@ai-created/ui · Open-source design system

Design once. Build without drift.

@ai-created/ui is the open-source React design system behind AI-Created and Human, Actually. It gives humans and AI agents one source for production components, tokens, accessibility, and design rules.

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Principles

These are the non-negotiable rules behind the live site. Everything else should follow from them.

Product-First

The site exists to support shipped work. Brand expression matters, but proof, hierarchy, and navigation win over spectacle.

Editorial Restraint

Large serif moments create tone. Most UI stays quiet, geometric, and highly legible so the work can carry the personality.

Dark-Native

Dark mode defines the atmosphere. Light mode is warm, calm, and equally intentional rather than a quick inversion.

System Before Novelty

New visual ideas must earn their place. Shared rules beat one-off styling, and route drift is treated as design debt.

Accessible by Default

Keyboard access, visible focus, readable contrast, clear labels, and reduced-motion support are core system requirements, not finishing work.

Hierarchy Over Noise

Promote the primary metric, action, or object. Remove duplicate labels, dead helper chrome, and warning styling that adds drama without clarity.

Task vs Utility

Workflow steps belong in the main navigation. Help, settings, and other support utilities should stay adjacent, not masquerade as peer tasks.

Change Discipline

-If a change adds a new route pattern, update the page archetypes before shipping it.
-If a change adds a new component style, update both /design-system and DESIGN-SYSTEM.md in the same pass.
-If a new UI need appears, try existing primitives first. Promote it into a shared component only when the pattern repeats or clearly belongs across routes.
-If a change affects interaction, verify keyboard use, focus states, contrast, and reduced-motion behavior before shipping.
-Do not introduce a second visual language for one part of the site unless it is explicitly documented as a sub-system.
-When production surfaces teach us a better product pattern, update the canonical design contract and the live /design-system examples together.

Product UX Patterns

Production learnings from product surfaces like Human, Actually should be part of the system contract, not buried in one app’s implementation history.

Workflow vs Utility

Primary navigation should represent the actual work. Help, settings, and other support utilities belong adjacent to the workflow, not inside it as fake peer steps.

Calm Capacity States

When users hit a limit, prefer a composed capacity component and an unavailable affordance with immediate actions. Avoid warning banners that make the product feel brittle.

Overview + Workspace

If a page contains multiple tools or outputs, start with a compact overview and open one focused workspace at a time. Do not stack four mini-products in one endless scroll.

Honest Empty States

If an action has nowhere useful to go yet, disable it or replace it with explanatory copy. Do not make users click into emptiness just to learn there is nothing there.

Control Center Settings

Settings should read like a calm control center: status-first cards, expandable editing, and danger-zone actions demoted out of the main IA.

Dense, Aligned Toolbars

In horizontal action rows, controls should share height and family resemblance. If one control expands to fill remaining width, it should still look like it belongs to the same toolbar.

Capacity State

Capacity should feel managed and intentional. Calm heading, short helper copy, unavailable affordance, and direct recovery actions.

10 of 10 cases used

Full

Make room before creating another case. Auto-delete is secondary information, not the headline.

Dense, Aligned Toolbars

Toolbar controls should share height and family resemblance. One trailing control may flex to fill remaining width, but it should still feel like part of the same row.

Use this forAction rows where most controls are fixed-width and one contextual action should occupy the remaining space.

AvoidMixing different heights or dropping the flexible control onto its own full-width row when enough horizontal space still exists.

Overview + Workspace

For pages with multiple outputs or tools, use a scan-friendly overview row and open one focused workspace below it.

Resume workspace

Preview, QA, download, and refine the resume without competing against the cover letter or application answers in the same vertical stack.

Control Center Settings

Status-first cards with expandable actions are calmer and more legible than one long undifferentiated settings form.

AI Provider

Connected

OpenAI connected · Highest quality mode

Base Resume

Connected

resume-marco-2026.pdf

Portfolio Website

Connected

marco.design · marked as portfolio

LinkedIn Recommendations

Not Added

No file added yet

Danger Zone

Keep destructive actions demoted and collapsible.

Honest Empty State

When a panel has nothing meaningful to show yet, keep the message clear and disable dead-end actions instead of inviting a pointless click.

Evidence Library

0 saved answers

Saved answers from guided questions and chat will appear here so they can be reused across cases.

Product UX Rules

-Promote the primary metric or task. Do not bury the most important state in helper text.
-Remove duplicate labels and low-value system chrome before adding more explanation.
-If a page contains multiple tools, scan first, work second: overview row on top, one focused workspace below.
-Prefer embedded action states over broad warning banners for expected product conditions like limits or stale data.
-Keep empty states honest by disabling or replacing actions that cannot do anything useful yet.
-Settings should group reusable sources and system configuration into compact status cards, with danger-zone actions demoted.

Colors

Nine accessible accent schemes share one semantic contract across dark and light mode. Status and destructive colors remain independent.

Semantic first

Components consume accent, action, focus, and selection roles. They never select a named hue directly.

Red by default

Existing consumers remain red until data-accent or ThemeProvider selects another supported scheme.

Meaning stays fixed

Destructive, success, warning, info, and error never change when the accent changes.

Dual-theme contract

Every role is independently tuned for dark and light foundations instead of mechanically inverted.

Accent schemes

Choose a scheme to preview the full portal. Dark display accents share the current red’s luminance target; light values and yellow-family actions deliberately deepen to preserve contrast.

Active red roles

Public utilities keep semantic names. The legacy red aliases resolve to these same active values for compatibility.

Meaning does not follow the accent

A green brand accent does not turn errors green, and a red accent does not make routine information destructive.

Success

Warning

Info

Error

Destructive

red in dark and light

Dark mode

Accent text remains readable on black foundations.

Primary actionHover state

#FF4B2B#D41010

Light mode

Accent text deepens to remain readable on white foundations.

