ui-ux-pro-max

---
name: ui-ux-pro-max
description: UI/UX design-system intelligence - 84 styles, 192 palettes, 74 font pairings, 25 charts, 99 UX guidelines across 22 stacks (searchable dataset + CLI). Internal genjutsu module: loaded by /genjutsu:cast and /genjutsu:paint, not invoked directly.
license: MIT
---

# UI/UX Pro Max - Design Intelligence

Comprehensive design guide for web and mobile applications. Contains 84 styles, 192 color palettes, 74 font pairings, 99 UX guidelines, and 25 chart types across 22 technology stacks. Searchable database with priority-based recommendations.

## When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:
- Designing new UI components or pages
- Choosing color palettes and typography
- Reviewing code for UX issues
- Building landing pages or dashboards
- Implementing accessibility requirements

## Rule Categories by Priority

| Priority | Category | Impact | Domain |
|----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | Accessibility | CRITICAL | `ux` |
| 2 | Touch & Interaction | CRITICAL | `ux` |
| 3 | Performance | HIGH | `ux` |
| 4 | Layout & Responsive | HIGH | `ux` |
| 5 | Typography & Color | MEDIUM | `typography`, `color` |
| 6 | Animation | MEDIUM | `ux` |
| 7 | Style Selection | MEDIUM | `style`, `product` |
| 8 | Charts & Data | LOW | `chart` |

## Quick Reference

### 1. Accessibility (CRITICAL)

- `color-contrast` - Minimum 4.5:1 ratio for normal text
- `focus-states` - Visible focus rings on interactive elements
- `alt-text` - Descriptive alt text for meaningful images
- `aria-labels` - aria-label for icon-only buttons
- `keyboard-nav` - Tab order matches visual order
- `form-labels` - Use label with for attribute

### 2. Touch & Interaction (CRITICAL)

- `touch-target-size` - Minimum 44x44px touch targets
- `hover-vs-tap` - Use click/tap for primary interactions
- `loading-buttons` - Disable button during async operations
- `error-feedback` - Clear error messages near problem
- `cursor-pointer` - Add cursor-pointer to clickable elements

### 3. Performance (HIGH)

- `image-optimization` - Use WebP, srcset, lazy loading
- `reduced-motion` - Check prefers-reduced-motion
- `content-jumping` - Reserve space for async content

### 4. Layout & Responsive (HIGH)

- `viewport-meta` - width=device-width initial-scale=1
- `readable-font-size` - Minimum 16px body text on mobile
- `horizontal-scroll` - Ensure content fits viewport width
- `z-index-management` - Define z-index scale (10, 20, 30, 50)

### 5. Typography & Color (MEDIUM)

- `line-height` - Use 1.5-1.75 for body text
- `line-length` - Limit to 65-75 characters per line
- `font-pairing` - Match heading/body font personalities

### 6. Animation (MEDIUM)

- `duration-timing` - Use 150-300ms for micro-interactions
- `transform-performance` - Use transform/opacity, not width/height
- `loading-states` - Skeleton screens or spinners

### 7. Style Selection (MEDIUM)

- `style-match` - Match style to product type
- `consistency` - Use same style across all pages
- `no-emoji-icons` - Use SVG icons, not emojis

### 8. Charts & Data (LOW)

- `chart-type` - Match chart type to data type
- `color-guidance` - Use accessible color palettes
- `data-table` - Provide table alternative for accessibility

## How to Use

Search specific domains using the CLI tool below.

---

## Prerequisites

Requires `python3` (available by default in the Claude Code shell and in claude.ai's code-execution sandbox). This skill does not install anything.

---

## How to Use This Skill

When user requests UI/UX work (design, build, create, implement, review, fix, improve), follow this workflow:

**First, enter this skill's directory** so the `scripts/` and `data/` paths below resolve (the working directory persists across the subsequent commands):

```bash
# Reads run from the skill dir; --persist writes to the project root.
PROJECT_ROOT="$PWD"
# Use the base path the orchestrator already resolved, else locate this skill.
UIUX_DIR="${SKILL_BASE:+$SKILL_BASE/ui-ux-pro-max}"
[ -d "$UIUX_DIR" ] || UIUX_DIR="$(find "$HOME/.claude/plugins" /mnt/skills -type d -name ui-ux-pro-max 2>/dev/null | sort -V | tail -1)"
cd "$UIUX_DIR"
```

### Step 1: Analyze User Requirements

Extract key information from user request:
- **Product type**: SaaS, e-commerce, portfolio, dashboard, landing page, etc.
- **Style keywords**: minimal, playful, professional, elegant, dark mode, etc.
- **Industry**: healthcare, fintech, gaming, education, etc.
- **Stack**: React, Vue, Next.js, or default to `html-tailwind`

### Step 2: Generate Design System (REQUIRED)

**Always start with `--design-system`** to get comprehensive recommendations with reasoning:

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "<product_type> <industry> <keywords>" --design-system [-p "Project Name"]
```

This command:
1. Searches 5 domains in parallel (product, style, color, landing, typography)
2. Applies reasoning rules from `ui-reasoning.csv` to select best matches
3. Returns complete design system: pattern, style, colors, typography, effects
4. Includes anti-patterns to avoid

**Example:**
```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "beauty spa wellness service" --design-system -p "Serenity Spa"
```

### Step 2b: Persist Design System (Master + Overrides Pattern)

To save the design system for **hierarchical retrieval across sessions**, add `--persist` (point `--output-dir` at the project root so files land there, not in the skill dir):

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system --persist -p "Project Name" --output-dir "$PROJECT_ROOT"
```

This creates:
- `design-system/<project-slug>/MASTER.md` — Global Source of Truth with all design rules
- `design-system/<project-slug>/pages/` — Folder for page-specific overrides

`--persist` skips writing if `MASTER.md` already exists; add `--force` to overwrite.

