# Develop

> Implement Subframe designs with business logic. Use after designing with /subframe:design or when given a Subframe URL/page ID.

- Skill: `subframeapp/develop` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add subframeapp/develop`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/subframeapp/develop/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: subframeapp (https://skillmd.com/u/subframeapp)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/subframeapp/develop

---


Implement Subframe designs in the codebase. Fetch the design via MCP, sync components, and add business logic.

## Connect to Subframe MCP before implementing

Before installing dependencies, syncing components, or editing code for a linked design, discover the Subframe `get_page_info` tool (use tool search if your client loads MCP tools on demand). The Subframe Docs MCP server only provides documentation; it cannot fetch the user's designs.

If `get_page_info` is unavailable, tell the user that you cannot access the linked design yet and help them connect the **Subframe MCP server**:

- **Not installed/configured:** Direct them to the [Subframe MCP setup guide](https://docs.subframe.com/guides/mcp-server) for their client. The design server URL is `https://mcp.subframe.com/mcp`.
- **Already configured:** Ask them to enable/connect the server and complete OAuth authentication in their client's MCP settings.
- **Status unknown:** Explain that the server may need installation, enabling, or authentication. Provide the setup guide and ask them to check their client's MCP settings.

Pause the design-dependent work until the tools are available. Do not silently fall back to opening or scraping the design in a browser, guessing from the prompt, or implementing from existing code alone. This also applies when using the design as inspiration in a non-Subframe project; connecting MCP does not require installing Subframe components into that project.

After the user reports that setup is complete, discover the tool again and successfully fetch the requested design with `get_page_info` before implementing it.

Only switch to a workflow without the linked design if the user explicitly chooses that alternative.

## Detect Project State

Before starting, check for `package.json` and `.subframe/` folder in the current directory:

| Condition                                      | Action                                                                    |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No `package.json`                              | Run `/subframe:install` first — there's no project to implement into yet. |
| Has `package.json` AND has `.subframe/` folder | Proceed with the workflow below.                                          |
| Has `package.json` but NO `.subframe/` folder  | Ask the user (see below).                                                 |

### Existing non-Subframe project

If the current directory has a `package.json` but no `.subframe/` folder, ask the user which approach they prefer:

- **Use the design as inspiration** — Fetch the design via MCP for reference, but implement the page using the existing styles, components, and patterns already in the repo. Translate the Subframe design's layout and structure into whatever UI framework the project already uses (e.g., existing component library, CSS modules, styled-components). Do NOT install Subframe or sync components. Skip to [Inspiration Workflow](#inspiration-workflow).
- **Use Subframe styles and components** — Install Subframe into the project so the design renders pixel-perfect with Subframe's generated code. Run `/subframe:install` first, then continue with the [Workflow](#workflow) below.

## Workflow

1. **Wait for any in-flight design jobs** — see [Awaiting In-Flight Designs](#awaiting-in-flight-designs)
2. **Fetch the design** — `get_page_info` with the URL, ID, or name
3. **Read design documentation** — `get_project_info` and `get_component_info` return any attached design docs; check them for usage guidance, accessibility notes, or constraints before implementing
4. **Sync any missing components** — Only if components don't exist locally. `npx @subframe/cli sync` for the specific components used in the page
5. **Create the page** — put it in the right place per codebase patterns
6. **Add business logic** — data fetching, forms, events, loading/error states

## Awaiting In-Flight Designs

If a design was just kicked off in the same conversation (via `/subframe:design`), the underlying AI job is likely still running. Reading the result via `get_*_info` too early returns empty or stale code.

`design_page`, `design_component`, and `edit_component` return a `jobId`. Before the first read, call:

```
wait_for_jobs({ jobIds: [jobId1, jobId2, ...] })
```

Each result is `running`, `done` (with a summary — for `design_page` it reports how many requested pages were actually applied), `error` (the job failed or stopped reporting; don't assume the design exists — check the summary), or `not_found`. Call in a loop until every job is `done` or `error`. Surface progress to the user — "Designs are still generating in Subframe…" then "✓ Designs ready, fetching the code now." — so they understand the wait.

You don't need `wait_for_jobs` when:

- The user came in with an existing Subframe URL (no in-flight job)
- You're only working from `id` or `name` and don't need the generated code.

If the user asks to implement immediately after kicking off a design, batch all relevant `jobIds` into a single `wait_for_jobs` call (it accepts up to 10).

## Inspiration Workflow

Use this workflow when the user chose to use the design as inspiration in an existing non-Subframe project.

1. **Wait for any in-flight design jobs** — see [Awaiting In-Flight Designs](#awaiting-in-flight-designs).
2. **Fetch the design** — Use `get_page_info` with the URL, ID, or name to get the page's layout and structure. If you encounter Subframe components or tokens you're unfamiliar with, use `get_component_info` to understand a component's props and behavior, or `get_theme` to see the Subframe project's design tokens (colors, fonts, spacing, shadows).
3. **Study existing patterns** — Look at the codebase's existing components, styles, and conventions. Identify local equivalents for Subframe components used in the design.
4. **Create the page** — Implement the design using the codebase's existing UI framework, translating the Subframe layout and component structure into local components and styling.
5. **Add business logic** — Data fetching, forms, events, loading/error states.