Primary actionHover state

#C81E1E#D41010

Accessibility contract

-Accent, muted-accent, and hover text meet 4.5:1 on bg, surface, and surface2 in both themes.
-Primary action and hover fills meet 4.5:1 with on-action text and 3:1 against every foundation.
-Focus and accent borders meet 3:1 against all three foundations.
-Selection keeps primary text at 4.5:1 or better on every foundation.
-The browser suite exercises all nine accents across both themes: 18 appearance combinations per browser project.
-Color reinforces state but never carries meaning without text, iconography, or native semantics.

Typography

One serif for tone, one sans for almost everything else, and monospace for structure. The system works because serif usage is restrained.

Displayfont-display

Instrument Serif

The art of building software

Aa400 Regular

Hero titles, section headers, editorial moments. The only serif in the system — used sparingly for maximum impact.

Primary Sansfont-heading

Space Grotesk

Products that ship. Clear, readable text that scales from captions to paragraphs.

Aa300 Light

Aa400 Regular

Aa500 Medium

Aa600 Semi

Aa700 Bold

Headings, body text, navigation, UI labels. The workhorse typeface — geometric, distinctive, readable at every size.

Monospacefont-mono

System Monospace

const system = { status: "live" }

Aa400 Regular

Code, technical labels, badges, metadata. Uses the platform’s native monospace (SF Mono, Menlo, Consolas).

Role Recipes

Hero Title

font-display text-4xl md:text-7xl tracking-wide

Reserved for route-level hero moments and major page framing.

Section Title

font-display text-3xl md:text-5xl tracking-wide

Used for major sections on the homepage and key interior pages.

Card Title

font-heading text-lg or text-xl font-medium

Most UI titles should stay in Space Grotesk rather than borrowing display styling.

Metadata

font-mono text-xs uppercase tracking-wider

Use for dates, labels, statuses, platform markers, and structural utility copy.

Type Scale

Base font-size is set to 125% (20px). These are the computed sizes at that base.

text-xs15px

Published May 2026Meta labels, timestamps, badges

text-sm17.5px

Structured product and editorial copy.Card copy, controls, supporting UI

text-base20px

Clear, confident body text for authored content.Primary paragraphs and intro copy

text-lg22.5px

A system that stays readable while feeling premium.Hero subheads and summary lines

text-xl25px

What the interface should make obviousCard titles and callout headings

text-3xl37.5px

Section HeadingSection titles

text-5xl60px

Design SystemLarge display moments

Pairing in context

Building in the open

Editorial voice plus quiet UI typography

Serif creates the atmosphere. Space Grotesk carries the actual reading load. That split keeps the site expressive without making it fragile.

rule: use display typography sparingly

Accessibility Notes

-The effective base size is 20px, so the UI starts from a readable floor instead of relying on micro-type.
-Use real heading levels in page templates; display styling never replaces document structure.
-Serif is reserved for expressive moments. Dense UI, forms, and filters stay in Space Grotesk to preserve legibility.

Spacing & Layout

The site relies on a small set of repeatable spacing and layout recipes. Consistency here is what keeps the visual system tight.

Layout Recipes

Hero Frame

pt-32 pb-20 with centered max-w-4xl copy block

Used on browse and context pages. Homepage hero is larger, but follows the same centered copy logic.

Standard Section

py-20 with one clear heading and one primary grid or block

The default rhythm across homepage sections and most interior modules.

Feature Card

bg-surface border rounded-md p-8 md:p-12

Primary module shell for proof blocks, summaries, and larger content groups.

Grid Rhythm

gap-6 for cards and related modules

The system mostly relies on 24px gaps; larger jumps should be intentional and rare.

Overview + Workspace

compact summary row or cards above one active workspace panel

Use this on product-heavy surfaces when several tools or outputs share a page. Let users scan first, then work in one focused area.

Dense Toolbar

fixed-height controls with one trailing flex item that fills remaining width

Useful for source rows, filters, and compact control strips. Mixed controls should align by height and visual weight.

Spacing Scale

p-1

0.25rem4px

p-2

0.5rem8px

p-3

0.75rem12px

p-4

1rem16px

p-6

1.5rem24px

p-8

2rem32px

p-10

2.5rem40px

p-12

3rem48px

p-16

4rem64px

p-18

4.5rem72pxCustom

p-20

5rem80px

p-24

6rem96px

p-32

8rem128px

Border Radius

rounded-sm4px

rounded6px

rounded-md6px

rounded-lg10px

rounded-full9999px

Container

Viewport

.container-custom

max-width: 1400pxpadding: 2vw / 6vw on mobile

Responsive Strategy

Mobile-first with standard Tailwind breakpoints. Content wrappers control reading width, not the container.

sm: 640pxSmall tablets, 2-col grids

md: 768pxTablets, hero text scaling

lg: 1024pxDesktop sidebar, nav

xl: 1280pxWide grids, split layouts

Articlesmax-w-3xl

Hero Copymax-w-4xl

Gridsmax-w-6xl

Image Patterns

Consistent image handling across heroes, cards, and media embeds.

Video Embedsaspect-video or padding-bottom: 56.25% for 16:9

Fill Imagesnext/image with fill + sizes prop

Object Fitobject-cover default, object-contain for full visibility

LoadingLazy by default, priority for above-fold heroes

Accessibility Notes

-Every route must expose the shared skip-link target: `#main-content`.
-Source order should stay logical on mobile and desktop; visual rearrangement cannot break reading or tab order.
-Headings, sections, and landmarks are part of layout, not content garnish. The system expects both visual rhythm and structural rhythm.
-Toolbars should preserve shared hit areas and consistent control height so mixed buttons, dropdowns, and icon actions still read as one system.
-Overview regions and active workspaces should remain clearly grouped so screen-reader and keyboard users can distinguish scanning from editing.

