Frontend Design

Core Principle

When building frontend interfaces, create distinctive, production-grade designs with intentional aesthetic direction. Avoid generic "AI slop" aesthetics that lack character and context-specific design.

When to Use This Skill

• Building web components
• Creating web pages
• Developing web applications
• Implementing UI/UX designs
• When user requests frontend development
• When aesthetic quality matters

The Iron Laws

1. UNDERSTAND CONTEXT BEFORE CODING

NEVER start coding without understanding:

• Purpose: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it?
• Tone: What aesthetic direction fits? (minimal, maximalist, retro, organic, luxury, playful, editorial, brutalist, art deco, industrial, etc.)
• Constraints: Technical requirements (framework, performance, accessibility)
• Differentiation: What makes this memorable and unique?

2. COMMIT TO A BOLD AESTHETIC DIRECTION

Choose ONE clear conceptual direction and execute with precision:

✅ Valid approaches:

• Brutally minimal with perfect spacing
• Maximalist chaos with controlled density
• Retro-futuristic with nostalgic elements
• Organic/natural with flowing forms
• Luxury/refined with elegant restraint
• Editorial/magazine with strong typography

❌ Avoid:

• Generic, context-free design
• Default choices without intention
• "Safe" but forgettable aesthetics
• Timid, half-committed execution

Authority: Bold maximalism AND refined minimalism both work - the key is intentionality, not intensity.

3. IMPLEMENT PRODUCTION-GRADE CODE

Code must be:

• Production-ready and functional
• Visually striking and memorable
• Cohesive with clear aesthetic point-of-view
• Meticulously refined in every detail

Design Implementation Protocol

Step 1: Check Brand Guidelines

ALWAYS check first:

I'm using the frontend-design skill to build [component/page/app].

Brand Guidelines Check:
- Location: .claude/BRAND-GUIDELINES.md
- Status: [EXISTS / NOT FOUND]

If guidelines exist:

Brand Guidelines Applied:
- Colors: [Primary: #XXX, Secondary: #XXX, Accent: #XXX]
- Typography: [Heading: Font A, Body: Font B]
- Visual Style: [Minimal/Maximal, Rounded/Angular, etc.]
- Personality: [Adjectives from brand guidelines]

I will design within these brand parameters.

If no guidelines:

No brand guidelines found. Proceeding with context-based design decisions.

Step 2: Context Analysis

Template:

Context Analysis:
- Purpose: [What problem does it solve? Who uses it?]
- Tone: [Chosen aesthetic direction OR brand personality]
- Constraints: [Technical requirements]
- Differentiation: [What makes it memorable?]

Aesthetic Direction: [Describe the bold direction chosen]

Step 2: Typography Excellence

Choose fonts that are beautiful, unique, and interesting:

✅ DO:

• Distinctive display fonts paired with refined body fonts
• Unexpected, characterful font choices
• Fonts that elevate the aesthetic
• Consider: Google Fonts with character, premium font services

❌ NEVER:

• Generic fonts: Arial, Inter, Roboto
• System fonts without intention
• Overused AI-generation fonts: Space Grotesk
• Default font stacks

Example Combinations:

• Display: Playfair Display / Body: Source Sans Pro
• Display: Abril Fatface / Body: Lato
• Display: Righteous / Body: Inter (when Inter fits aesthetic)
• Display: Bebas Neue / Body: Open Sans
• All: IBM Plex Mono (for code/technical aesthetic)

Step 3: Color & Theme Strategy

If brand guidelines exist: USE BRAND COLORS

/* Copy directly from .claude/BRAND-GUIDELINES.md */
:root {
  /* Brand colors from guidelines */
  --color-brand-primary: #[from guidelines];
  --color-brand-secondary: #[from guidelines];
  --color-accent-1: #[from guidelines];
  /* ... complete palette from guidelines */
}

If NO brand guidelines: Create cohesive aesthetic

✅ DO:

• Use CSS variables for consistency
• Dominant colors with sharp accents
• Context-specific color stories
• Unexpected but harmonious palettes

❌ NEVER:

• Purple gradients on white (cliched)
• Timid, evenly-distributed palettes
• Generic corporate blue/gray
• Color choices without conceptual backing

Implementation:

:root {
  /* Primary palette */
  --color-primary: #...;
  --color-secondary: #...;
  --color-accent: #...;

  /* Semantic colors */
  --color-background: #...;
  --color-surface: #...;
  --color-text: #...;
  --color-text-secondary: #...;

  /* State colors */
  --color-success: #...;
  --color-warning: #...;
  --color-error: #...;
}

Step 4: Motion & Animation

Use animations for high-impact moments:

✅ DO:

• CSS-only solutions for HTML when possible
• Motion library for React (framer-motion, react-spring)
• Page load reveals with staggered timing
• Scroll-triggered animations
• Hover states that surprise and delight
• One well-orchestrated sequence > scattered micro-interactions

❌ AVOID:

• Excessive animations everywhere
• Animations without purpose
• Janky, poorly-timed transitions

