tomevault-io Modern OKLCH Design System
Overview
Complete production-ready design system featuring OKLCH color space (perceptually uniform, superior to HSL/RGB), Shadcn UI components, CVA variants, custom shadows, and modern design patterns.
Core principle: Use OKLCH for color accuracy, CVA for type-safe variants, data-slots for semantic components, and soft shadows for elevated design.
When to Use
Use this skill when users want to:
- Set up a modern design system with OKLCH colors
- Replicate TLDW-style aesthetics (soft, rounded, elevated)
- Upgrade from HSL/RGB to OKLCH colors
- Create Shadcn components with advanced design tokens
- Implement dark mode with perceptually uniform colors
- Build Next.js/React projects with production-ready UI
When NOT to Use
NEVER use this skill for:
- Basic Tailwind setup without specific design system needs
- Educational questions about OKLCH ("What is OKLCH?")
- Generic styling questions ("How do I center a div?")
- Non-React frameworks (Vue, Angular, Svelte)
- Projects not using Tailwind CSS
Quick Reference
| Task | Command/Pattern |
|---|---|
| Install dependencies | npm install @radix-ui/react-slot class-variance-authority clsx tailwind-merge lucide-react |
| Install Tailwind v4 | npm install -D tailwindcss@4 @tailwindcss/postcss@4 tw-animate-css |
| Check word count | wc -w app/globals.css |
| Verify OKLCH support | Check browser supports OKLCH (Chrome 111+, Safari 15.4+) |
Essential Patterns
1. Complete globals.css Setup
Create or update app/globals.css:
@import "tailwindcss";
@import "tw-animate-css";
@custom-variant dark (&:is(.dark *));
@theme inline {
--color-background: var(--background);
--color-foreground: var(--foreground);
--color-primary: var(--primary);
--color-primary-foreground: var(--primary-foreground);
/* ... all color tokens ... */
--radius-sm: calc(var(--radius) - 4px);
--radius-lg: var(--radius);
--radius-xl: calc(var(--radius) + 4px);
}
:root {
--radius: 1.25rem;
--background: oklch(1 0 0);
--foreground: oklch(0.145 0 0);
--primary: oklch(0.205 0 0);
--primary-foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
/* ... complete light mode colors ... */
}
.dark {
--background: oklch(0.145 0 0);
--foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
--primary: oklch(0.922 0 0);
/* ... complete dark mode colors ... */
}
@layer base {
html { font-size: 14.4px; /* 10% compact */ }
body { @apply bg-background text-foreground; }
}
See reference.md for complete globals.css template.
2. Utility Functions
Create lib/utils.ts:
import { clsx, type ClassValue } from "clsx"
import { twMerge } from "tailwind-merge"
export function cn(...inputs: ClassValue[]) {
return twMerge(clsx(inputs))
}
3. Button Component with CVA
Create components/ui/button.tsx:
import { cva, type VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority"
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils"
const buttonVariants = cva(
"inline-flex items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-2xl text-sm font-medium transition-all disabled:opacity-50",
{
variants: {
variant: {
default: "bg-primary text-primary-foreground shadow-[0px_0px_12px_0px_rgba(0,0,0,0.1)] hover:bg-primary/90",
outline: "border bg-background hover:bg-accent"
},
size: {
default: "h-9 px-4 py-2",
sm: "h-8 px-3",
lg: "h-10 px-6"
}
},
defaultVariants: { variant: "default", size: "default" }
}
)
export function Button({ className, variant, size, ...props }) {
return <button className={cn(buttonVariants({ variant, size }), className)} {...props} />
}
See examples.md for Card, Input, and more components.
4. Font Configuration (Geist)
Update app/layout.tsx:
import { Geist, Geist_Mono } from "next/font/google";
const geistSans = Geist({ variable: "--font-geist-sans", subsets: ["latin"] });
const geistMono = Geist_Mono({ variable: "--font-geist-mono", subsets: ["latin"] });
export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
return (
<html lang="en">
<body className={`${geistSans.variable} ${geistMono.variable} antialiased`}>
{children}
</body>
</html>
);
}
Core Design Tokens
OKLCH Color System
Format: oklch(Lightness Chroma Hue)
- Lightness: 0-1 (0 = black, 1 = white)
- Chroma: 0-0.4 (saturation)
- Hue: 0-360 (color angle)
Benefits:
- Perceptual uniformity (colors appear consistent)
- Better gradients and interpolation
- Wider color gamut
- Predictable lightness
Shadow System
// Card shadow (soft, elevated)
"shadow-[0px_18px_59.6px_0px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)]"
// Button shadow
"shadow-[0px_0px_12px_0px_rgba(0,0,0,0.1)]"
// Input shadow
"shadow-[0px_1px_3px_0px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)]"
Radius System
- Base:
--radius: 1.25rem(20px) - Small:
calc(var(--radius) - 4px)(16px) - Large:
var(--radius)(20px) - XL:
calc(var(--radius) + 4px)(24px)
Buttons use rounded-2xl, Cards use rounded-3xl.
Typography
- Base font size: 14.4px (10% reduction for compact UI)
- Fonts: Geist Sans (body), Geist Mono (code)
- Line heights: Tight (
leading-none) for headings
Common Mistakes
1. Using HSL/RGB instead of OKLCH - Loses perceptual uniformity. Always use oklch() format for colors.
2. Missing Tailwind v4 syntax - Using old @config instead of @theme inline. Ensure Tailwind v4 installed.
3. Forgetting dark mode colors - Only defining :root colors. Must define .dark class with inverted OKLCH values.
4. Arbitrary shadow values without rgba - Using HSL in shadows. Shadows use rgba(0,0,0,0.06) format.
5. No data-slot attributes - Missing semantic component identification. Add data-slot="button" to components.
6. CVA without VariantProps - Not exporting TypeScript types. Export buttonVariants and use VariantProps<typeof buttonVariants>.
Verification Checklist
After applying the design system:
- All dependencies installed (
class-variance-authority,clsx,tailwind-merge, Tailwind v4) -
globals.cssupdated with complete OKLCH colors (light + dark) -
lib/utils.tscreated withcn()utility - Fonts configured (Geist or alternative)
- At least one component created with CVA variants
- Dark mode working (test by toggling
.darkclass on<html>) - Custom shadows visible on components
- Focus states working (tab through buttons, see ring)
Additional Resources
Detailed documentation in supporting files:
- reference.md - Complete globals.css template, all color tokens, full schemas
- examples.md - Card, Input, Dialog, Badge components with CVA patterns
- troubleshooting.md - OKLCH browser support, CVA errors, dark mode issues
Official resources:
- Tailwind CSS v4: https://tailwindcss.com/docs
- Shadcn UI: https://ui.shadcn.com
- CVA: https://cva.style
- OKLCH Explained: https://evilmartians.com/chronicles/oklch-in-css-why-quit-rgb-hsl
Best Practices
- Use OKLCH for all colors: Consistent perceptual brightness
- Add data-slot attributes: Enables powerful CSS selectors without className pollution
- Export CVA variants: Type-safe component APIs with
VariantProps - Consistent spacing:
gap-6for cards,gap-2for compact layouts - Round corners generously: 2xl for buttons, 3xl for cards
- Test dark mode thoroughly: Verify all components in both themes
Word Count: 823 words (target: <1000) Tested: Yes (pressure tests available) Source: Extracted from TLDW production application
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