Accessibility

Accessibility is part of the system contract. The site should feel refined without asking users to trade off clarity, control, or comfort.

Keyboard First

Every interactive control must be reachable, usable, and understandable without a mouse. Skip links, nav order, and visible focus are baseline requirements.

Readable Contrast

Text, controls, and status states must hold up in both themes. Metadata can be quieter, but navigation, form labels, and key actions cannot disappear into the background.

Reduced Motion

Motion is optional enhancement. Users who prefer reduced motion should still get clear hierarchy, state change, and orientation without animated dependency.

Clear Naming

Decorative imagery stays decorative. Interactive elements need explicit names, external-link behavior should be communicated, and live feedback should be announced.

Honest Affordances

If a control cannot do anything useful yet, disable it or reframe it. Accessibility includes preventing users from walking into empty or misleading UI.

Release Checklist

Use one skip link target: `#main-content`.
Do not remove focus rings without providing an equally visible replacement.
Use `text3` for metadata only. Navigation, labels, and helper copy should usually use `text2` or `text`.
Filled accent controls must use the accessible action token rather than a brighter decorative accent.
Disable or replace dead-end actions when the destination has no useful content yet.
Workflow tabs and support utilities should stay semantically distinct rather than sharing one tablist by convenience.
Treat decorative icons and hero images as decorative with empty alt text and `aria-hidden` where appropriate.
Announce changing UI states with `role="status"`, `aria-live`, or `role="alert"` when the user needs confirmation.
Respect `prefers-reduced-motion`. Motion should never gate comprehension.

Focus Strategy

Triggerfocus-visible (not focus)

Outline2px solid var(--color-focus)

Offsetoutline-offset: 3px

Selection::selection uses rgba(255, 75, 43, 0.22)

Applies to: a, button, input, textarea, select, summary, [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])

Pattern

Usage

aria-current="page"

Active nav links

aria-expanded

Hamburger menu toggle

aria-controls

Buttons linked to controlled panels

aria-pressed

Toggle filter buttons

disabled / aria-disabled

Unavailable actions with explanatory copy

aria-busy

Forms during submission

aria-live="polite"

Non-error status updates

role="alert"

Error messages

role="dialog" + aria-modal

Modal overlays

aria-labelledby

Sections linked to headings

aria-hidden="true"

Decorative SVGs and images

sr-only

Screen-reader-only text labels

Keyboard Patterns

EscapeCloses modals (exits fullscreen first), closes mobile menu

FToggles fullscreen in video modal

TabFocus trap in modals, natural flow elsewhere

EnterForm submission, button activation

Element

Accessibility Contract

Color

Text hierarchy carries semantic weight. `text3` is metadata only, focus uses a dedicated accent token, and filled red controls use the darker solid token so white text remains compliant in both themes.

Typography

Body and UI text stay readable at the system scale, headings stay semantic, and serif never becomes a legibility tax in dense interfaces.

Layout

Every page exposes `#main-content`, keeps logical source order, and uses real landmarks and headings before visual flourishes.

Page Archetypes

Home, browse, detail, context, and workspace pages each carry distinct accessibility expectations: skip targets, browse feedback, breadcrumbs, honest empty states, and clear onward paths.

Components

Cards, filters, forms, badges, media controls, and navigation all need keyboard support, visible focus, explicit names, honest disabled states, and clear utility-versus-workflow semantics.

Motion

Motion may clarify hierarchy or state, but reduced-motion users must still understand the interface without animation.

Theme

Dark and light modes are equally real. A component fails the system if focus, contrast, or affordance breaks in either theme.

Page Archetypes

Every live route should fit a known template. New pages inherit an archetype before they get bespoke styling.

Home

Set the thesis, prove the work, and move people into products, stories, or contact.

-Immersive hero with one core message
-Proof sections before opinion-heavy copy
-Featured products and supporting content modules
-Direct contact path at the bottom

Browse

/products, /stories, /lab-notes, /media

Help people scan, compare, and choose where to go next.

-Clear hero with route-specific framing, usually via ThemedHeroImage
-Structured filters only when they improve findability
-Card grids with consistent metadata hierarchy
-Strong empty states and clear onward links

Detail

/products/[slug], /stories/[slug], /lab-notes/[slug]

Let one piece of work or writing carry focus without clutter.

-Breadcrumb or route context
-Tight headline and supporting metadata
-Primary proof block: copy, media, or article body
-Shared article shell for editorial detail routes, with citation, author context, comments, and return path
-Related links that keep the user inside the system

Context

/about, /resume

Establish credibility, experience, and point of view without turning the site into a generic personal brand funnel.

-Direct framing and authored copy
-Structured credibility blocks
-Clear tie-back to products and shipped work
-Simple CTAs that point back into the main system

Workspace

internal tools, dashboards, multi-step product flows

Support real work with clear hierarchy: task navigation, utility actions, scan-first summaries, and one focused workspace at a time.

-Workflow navigation for real task stages only
-Utility actions like Help and Settings adjacent to the workflow, not inside it
-Compact overview row or summary cards before the active work area
-One primary workspace, panel, or editor open at a time
-Honest empty and capacity states with direct next actions

IA Rules

-Public navigation is fixed: Home, Products, 0→1 Stories, Lab Notes, Media, About, Design System.
-Legacy routes are redirected, not visually maintained as separate systems.
-A new top-level route must justify its place in navigation and match an existing page archetype or create a documented new one.
-Route-level heroes and article pages should start from shared primitives like ThemedHeroImage and ArticleLayout before adding route-specific variation.
-Workflow tabs should only represent real stages of work. Support utilities such as Help or Settings stay adjacent and visually secondary.
-When a page combines multiple tools, use overview-plus-workspace hierarchy before resorting to a long stack of unrelated sections.