## Fetching Designs

Pages are the only resource you fetch into the codebase. Use `get_page_info` with a URL, ID, or name:

```
get_page_info({ url: "https://app.subframe.com/PROJECT_ID/design/PAGE_ID/edit" })
get_page_info({ id: "PAGE_ID", projectId: "PROJECT_ID" })
get_page_info({ name: "Settings Page", projectId: "PROJECT_ID" })
```

To discover what exists in the project, use `list_pages`, `list_components`, or `list_flows`. Snippets aren't synced to code — they live in Subframe as design system references.

Read design documentation alongside the design: `get_project_info` returns project-level `docs` (broad principles), and `get_component_info` returns each component's `designDocuments` (component-specific usage guidance). Pick these up before implementing so you respect documented constraints.

Get the `projectId` from `.subframe/sync.json`. If `.subframe/sync.json` doesn't exist or doesn't contain a `projectId`, call `list_projects` to get the available projects. Each project includes a `projectId`, `name`, `teamId`, and `teamName`.

- **One project**: Use it automatically.
- **Multiple projects**: Always ask the user which project to use. Present each project with its `teamName` to disambiguate. If the user already mentioned a specific team or project name, match it against the `teamName` and `name` fields — but still confirm before proceeding. Never silently pick a project when multiple exist.

## Syncing Components

Sync components when they don't exist locally. You can sync specific components by name:

```bash
npx @subframe/cli@latest sync Button Alert TextField
```

Or sync all components:

```bash
npx @subframe/cli@latest sync --all
```

**When to sync:**

- **Components don't exist locally** → Sync those specific components before implementing
- **Components already exist** → Don't sync automatically. If the user wants the latest versions, they'll ask.

**Don't modify `Button.tsx`** — Subframe generates and overwrites it on every sync. Each component syncs as a directory:

```
components/Button/
├─ Button.tsx   // generated by Subframe — overwritten on every sync
└─ index.tsx    // wrapper — re-exports Button.tsx; your code goes here
```

`index.tsx` is the import entrypoint (`@/ui/components/Button` resolves to it). Add wrapping logic there.

### Sync Disable

To keep your changes to a file, add `// @subframe/sync-disable` to the top of it — the CLI skips any file containing this comment:

```tsx
// @subframe/sync-disable
import { Button as ButtonComponent } from "./Button"
// ... your wrapper
```

Add it to the wrapper `index.tsx` once you've customized it. `Button.tsx` has no marker, so it still receives Subframe's updates. As a last resort you can sync-disable `Button.tsx` itself, but that freezes the component entirely.

**Updating a sync-disabled file:**

If a file has `@subframe/sync-disable`, the sync command skips it. To get the latest version of that file:

1. Use `get_component_info` to fetch the latest code from Subframe
2. Manually merge the changes with the local modifications

## Adding Business Logic

Subframe generates presentational code with placeholder data. You add:

**Data fetching:**

```tsx
const { data, isLoading, error } = useQuery(...)

if (isLoading) return <Skeleton />
if (error) return <Alert variant="error">{error.message}</Alert>

return <PageComponent {...data} />
```

**Form handling:**

```tsx
const handleSubmit = async (e: FormEvent) => {
  e.preventDefault()
  await submitForm(formData)
}
```

**Event handlers:**

```tsx
<Button onClick={handleClick}>Submit</Button>
<Card actionSlot={<IconButton onClick={handleDelete} />} />
```

## Dark Mode

If the Subframe project has dark mode enabled, the synced theme uses CSS variables with `.dark` class overrides. To activate dark mode in the app, set the `dark` class on the `<html>` element — using `next-themes`, a React theme provider context, or any other method.

## Updating Existing Pages

When a design changes:

1. Fetch the updated design
2. Update layout/structure from new design
3. Preserve existing hooks, handlers, and state management
4. Sync any new components

When diffing the updated design against the existing code, if there are design changes beyond what the user asked you to design (e.g., layout tweaks, new elements, removed sections), call those out and ask whether to include them.

## MCP Tools Reference

| Tool                 | Purpose                                                 | Key Parameters                      |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| `get_page_info`      | Fetch page code                                         | `url`, `id`, or `name`; `projectId` |
| `get_component_info` | Fetch component code + attached design doc              | `url`, `id`, or `name`; `projectId` |
| `get_project_info`   | Fetch project metadata + project-level design docs      | `projectId`                         |
| `get_flow_info`      | Enumerate pages in a flow                               | `id`, `name`, or `url`; `projectId` |
| `list_pages`         | List all pages                                          | `projectId`                         |
| `list_components`    | List all components                                     | `projectId`                         |
| `list_flows`         | List all flows                                          | `projectId`                         |
| `get_theme`          | Get Tailwind config                                     | `projectId`, `cssType`              |
| `wait_for_jobs`      | Wait for in-flight design jobs to finish before reading | `jobIds` (1-10)                     |