Example: Staggered Page Load

.element {
  opacity: 0;
  animation: fadeInUp 0.6s ease-out forwards;
}

.element:nth-child(1) { animation-delay: 0.1s; }
.element:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: 0.2s; }
.element:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: 0.3s; }

@keyframes fadeInUp {
  from {
    opacity: 0;
    transform: translateY(20px);
  }
  to {
    opacity: 1;
    transform: translateY(0);
  }
}

Step 5: Spatial Composition

Create unexpected, memorable layouts:

✅ DO:

• Asymmetry with intention
• Overlap and layering
• Diagonal flow
• Grid-breaking elements
• Generous negative space OR controlled density
• Unexpected proportions

❌ AVOID:

• Predictable centered layouts
• Generic card grids
• Cookie-cutter patterns
• Timid spacing

Step 6: Backgrounds & Visual Details

Create atmosphere and depth:

✅ DO:

• Gradient meshes
• Noise textures
• Geometric patterns
• Layered transparencies
• Dramatic shadows
• Decorative borders
• Custom cursors
• Grain overlays
• Context-appropriate effects

❌ AVOID:

• Flat solid colors without intention
• Generic white/gray backgrounds
• No visual interest or texture

Example: Textured Background

.background {
  background:
    linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%),
    url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,...') /* noise texture */;
  background-blend-mode: multiply;
}

Complexity Matching

Match implementation complexity to aesthetic vision:

Maximalist Design → Elaborate Code

• Extensive animations and effects
• Complex layering and compositing
• Rich interactions and micro-animations
• Detailed textures and patterns
• Dynamic, responsive elements

Minimalist Design → Restraint & Precision

• Perfect spacing and alignment
• Careful typography choices
• Subtle, purposeful animations
• Precise color usage
• Attention to micro-details

Authority: Elegance comes from executing the vision well, not from choosing "simple" or "complex."

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Generic AI Aesthetics

❌ NEVER use:

• Overused fonts: Inter, Roboto, Arial, system fonts
• Cliched colors: purple gradients on white
• Predictable layouts: centered hero with card grid
• Cookie-cutter patterns that lack character
• Generic component libraries without customization

Common Mistakes

❌ Mistakes:

• Starting to code without context understanding
• Choosing "safe" over distinctive
• Using the same fonts/colors across different projects
• Forgetting accessibility
• Implementing without testing responsiveness
• No consideration for performance

✅ Solutions:

• Complete context analysis first
• Commit boldly to aesthetic direction
• Vary designs based on context
• Include ARIA labels and semantic HTML
• Test on multiple screen sizes
• Optimize images and animations

Framework-Specific Guidelines

React

// Use framer-motion for animations
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';

const Component = () => (
  <motion.div
    initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
    animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
    transition={{ duration: 0.6 }}
  >
    Content
  </motion.div>
);

Vue

<template>
  <transition name="fade">
    <div class="component">Content</div>
  </transition>
</template>

<style>
.fade-enter-active, .fade-leave-active {
  transition: opacity 0.6s ease;
}
.fade-enter-from, .fade-leave-to {
  opacity: 0;
}
</style>

HTML/CSS/JS

<!-- Use semantic HTML -->
<article class="card" role="article">
  <header class="card__header">
    <h2 class="card__title">Title</h2>
  </header>
  <div class="card__content">
    <p class="card__description">Description</p>
  </div>
</article>

Production Checklist

Before declaring frontend work complete:

• Brand guidelines checked (.claude/BRAND-GUIDELINES.md)
• Brand colors applied (if guidelines exist)
• Brand typography applied (if guidelines exist)
• Brand visual style followed (if guidelines exist)
• Context analysis completed and documented
• Bold aesthetic direction chosen and executed
• Typography is distinctive and appropriate
• Color system uses CSS variables
• Animations are purposeful and performant
• Layout is unexpected and memorable
• Visual details add atmosphere
• Responsive across all screen sizes
• Accessibility: ARIA labels, semantic HTML, keyboard navigation
• Performance: optimized images, efficient CSS/JS
• Cross-browser testing completed
• Code is clean and maintainable

Remember

Claude is capable of extraordinary creative work.

Don't hold back. Show what can truly be created when thinking outside the box and committing fully to a distinctive vision.

Vary your designs: No two interfaces should look the same. Each should be uniquely designed for its specific context, purpose, and audience.

Quality over speed: Production-grade design takes time. Don't rush the aesthetic decisions.

Intentionality is everything: Whether minimal or maximal, the key is executing with clear purpose and precision.

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Integration with Brand Guidelines

This skill automatically integrates with the brand-guidelines skill:

1. Checks for .claude/BRAND-GUIDELINES.md at start
2. If found: Applies brand colors, typography, and visual style
3. If not found: Suggests creating brand guidelines first
4. Creative interpretation allowed within brand parameters
5. Never override brand without explicit user request

Recommended workflow:

1. Use brand-guidelines skill first (establish/document brand)
2. Then use frontend-design skill (applies brand automatically)
3. Result: Consistent, on-brand, distinctive designs

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Attribution: This skill is adapted from Anthropic Skills

Integrates with: brand-guidelines skill for automatic brand application