Accessibility By Archetype

-Home: one clear H1, obvious primary CTA, and a skip path to proof before long scrolling.
-Browse: filters must be labeled, keyboard reachable, and paired with live result feedback or clear empty states.
-Detail: breadcrumb or route context, readable hero copy, and media with meaningful fallback text or explicit decoration.
-Context: credibility content should remain structured, not collapse into decorative cards with vague headings.
-Workspace: task navigation and utility actions must stay semantically distinct, and unavailable actions should be disabled instead of routing users into empty UI.

Component Reference

Public contracts for every component family, including intent, defaults, states, accessibility, composition, and realistic usage.

Actions & feedback

Button / buttonStyles

Full specification

Triggers an action with a consistent visual hierarchy.

Use when

Submitting or confirming an action
Providing a compact inline or icon action

Avoid when

Navigation that should be a link
Non-interactive status text

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
variant	ButtonVariant	primary	primary, secondary, destructive, ghost, filter, filter-active, or icon.
size	ButtonSize	md	inline, sm, md, lg, xl, or icon.
fullWidth	boolean	false	Expands the button to the available width.
type	button \| submit \| reset	button	Native button type.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.

States

default
hover
focus-visible
disabled

Accessibility

Uses a native button and forwards its ref.
Provide an accessible name for icon-only buttons.

Composition

Children provide the button label or icon.
buttonStyles accepts the same visual options for custom elements.

Example

tsx

<Button variant="primary">Save changes</Button>

Actions & feedback

Badge

Full specification

Displays a short status or classification label.

Use when

Showing compact metadata or status

Avoid when

Long messages
Interactive controls

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
variant	BadgeVariant	default	default, muted, success, warning, error, or info.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.
...props	HTMLAttributes<HTMLSpanElement>	undefined	Native span attributes.

States

default
muted
success
warning
error
info

Accessibility

Renders a span; include meaningful text.

Composition

Place beside a title, table value, or list item.

Example

tsx

<Badge variant="success">Ready</Badge>

Actions & feedback

Notice

Full specification

Communicates an informational, success, warning, or error message.

Use when

Explaining status near the relevant content

Avoid when

Transient toast notifications
Multi-step forms needing field-level errors

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
variant	NoticeVariant	default	default, info, success, warning, or error.
title	string	undefined	Optional notice heading.
children	ReactNode	undefined	Message content.
role	string	status or alert	Override the semantic role.
aria-live	polite \| assertive \| off	polite or assertive	Override announcement behavior.

States

default
info
success
warning
error

Accessibility

Defaults to status, or alert for error.
Icons are decorative.

Composition

Use ErrorReport for expandable technical details.

Example

tsx

<Notice variant="warning" title="Review required">Check the highlighted fields.</Notice>

Actions & feedback

Skeleton

Full specification

Reserves space while content is loading.

Use when

Loading predictable content regions

Avoid when

Unknown layouts where a spinner is clearer

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
className	string	undefined	Controls size and shape with utility classes.
...props	HTMLAttributes<HTMLDivElement>	undefined	Native div attributes.

States

Accessibility

The placeholder is hidden from assistive technology.
Keep the loading context in surrounding content.
Do not use as a replacement for a live loading announcement.

Composition

Match the dimensions of the content it replaces.

Example

tsx

<Skeleton className="h-5 w-32" />

Actions & feedback

ErrorReport

Full specification

Presents a user-facing error with optional copyable diagnostics.

Use when

A recoverable operation failed
Users may need to share debug details

Avoid when

Sensitive diagnostics should never be exposed

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
message	string	required	User-facing error message.
title	string	Something went wrong	Error heading.
details	string \| null	undefined	Optional technical details.
timestamp	string	current ISO time	Optional diagnostic timestamp.

States

collapsed
expanded
copied

Accessibility

Error notice is announced as an alert.
Details disclosure exposes expanded state and controls.

Composition

Place in the failed content region.

Example

tsx

<ErrorReport message="Unable to load projects." details={error.message} />

Layout & content

Surface / surfaceStyles

Full specification

Provides a bordered, themed container for grouped content.

Use when

Grouping related content
Creating cards or inset sections

Avoid when

A plain layout wrapper is sufficient

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
variant	SurfaceVariant	default	default, muted, accent, inset, success, warning, info, or error.
padding	SurfacePadding	none	none, sm, md, lg, xl, or responsive.
interaction	SurfaceInteraction	none	none, group, or within interaction styling.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.

States

default
interactive group
interactive within

Accessibility

A div has no implicit landmark; add a heading or landmark when needed.

Composition

Use as the visual root of EmptyState and Notice.
surfaceStyles supports custom semantic elements.

Example

tsx

<Surface variant="muted" padding="md">Content</Surface>

Layout & content

EmptyState

Full specification

Explains why a collection has no content and offers a next step.

Use when

Empty lists, searches, or first-use screens

Avoid when

Loading states
Error states

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
icon	LucideIcon	undefined	Optional decorative icon.
title	string	required	Short empty-state heading.
description	string	undefined	Supporting explanation.
children	ReactNode	undefined	Optional action content.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.

States

empty

Accessibility

Icon is decorative.
Use a clear title and action label.

Composition

Place actions as children, commonly a Button.

Example

tsx

<EmptyState title="No projects yet" description="Create one to get started."><Button>Create project</Button></EmptyState>

Fields & selection

Field family / style helpers

Full specification

Builds consistently labelled and described form controls.

Use when

Text inputs, textareas, and grouped controls

Avoid when

Unrelated display text

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
FieldGroup	HTMLAttributes<HTMLDivElement>	undefined	Groups a label, control, and hint with one 8px sibling gap.
FieldLabel	LabelHTMLAttributes<HTMLLabelElement>	undefined	Native label without exterior spacing.
FieldLegend	HTMLAttributes<HTMLSpanElement>	undefined	Visual legend text without exterior spacing; not a semantic fieldset legend.
FieldHint	HTMLAttributes<HTMLParagraphElement>	undefined	Supporting or validation text without exterior spacing.
TextInput	InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>	undefined	Native text input.
TextArea	TextareaHTMLAttributes<HTMLTextAreaElement>	undefined	Native textarea.

