# ui-design-aesthetics

This skill feeds the agent rules for typography, color and motion so generated interfaces stop looking like default AI output. Useful when starting a feature or reworking an existing screen.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 357 installs · ★ 61
- Author: NickCrew
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/NickCrew/Claude-Cortex/tree/HEAD/skills/ui-design-aesthetics/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-06-29
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ui-design-aesthetics

## What it does

The skill attaches a set of design and performance instructions to your agent. Three references ship with it: aesthetic rules covering typography, color and motion; progressive disclosure with dynamic loading; and API contract validation. The agent reads them when you ask it to design a feature or refactor a UI.

The workflow runs in steps. First you pick a cohesive theme — Swiss, Neo-Brutalism and similar — and reject generic defaults. Then heavy components get flagged for lazy loading through `React.lazy` and dynamic imports, staggered reveals are planned, and TypeScript interfaces or Zod schemas describe the API responses. Implementation happens with Tailwind utility classes.

Performance rules are explicit. Only critical-path CSS and JS belong in the initial payload, secondary components must load on interaction or visibility via `IntersectionObserver`, and interactions over 100ms get optimistic UI states. The skill leans hard on its stack: React, Tailwind and TypeScript are named outright, so on a different framework you translate the advice yourself.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --skill ui-design-aesthetics -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --skill ui-design-aesthetics -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --skill ui-design-aesthetics -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install NickCrew/Claude-Cortex ui-design-aesthetics
```

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

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --skill ui-design-aesthetics -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --path skills/ui-design-aesthetics
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add NickCrew/Claude-Cortex --skill ui-design-aesthetics -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/NickCrew/Claude-Cortex/tree/HEAD/skills/ui-design-aesthetics/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- escape the generic look of AI-generated interfaces
- pick one cohesive visual theme instead of scattered choices
- cut initial payload with lazy-loaded components
- reveal complex panels only when the user needs them
- check frontend components against the real API response shape

## Example prompts
- Design a settings screen: pick a theme, define typography and color, mark what should load lazily
- Rework this table — it looks generic, give it a distinct visual language
- Check whether the component props match the API response and write the Zod schema

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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: 62e78eb83cbae207.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 62e78eb83cbae207
```text
---
name: ui-design-aesthetics
description: Generates high-quality, non-generic UI designs with a focus on performance, progressive disclosure, and distinctive aesthetics.
keywords:
  - design UI
  - visual design
  - aesthetic excellence
  - aesthetics
  - ui design aesthetics
---

# UI Design & Aesthetics

Expert guidance for designing and implementing beautiful, high-performance user interfaces. This skill enforces distinctive aesthetics while ensuring technical excellence through progressive disclosure and dynamic loading.

## Core Capabilities

- **Aesthetic Direction**: avoiding "AI slop" by enforcing distinctive typography, color, and depth.
- **Performance Architecture**: ensuring UI components load dynamically to minimize initial payload.
- **Progressive Disclosure**: designing interfaces that reveal complexity only when needed.
- **API Contract Validation**: ensuring frontend components align with backend data structures.

## Usage

Use this skill when:
- Designing a new feature or application from scratch.
- Refactoring an existing UI to be more modern and performant.
- Implementing complex dashboards or data-heavy interfaces.

## Quick Reference

| Topic | Reference |
| --- | --- |
| Aesthetic Rules (Typography, Color, Motion) | `skills/ui-design-aesthetics/references/aesthetics.md` |
| Progressive Disclosure & Dynamic Loading | `skills/ui-design-aesthetics/references/progressive-disclosure.md` |
| API Contract Validation | `skills/ui-design-aesthetics/references/api-contracts.md` |

## Design Workflow

1.  **Analyze & Select Aesthetic**: Choose a cohesive theme (Swiss, Neo-Brutalism, etc.) and reject generic defaults.
2.  **Architect for Performance**: Identify heavy components for lazy loading (`React.lazy`, dynamic imports).
3.  **Design Interaction**: Plan staggered reveals and interaction-based loading.
4.  **Validate Data**: Define TypeScript interfaces or Zod schemas for API responses.
5.  **Implement**: Write the code using utility classes (Tailwind) and enforcing the design system.

## Performance Requirements

- **Initial Payload**: Critical path CSS/JS only.
- **Dynamic Loading**: Secondary components MUST load on interaction or visibility (IntersectionObserver).
- **Latency**: Design optimistic UI states for interactions > 100ms.
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 62e78eb83cbae207

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© NickCrew · MIT · https://github.com/NickCrew/Claude-Cortex/tree/HEAD/skills/ui-design-aesthetics/SKILL.md

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