`.
- Is Aksel installed and **which major version**? Check `package.json` for `@navikt/ds-react`
  (its version drives which API is current). Unsure about setup, imports, or SSR/RSC?
  → load **setup-and-imports.md**.

**Then branch by intent** (reference to load → tools to call):

| If the task is…                                  | Load                   | Then call                                                                                        |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Pick/build a component (form, modal, table, …)   | `components.md`        | `find_docs` → `get_component_info` → `get_doc` (usage) → build                                   |
| Implement a **Figma design** → Aksel code        | `figma-to-code.md`     | Figma MCP (`get_design_context`/`get_screenshot`) → map to Aksel via the `aksel_*` tools → build |
| Lay out / space / make responsive                | `primitives-layout.md` | build with primitives (`get_component_info` for a primitive's API)                               |
| Color / token / spacing value / Tailwind styling | `tokens-styling.md`    | `get_token_details` (browse via `find_docs` `kind:"tokens"`)                                     |
| Light/dark mode or base color                    | `theming.md`           | usually no call — `Theme` component                                                              |
| An icon                                          | `icons.md`             | `find_icons` → map `name` → `${name}Icon`                                                        |
| Accessibility / labels / a11y review             | `accessibility.md`     | `get_component_info` to find the label/description props                                         |
| Upgrade / codemod / “why is this deprecated?”    | `migrations.md`        | `find_docs` `kind:"migrations"`                                                                  |
| Project setup / imports / packages / SSR         | `setup-and-imports.md` | `find_docs` `kind:"docs"` (`"kom i gang"`)                                                       |
| A tool call misbehaves / returns nothing         | `mcp-workflow.md`      | re-route per its recovery tables                                                                 |

**Complex tasks chain branches.** “Dark-mode contact form with a trash icon” touches
`components.md` + `tokens-styling.md` + `theming.md` + `icons.md` + `accessibility.md` —
load each as you reach that part, and build in that order (structure → style → theme →
icons → a11y pass).

---

## Reference files

The decision tree above says _when_ to load each file; this is the index of _what each
contains_. Load on demand to keep context small.

- [references/mcp-workflow.md](references/mcp-workflow.md) — tool mechanics, `kind` switching, empty-result recovery, anti-hallucination rules.
- [references/setup-and-imports.md](references/setup-and-imports.md) — packages, import paths, locale `Provider`, SSR/RSC, CSS-only.
- [references/primitives-layout.md](references/primitives-layout.md) — `Box`/`HStack`/`VStack`/`HGrid`/`Page`/`Bleed`, responsive props, spacing & radius scales.
- [references/tokens-styling.md](references/tokens-styling.md) — token-props vs `--ax-` variables, color roles, styling discipline, Tailwind preset.
- [references/theming.md](references/theming.md) — light/dark mode, the `Theme` component, `data-color`.
- [references/components.md](references/components.md) — choosing the right component; form & composition patterns.
- [references/figma-to-code.md](references/figma-to-code.md) — Figma → Aksel code: Code Connect, confidence matrix, HTML→primitive/token mapping, validation. Needs the Figma MCP.
- [references/icons.md](references/icons.md) — finding icons, `name` → `${name}Icon`, sizing, a11y.
- [references/accessibility.md](references/accessibility.md) — required a11y props, semantic structure, Norwegian content.
- [references/migrations.md](references/migrations.md) — upgrading versions, codemods, v7→v8 highlights.

---

## Call-budget & token conservation

- Prefer **Find → Fetch** (2 calls) over scattershot searching; stop once you can build.
- `find_docs` (`kind:"docs"`) needs **≥ 3 characters**; if it returns nothing, retry once
  with a single broader keyword (a component name) before changing approach.
- Don't re-fetch a doc you already have. Don't echo raw tool JSON back — extract and build.
- ≤ 4 calls is the target, not a limit. Still stuck after ~7? Stop and ask the user rather
  than guessing.

---

## Final validation checklist

- [ ] Every Aksel component and icon used was confirmed via MCP (not memory).
- [ ] Doc paths came from `aksel_find_docs` / `aksel-docs://index` — none were hand-written.
- [ ] Props were checked with `aksel_get_component_info` where non-trivial.
- [ ] Tokens are real (`aksel_get_token_details`); no raw hex or pixel values.
- [ ] Icon imports use the `${name}Icon` export from `@navikt/aksel-icons`.
- [ ] Required accessibility props are present (labels, descriptions, alt text).
- [ ] Imports resolve to the correct `@navikt/*` package and are React 17-compatible.