States

default
focus-visible
disabled
invalid

Accessibility

Connect labels with htmlFor and id.
Use aria-describedby for hints and errors.

Composition

Use FieldGroup as the single vertical-spacing owner around FieldLabel, TextInput or TextArea, and optional FieldHint.
Style helpers support custom controls inside the same FieldGroup spacing contract.

Example

tsx

<FieldGroup>
  <FieldLabel htmlFor="email">Email</FieldLabel>
  <TextInput id="email" type="email" aria-describedby="email-hint" />
  <FieldHint id="email-hint">We will never share it.</FieldHint>
</FieldGroup>

Fields & selection

Checkbox

Full specification

Controls an independent boolean choice.

Use when

One or more independent options

Avoid when

Mutually exclusive choices

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
checked	boolean	required	Controlled checked state.
onChange	(checked: boolean) => void	required	Called when the value changes.
label	string	required	Visible accessible label.
disabled	boolean	false	Disables the native input.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.

States

checked
unchecked
disabled
focus-visible

Accessibility

Uses a native checkbox and label.
Forwards the input ref.

Composition

Use inside a FieldGroup when additional help is needed.

Example

tsx

<Checkbox checked={accepted} onChange={setAccepted} label="I agree" />

Fields & selection

RadioGroup

Full specification

Selects exactly one option from a set.

Use when

Mutually exclusive choices

Avoid when

Independent toggles
Large searchable option sets

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
options	RadioOption<T>[]	required	Options with value, label, and optional disabled.
value	T	required	Controlled selected value.
onChange	(value: T) => void	required	Called when selection changes.
legend	string	required	Fieldset legend.
name	string	generated id	Native radio group name.
disabled	boolean	false	Disables the group.
orientation	horizontal \| vertical	vertical	Option layout.

States

selected
unselected
disabled
focus-visible

Accessibility

Uses fieldset, legend, and native radio inputs.
Arrow keys follow native radio behavior.

Composition

Use RadioOption values as stable domain keys.

Example

tsx

<RadioGroup options={options} value={size} onChange={setSize} legend="Size" />

Fields & selection

Toggle

Full specification

Switches a setting between on and off.

Use when

Immediate boolean settings

Avoid when

Actions that need confirmation
Multiple-choice selection

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
checked	boolean	required	Controlled switch state.
onChange	(checked: boolean) => void	required	Called when toggled.
label	string	required	Visible label.
disabled	boolean	false	Disables the switch.
className	string	undefined	Additional classes.

States

on
off
disabled
focus-visible

Accessibility

Uses role switch and aria-checked.
Forwards a button ref.

Composition

Use beside settings that apply immediately.

Example

tsx

<Toggle checked={enabled} onChange={setEnabled} label="Enable notifications" />

Fields & selection

Slider

Full specification

Selects a numeric value within a range.

Use when

Continuous or stepped numeric settings

Avoid when

Text values needing precise direct entry

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
value	number	required	Controlled numeric value.
onChange	(value: number) => void	required	Called with the new value.
label	string	required	Accessible label.
min	number	0	Minimum value.
max	number	100	Maximum value.
step	number	1	Increment.
showValue	boolean	true	Shows formatted value.
formatValue	(value: number) => string	String(value)	Formats the displayed value.

States

default
disabled
focus-visible

Accessibility

Uses a labelled native range input.
Forwards the input ref.

Composition

Use formatValue for units or percentages.

Example

tsx

<Slider label="Opacity" value={opacity} onChange={setOpacity} formatValue={(v) => `${v}%`} />

Fields & selection

Dropdown

Full specification

Selects one value from a compact list.

Use when

A listbox fits the available space

Avoid when

A few always-visible options
Searchable large datasets

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
options	DropdownOption<T>[]	required	Options with value, label, and optional disabled.
value	T	required	Controlled selected value.
onChange	(value: T) => void	required	Called on selection.
label	string	required	Listbox label.
placeholder	string	Select an option	Fallback text.
disabled	boolean	false	Disables the listbox.

States

closed
open
selected
disabled

Accessibility

Headless UI supplies listbox keyboard and focus behavior.
Forwards the trigger ref.

Composition

Use DropdownOption disabled for unavailable values.

Example

tsx

<Dropdown options={options} value={sort} onChange={setSort} label="Sort by" />

Fields & selection

Tabs / useTabPanelProps

Full specification

Switches between related views without leaving the page.

Use when

Small sets of peer content panels

Avoid when

Navigation between pages

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
tabs	Tab<T>[]	required	Keys, labels, and optional icons.
active	T	required	Active tab key.
onChange	(key: T) => void	required	Called when tab changes.
label	string	required	Tablist accessible label.
id	string	generated id	Stable group id for panels.

States

active
inactive
focus-visible

Accessibility

Uses tablist, tab, and tabpanel relationships.
Arrow, Home, and End keys move focus.

Composition

Pass the same id to useTabPanelProps for each panel.

Example

tsx

const panel = useTabPanelProps("overview", active, tabsId);
<Tabs id={tabsId} tabs={tabs} active={active} onChange={setActive} label="Project views" />
<div {...panel}>Overview content</div>

Overlays

Dialog

Full specification

Presents focused content above the current page.

Use when

Short focused tasks or decisions

Avoid when

Persistent page content

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
open	boolean	required	Whether the dialog is shown.
onClose	() => void	required	Called on dismissal.
title	string	undefined	Optional accessible title.
description	string	undefined	Optional description.
size	DialogSize	md	sm, md, lg, or xl.
children	ReactNode	required	Dialog content.

