Anthropic Frontend Design
This skill guides the creation of distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces that avoid generic "AI slop" aesthetics. It integrates structured design intelligence (accessibility, UX rules, stack guidelines) with a bold, intentional aesthetic philosophy.
Core Philosophy: Anti-AI Slop
Claude (and all AI agents) are capable of extraordinary creative work, yet often default to safe, generic patterns. This skill MANDATES breaking those patterns.
- AVOID: Inter, Roboto, Arial, system fonts, purple-on-white gradients, cookie-cutter SaaS layouts, emojis as icons.
- MANDATE: Unique typography, context-specific color schemes, intentional motion, unexpected spatial composition, and production-grade functional code.
Design Thinking Process
Before coding, understand the context and commit to a BOLD aesthetic direction:
- Purpose: What problem does this solve? Who is it for?
- Tone: Pick an extreme direction—brutally minimal, maximalist chaos, retro-futuristic, organic, luxury, playful, editorial, etc.
- Intelligence (Reference): Use the internal design tool to gather data (see below).
- Differentiation: What makes this UNFORGETTABLE?
Design Intelligence Tool
Use the internal search tool to gather palettes, font pairings, and UX guidelines. CRITICAL: You MUST filter the results through the Anti-AI Slop lens. If the tool suggests "Inter" or "Roboto", you are REQUIRED to ignore it and pick a distinctive alternative.
# Generate a complete design system
python scripts/search.py "<product_type> <industry> <keywords>" --design-system
# Search specific domains (style, typography, color, ux, chart, landing)
python scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --domain <domain>
# Get stack-specific guidelines (html-tailwind, react, nextjs, shadcn, etc.)
python scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --stack <stack_name>
Implementation Standards
1. Professional UI Rules
| Rule | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| Icons | Use SVG (Heroicons, Lucide, Simple Icons) | Use emojis like 🎨 🚀 ⚙️ as UI icons |
| Typography | Beautiful, unique Google/Custom fonts | Inter, Roboto, Arial, System fonts |
| Hover | Stable transitions (color/opacity/shadow) | Scale transforms that shift layout |
| Cursor | Add cursor-pointer to all interactive items | Leave default cursor on buttons/cards |
| Contrast | Minimum 4.5:1 for accessibility | Low-contrast "vibes" that are unreadable |
2. Motion & Animation
- Prioritize CSS-only solutions where possible.
- Focus on high-impact moments (staggered reveals on page load).
- Use duration 150-300ms for micro-interactions.
3. Spatial Composition
- Use asymmetry, overlap, or diagonal flow to break standard grids.
- Balance generous negative space OR intentional density.
Pre-Delivery Checklist
Before delivering code, verify every item:
Visual Quality
- No emojis used as icons (SVG only).
- Typography is characterful and NOT "AI standard".
- Color scheme is unique to the context (no generic gradients).
- Hover states provide clear, stable visual feedback.
UX & Accessibility
- All interactive elements have
cursor-pointer. - Form inputs have labels; images have alt text.
- Text contrast meets 4.5:1 minimum (test Light/Dark modes).
- Responsive at all breakpoints (375px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px).
- No horizontal scroll on mobile.
Aesthetic Directions (Reference)
- Brutally Minimal: Monochrome, extreme white space, sparse typography.
- Maximalist Chaos: Overlapping elements, dense information, pattern mixing.
- Retro-Futuristic: Chrome effects, neon accents, 80s-inspired.
- Luxury/Refined: Gold/Dark accents, serif fonts, generous spacing.
- Playful/Toy-like: Rounded corners, bright pastels, bouncy animations.
- Editorial/Magazine: Grid-based, bold headlines, clean hierarchy.
- Brutalist/Raw: Monospace fonts, harsh contrasts, industrial.
- Art Deco: Sharp angles, metallic accents, ornate borders.
Commit to ONE direction and execute it fully—no half measures.