# design-systems

Walks your agent through design tokens, a component library and accessibility rules in one project.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 903 installs · ★ 286
- Author: Mindrally
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills/tree/HEAD/design-systems/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/design-systems

## What it does

The skill gives the agent an order of work for a design system: audit the existing UI first, then define tokens, build atomic components, compose patterns, write docs, and only after that add tests and a contribution process. It covers color, typography, spacing, icons and component architecture, including states and variants.

Accessibility has its own section: semantic HTML, ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, WCAG 2.1 AA contrast and reduced motion support. There are examples for CSS custom properties, a React `Button` with typed props, and a Storybook preview config that imports the token file.

Tokens are meant to live in CSS custom properties or a format such as Style Dictionary, with visual regression and a11y linting handled by tools like Chromatic and axe-core. If your project already ships a component library, expect to skip part of the workflow: the audit and token steps assume there is no single source of truth yet.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill design-systems -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/design-systems/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/design-systems/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill design-systems -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/design-systems/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill design-systems -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/design-systems/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install Mindrally/skills design-systems
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/design-systems/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill design-systems -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/Mindrally/skills --path design-systems
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/design-systems/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill design-systems -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills/tree/HEAD/design-systems/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- collapse scattered colors, spacing and type into one token set
- build atomic components with a clear typed props API
- document component states and variants before styling starts
- turn Storybook into a living style guide
- catch contrast and keyboard issues before release

## Example prompts
- audit the current UI and list which components and colors are duplicated
- set up design tokens as CSS custom properties and migrate the button and input to them
- configure Storybook with a story per component variant and accessibility annotations

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: b0eebd622eb51f59.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE b0eebd622eb51f59
```text
---
name: design-systems
description: "Comprehensive design system guidelines for building consistent, accessible, and scalable component libraries. Use when creating design tokens, building component libraries, implementing design systems, setting up theming architecture, or establishing UI governance processes."
metadata:
  maintainer: Mindrally
  source: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills
---

# Design Systems Best Practices

Guidelines for creating and maintaining design systems that ensure visual consistency, accessibility compliance, and scalable component architecture across digital products.

## Workflow: Setting Up a Design System

1. **Audit existing UI** — Inventory current components, colors, typography, and spacing across the product to identify inconsistencies and reusable patterns.
2. **Define design tokens** — Establish primitive tokens (colors, spacing, typography, shadows) as CSS custom properties or a token format (e.g., Style Dictionary) that serves as the single source of truth.
3. **Build foundational components** — Create atomic components (Button, Input, Text, Icon) that consume design tokens and expose a clear props API with TypeScript types.
4. **Compose patterns and layouts** — Assemble atomic components into higher-order patterns (forms, cards, navigation) with documented usage guidelines.
5. **Set up documentation and Storybook** — Configure Storybook with stories for every component variant, state, and accessibility annotation. Publish as a living style guide.
6. **Integrate testing and governance** — Add visual regression tests (e.g., Chromatic), accessibility linting (e.g., axe-core), and a contribution/review process for new components.
7. **Ship and iterate** — Publish the library as a versioned package, gather consumer feedback, and run regular accessibility and performance audits.

## Foundation Elements

### Color System

- Define primary, secondary, and accent colors
- Include semantic colors for success, warning, error, info states
- Ensure all color combinations meet WCAG contrast requirements
- Document color usage guidelines and contexts
- Provide light and dark mode variants

### Typography

- Establish a type scale with consistent ratios
- Define font families for headings and body text
- Set line heights and letter spacing standards
- Document font weights and their usage
- Ensure readability across screen sizes

### Spacing System

- Define consistent spacing scale (4px, 8px, 16px, 24px, etc.)
- Create layout primitives for common patterns
- Document margin and padding conventions
- Ensure responsive spacing behavior
- Use CSS custom properties for maintainability

### Icons and Imagery

- Maintain consistent icon style and sizing
- Define icon grid and stroke weights
- Document icon naming conventions
- Optimize assets for web performance
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE b0eebd622eb51f59

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