States

closed
open
entering
leaving

Accessibility

Headless UI manages focus, Escape, and restoration.
Title and description are associated when provided.

Composition

Keep the primary action and close affordance inside the dialog.

Example

tsx

<Dialog open={open} onClose={() => setOpen(false)} title="Rename project">...</Dialog>

Overlays

Modal family

Full specification

Composes a themed modal from overlay, panel, header, body, and footer.

Use when

Reusable application modal layouts

Avoid when

Simple inline disclosure

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
ModalOverlay.onClose	() => void	undefined	Dismiss callback.
ModalOverlay.closeOnBackdrop	boolean	true	Whether backdrop clicks dismiss.
ModalPanel.size	ModalSize	lg	sm, md, lg, or xl.
ModalHeader.heading	ReactNode	required	Heading content.
ModalHeader.onClose	() => void	undefined	Optional close action.
ModalBody.scroll	boolean	true	Allows the body region to scroll.
children	ReactNode	required	Content for each region.

States

closed
open
nested
focus-visible

Accessibility

Headless UI supplies focus trap, Escape, restoration, and scroll lock.
Header title and description are associated.

Composition

Compose ModalOverlay > ModalPanel > ModalHeader, ModalBody, and ModalFooter.

Example

tsx

<ModalOverlay onClose={onClose}><ModalPanel><ModalHeader heading="Settings" onClose={onClose} /><ModalBody>...</ModalBody><ModalFooter>...</ModalFooter></ModalPanel></ModalOverlay>

Overlays

ConfirmDialog

Full specification

Confirms a consequential action with explicit cancel and confirm controls.

Use when

Destructive or irreversible actions

Avoid when

Routine actions that do not need interruption

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
open	boolean	required	Whether the dialog is shown.
onConfirm	() => void	required	Confirm callback.
onCancel	() => void	required	Cancel callback.
title	string	required	Dialog heading.
description	ReactNode	undefined	Supporting explanation.
confirmLabel	string	Confirm	Confirm button label.
cancelLabel	string	Cancel	Cancel button label.
destructive	boolean	false	Uses destructive styling.
loading	boolean	false	Disables dismissal while working.
loadingLabel	string	Working…	Busy button label.

States

closed
open
loading

Accessibility

Uses alertdialog semantics.
Dismissal is disabled while loading.

Composition

Use for a single consequential action with a clear description.

Example

tsx

<ConfirmDialog open={open} title="Delete project?" description="This cannot be undone." onConfirm={remove} onCancel={cancel} destructive />

Overlays

Tooltip

Full specification

Provides brief supplemental information for a trigger.

Use when

Clarifying unfamiliar icons or controls

Avoid when

Essential instructions
Long or interactive content

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
content	string	required	Tooltip text.
position	TooltipPosition	top	top, bottom, left, or right.
delay	number	300	Show delay in milliseconds.
children	ReactElement	required	Trigger element.
className	string	undefined	Additional tooltip classes.

States

hidden
visible
focused
touch-visible

Accessibility

Adds aria-describedby while visible.
Keep essential information outside the tooltip.

Composition

Wrap one focusable trigger.

Example

tsx

<Tooltip content="Copy link"><Button variant="icon" aria-label="Copy link">...</Button></Tooltip>

Theme & media

ThemedHeroImage

Full specification

Displays a decorative hero image that adapts to the active theme.

Use when

Large decorative hero backgrounds

Avoid when

Content images that need an alt description

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
darkSrc	string	required	Dark-theme image source.
lightSrc	string	undefined	Optional light-theme source.
overlay	default \| strong \| soft \| none	default	Overlay treatment.
priority	boolean	false	Next Image priority loading.
quality	number	85	Image quality.
sizes	string	100vw	Responsive image sizes.
objectPosition	string	undefined	Image object position.
fadeTop	boolean	false	Top fade.
fadeBottom	boolean	false	Bottom fade.
blendLight	boolean	false	Light-theme blend.

States

dark theme
light theme

Accessibility

Image is intentionally decorative with empty alt text.

Composition

Place behind hero content in a positioned container.

Example

tsx

<ThemedHeroImage darkSrc="/hero-dark.jpg" lightSrc="/hero-light.jpg" fadeBottom />

Theme & media

ThemeProvider / useTheme / ThemeToggle

Full specification

Controls dark/light mode and the active accessible accent scheme.

Use when

Applications supporting theme and accent preferences

Avoid when

Components that should not own global theme state

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
ThemeProvider.children	ReactNode	required	Application subtree.
ThemeProvider.accent	Accent	undefined	Controlled, fixed accent; wins over storage and defaults.
ThemeProvider.defaultAccent	Accent	red	Uncontrolled fallback after storage and document accent.
ThemeProvider.onAccentChange	(accent: Accent) => void	undefined	Receives setAccent requests in either mode; controlled changes are not persisted.
useTheme().theme	dark \| light	dark	Current theme.
useTheme().accent	Accent	red	Current accent scheme.
useTheme().setAccent	(accent: Accent) => void	undefined	Persists uncontrolled changes; controlled mode reports through the callback or is a no-op.
useTheme().toggleTheme	() => void	undefined	Switches and persists the theme.
ThemeToggle	component	undefined	Ready-made theme switch control.

States

dark
light
red / green / blue / orange / yellow / purple / teal / pink / magenta

Accessibility

ThemeToggle exposes a labelled button.
Every accent is browser contrast-tested on dark and light foundations.
Respect saved theme and accent setup before rendering content.
Never communicate meaning by accent color alone; status colors remain independent.

Composition

Wrap the app once with ThemeProvider.
Use useTheme for custom controls.
Use semantic accent tokens; destructive and feedback colors retain their meanings.

Example

tsx

<ThemeProvider defaultAccent="blue"><ThemeToggle /><App /></ThemeProvider>

Utilities & motion

cn

Full specification

Combines conditional class strings and resolves conflicting Tailwind utilities.

Use when

A component needs conditional classes or consumer className merging

Avoid when

A static className needs no composition

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
...inputs	Array<string \| false \| null \| undefined>	required	Class fragments in precedence order.

States

not applicable

Accessibility

Class merging must not remove focus, disabled, or semantic state styles.

Composition

Pass the consumer className last when it should override defaults.

Example

tsx

const classes = cn("rounded-md border", active && "border-accent", className);

Utilities & motion

Motion helpers

Full specification

Keeps Framer Motion timing, offsets, easing, reveals, and hover behavior consistent.

Use when

Shared entrance, in-view reveal, stagger, or subtle hover behavior is needed

Avoid when

Motion does not clarify hierarchy or state

Full API contract

API

Prop	Type	Default	Meaning
motionDuration	readonly timing object	shared values	Instant, fast, base, reveal, section, and ambient durations.
motionOffset	readonly offset object	shared values	Small, medium, large, and hover distances.
motionEase	readonly easing object	shared values	Standard, in-out, and out easing.
staggerDelay	(index, step?, base?) => number	step 0.1, base 0	Calculates a list-item delay.
fadeUpMotion	(delay?, y?, duration?) => MotionProps	shared reveal values	Returns mount animation props.
inViewFadeUpMotion	(delay?, y?, duration?) => MotionProps	shared reveal values	Returns one-time viewport reveal props.
subtleHoverMotion	(distance?) => MotionProps	2px	Returns subtle hover lift props.
borderHoverMotion	(distance?, borderColor?) => MotionProps	4px, border-strong	Returns lift plus border emphasis.

States

entry
in view
hover
reduced motion

Accessibility

ThemeProvider configures Framer Motion to honor the user reduced-motion preference.
Never rely on motion alone to communicate meaning.

Composition

Spread helper results onto a Framer Motion element.

Example

tsx

<motion.article {...inViewFadeUpMotion(staggerDelay(index))}>...</motion.article>

Motion

Motion should support structure, emphasis, and state changes. If it cannot explain its purpose, it should not ship.

Entrance

Default to simple fade/slide reveals in the 0.45s to 0.6s range. They should clarify hierarchy, not become a visual event.

Hover

Use subtle lift, border emphasis, and color shifts. The public site should feel alive, not animated for its own sake.

State Change

The strongest motion belongs to real UI state changes such as menu open/close, theme toggles, and media interactions.

Allowed Patterns

These are the motion patterns that fit the public site.

Entrance

Fade plus a small upward movement.

Hover

Small lift plus stronger border, nothing theatrical.

State Cue

Reserved for actual state communication, not ambient decoration.

CSS Motion Tokens

These are the utility-level animations available to the system. Keep usage narrow and intentional.

Framer Motion Patterns

These are the standard Framer Motion patterns used across the site. Keep them consistent rather than inventing variations.

Entryinitial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
whileInView={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}

Viewportviewport={{ once: true }}
Animate once on scroll, do not repeat

Staggertransition={{ delay: index * 0.1 }}
Sequential items in grids and lists

Exit<AnimatePresence>
Mobile menu, theme toggle icon swap

Card HoverwhileHover={{ y: -2 }}
Subtle lift, duration 0.2s

Button TapwhileTap={{ scale: 0.85 }}
Toggle buttons, theme toggle

Avoid By Default

-Glitch, wave, shimmer, or neon treatments on core public pages.
-Perpetual decorative motion unless the route is explicitly an experimental surface.
-Large hover transforms that make cards feel unstable or playful when the rest of the system is controlled.

Accessibility Notes

-Motion must degrade cleanly under `prefers-reduced-motion`; the interface still needs clear hierarchy and state without animation.
-Do not rely on motion alone to explain selection, success, error, or hierarchy.
-Continuous motion should be rare and tied to state, never treated as ambient decoration on core routes.

Theme Rules

The system supports dark and light foundations plus nine accessible accent schemes. Theme, accent, motion, and semantic feedback are one appearance contract.

Implementation rules

-Prefer semantic tokens such as bg-bg, bg-surface, text-text2, and border-border before reaching for raw white or black utilities.
-text3 is metadata only. Do not use it for critical navigation or long-form body copy, especially in light mode.
-Use bg-action-primary or bg-action-destructive with text-on-action for filled actions. Primary follows the accent; destructive never does.
-Prefer shared primitives such as Button, Surface, TextInput, and TextArea before rebuilding interaction styling route by route.
-Accent hover values are state roles, not standalone palette choices. Do not select numbered reference steps in product code.
-Focus styling is tokenized. Do not invent ad hoc focus colors that drift from the system.
-Status feedback uses semantic success, info, warning, and error tokens instead of borrowing brand red for every message.
-Choose a persisted preference with useTheme, a fallback with defaultAccent, or a fixed product accent with accent.
-Hero media uses shared theme variables and the ThemedHeroImage component. Do not hand-roll overlay colors or theme swaps in route components.
-A component is not done until it works credibly in both dark and light themes.

How it works

ThemeProvider→appearance owner / storage→html.light + data-accent→CSS vars update

Preference mode reads theme and accent before first paint; fixed mode reads only theme and keeps its server-rendered accent. The .theme-transitioning class enables smooth 0.3s transitions only after user-initiated changes.

Accent color

Change the portal appearance

Every semantic component adapts to theme and accent without hue-specific component branches.

Three accent selection modes

defaultAccent

Uncontrolled fallback. Resolution is saved preference, existing data-accent, this default, then red.

useTheme().setAccent

Use with accentNames for a picker. Changes update the document and persist for the user.

accent + onAccentChange

Controlled mode. The prop wins and stays fixed; requests call the callback without persistence. The callback also observes uncontrolled changes.

For a fixed product accent, pair data-accent="blue" on the initial html element with <ThemeProvider accent="blue"> and use a theme-only pre-hydration script.

tsx

// Persisted user preference: render the fallback before hydration.
<html data-accent="blue">
  <head>{/* Run the validated theme + accent storage script from the README. */}</head>
  <body>
    <ThemeProvider defaultAccent="blue">{children}</ThemeProvider>
  </body>
</html>

// Fixed product accent: ignore saved accent storage.
<html data-accent="blue">
  <head>{/* Run the theme-only initialization script from the README. */}</head>
  <body>
    <ThemeProvider accent="blue">{children}</ThemeProvider>
  </body>
</html>

// Externally controlled accent: the owner applies callback requests.
<ThemeProvider accent={accent} onAccentChange={setAccent}>
  {children}
</ThemeProvider>

css

:root {
  --radius-md: 6px;
  --layout-container-max: 1400px;
  --motion-base: 0.3s;
  --color-bg: #0A0A0B;
  --color-surface: #101113;
  --color-text: #F5F7FA;
  --color-focus: #FF4B2B;
  --color-accent: var(--ref-accent-current-400);
  --color-accent-hover: var(--ref-accent-current-500);
  --color-action-primary: var(--ref-accent-current-700);
  --color-action-primary-hover: var(--ref-accent-current-800);
  --color-action-destructive: #B91C1C;
  --color-on-action: #FFFFFF;
  --color-success: #55D39A;
  --color-info: #6BB9FF;
}

html.light {
  --color-bg: #F2EDE6;
  --color-surface: #F7F3EC;
  --color-text: #1D1D1F;
  --color-focus: var(--ref-accent-current-750);
  --color-accent: var(--ref-accent-current-750);
  --color-accent-hover: var(--ref-accent-current-900);
  --color-action-destructive: #9F1239;
  --color-success: #065F46;
  --color-info: #1E40AF;
}

html[data-accent='blue'] {
  /* Switches the current accent reference family; semantic utilities stay unchanged. */
}

Token Reference

Variable

Dark

Light

--radius-md

6px

--layout-container-max

1400px

--motion-base

0.3s

--color-bg

#0A0A0B

#F2EDE6

--color-surface

#101113

#F7F3EC

--color-surface2

#14161A

#EAE4DB

--color-text

#F5F7FA

#1D1D1F

--color-text2

rgba(245,247,250,0.72)

rgba(29,29,31,0.72)

--color-text3

rgba(245,247,250,0.62)

rgba(29,29,31,0.68)

--color-accent

#FF4B2B

#C81E1E

--color-accent-hover

#F13A1D

#B80E0E

--color-action-primary

#D41010

--color-action-primary-hover

#C81010

--color-action-destructive

#B91C1C

#9F1239

--color-on-action

#FFFFFF

--color-border

rgba(255,255,255,0.10)

rgba(0,0,0,0.10)

--color-border-strong

rgba(255,255,255,0.16)

rgba(0,0,0,0.18)

--color-control-border

rgba(255,255,255,0.36)

rgba(0,0,0,0.42)

--color-control-border-strong

rgba(255,255,255,0.50)

rgba(0,0,0,0.54)

--color-focus

#FF4B2B

#C81E1E

--color-overlay

rgba(0,0,0,0.60)

rgba(0,0,0,0.45)

--color-highlight

rgba(255,255,255,0.05)

rgba(0,0,0,0.04)

--color-success

#55D39A

#065F46

--color-success-surface

rgba(85,211,154,0.12)

rgba(6,95,70,0.08)

--color-info

#6BB9FF

#1E40AF

--color-warning

#F2B84B

#713F12

--color-error

#FF6B6B

#9F1239

Accessibility Checks

-Verify contrast and focus visibility in both themes before shipping.
-Filled actions must keep at least 4.5:1 foreground contrast through the primary/destructive and on-action token pairs.
-Every accent must pass text, focus, boundary, hover, and selection checks across bg, surface, and surface2 in dark and light mode.
-Success, info, warning, and error surfaces should remain readable in both themes and should not become accidental brand accents.
-The theme toggle itself must remain clearly named and keyboard-usable.
-If a theme-specific exception is required, document why it exists and how it avoids becoming permanent design debt.

Design once. Build without drift.

Principles

Product-First

Editorial Restraint

Dark-Native

System Before Novelty

Accessible by Default

Hierarchy Over Noise

Task vs Utility

Change Discipline

Product UX Patterns

Workflow vs Utility

Calm Capacity States

Overview + Workspace

Honest Empty States

Control Center Settings

Dense, Aligned Toolbars

Workflow Navigation + Utility Actions

Capacity State

10 of 10 cases used

Dense, Aligned Toolbars

Overview + Workspace

Resume workspace

Control Center Settings

Honest Empty State

Product UX Rules

Colors

Semantic first

Red by default

Meaning stays fixed

Dual-theme contract

Accent schemes

Active red roles

Meaning does not follow the accent

red in dark and light

Accessibility contract

Typography

Instrument Serif

Space Grotesk

System Monospace

Role Recipes

Hero Title

Section Title

Card Title

Metadata

Type Scale

Building in the open

Editorial voice plus quiet UI typography

Accessibility Notes

Spacing & Layout

Layout Recipes

Hero Frame

Standard Section

Feature Card

Grid Rhythm

Overview + Workspace

Dense Toolbar

Spacing Scale

Border Radius

Container

Responsive Strategy

Image Patterns

Accessibility Notes

Accessibility

Keyboard First

Readable Contrast

Reduced Motion

Clear Naming

Honest Affordances

Focus Strategy

Page Archetypes

Home

Browse

Detail

Context

Workspace

IA Rules

Accessibility By Archetype

Components

Component Rules