**With page-specific override:**
```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "<query>" --design-system --persist -p "Project Name" --page "dashboard" --output-dir "$PROJECT_ROOT"
```

This also creates:
- `design-system/<project-slug>/pages/dashboard.md` — Page-specific deviations from Master

**How hierarchical retrieval works:**
1. When building a specific page (e.g., "Checkout"), first check `design-system/<project-slug>/pages/checkout.md`
2. If the page file exists, its rules **override** the Master file
3. If not, use `design-system/<project-slug>/MASTER.md` exclusively

**Context-aware retrieval prompt:**
```
I am building the [Page Name] page. Please read design-system/MASTER.md.
Also check if design-system/pages/[page-name].md exists.
If the page file exists, prioritize its rules.
If not, use the Master rules exclusively.
Now, generate the code...
```

### Step 3: Supplement with Detailed Searches (as needed)

After getting the design system, use domain searches to get additional details:

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --domain <domain> [-n <max_results>]
```

**When to use detailed searches:**

| Need | Domain | Example |
|------|--------|---------|
| More style options | `style` | `--domain style "glassmorphism dark"` |
| Chart recommendations | `chart` | `--domain chart "real-time dashboard"` |
| UX best practices | `ux` | `--domain ux "animation accessibility"` |
| Alternative fonts | `typography` | `--domain typography "elegant luxury"` |
| Landing structure | `landing` | `--domain landing "hero social-proof"` |

### Step 4: Stack Guidelines (Default: html-tailwind)

Get implementation-specific best practices. If user doesn't specify a stack, **default to `html-tailwind`**.

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "<keyword>" --stack html-tailwind
```

Available stacks: `html-tailwind`, `react`, `nextjs`, `astro`, `vue`, `nuxtjs`, `nuxt-ui`, `svelte`, `swiftui`, `react-native`, `flutter`, `shadcn`, `jetpack-compose`, `threejs`, `angular`, `laravel`, `javafx`, `wpf`, `winui`, `avalonia`, `uno`, `uwp`

---

## Search Reference

### Available Domains

| Domain | Use For | Example Keywords |
|--------|---------|------------------|
| `product` | Product type recommendations | SaaS, e-commerce, portfolio, healthcare, beauty, service |
| `style` | UI styles, colors, effects | glassmorphism, minimalism, dark mode, brutalism |
| `typography` | Font pairings, Google Fonts | elegant, playful, professional, modern |
| `color` | Color palettes (full token sets) | saas, ecommerce, healthcare, beauty, fintech, service |
| `landing` | Page structure, CTA strategies | hero, hero-centric, testimonial, pricing, social-proof |
| `chart` | Chart types, library recommendations | trend, comparison, timeline, funnel, pie |
| `ux` | Best practices, anti-patterns | animation, accessibility, z-index, loading |
| `icons` | Icon set + import guidance | outline, solid, brand, navigation |
| `react` | React/Next.js performance | waterfall, bundle, suspense, memo, rerender, cache |
| `web` | App/web interface guidelines | aria, focus, keyboard, semantic, virtualize |
| `gsap` | Motion snippets (feeds the `--motion` dial) | reveal, parallax, stagger, scroll |
| `google-fonts` | Google Fonts lookup | serif, mono, display, variable |

### Available Stacks

| Stack | Focus |
|-------|-------|
| `html-tailwind` | Tailwind utilities, responsive, a11y (DEFAULT) |
| `react` | State, hooks, performance, patterns |
| `nextjs` | SSR, routing, images, API routes |
| `astro` | Islands architecture, partial hydration, content-driven |
| `vue` | Composition API, Pinia, Vue Router |
| `nuxtjs` | Nuxt 3, composables, SSR/SSG, auto-imports |
| `nuxt-ui` | Nuxt UI components, theming, forms |
| `svelte` | Runes, stores, SvelteKit |
| `swiftui` | Views, State, Navigation, Animation |
| `react-native` | Components, Navigation, Lists |
| `flutter` | Widgets, State, Layout, Theming |
| `shadcn` | shadcn/ui components, theming, forms, patterns |
| `jetpack-compose` | Composables, Modifiers, State Hoisting, Recomposition |
| `threejs` | Three.js scenes, materials, R3F patterns |
| `angular` | Components, signals, RxJS, standalone APIs |
| `laravel` | Blade, Livewire, Tailwind, form patterns |
| `javafx` | Scene graph, FXML, CSS, controls |
| `wpf` | XAML, MVVM, bindings, styles |
| `winui` | WinUI 3, XAML, Fluent, bindings |
| `avalonia` | Cross-platform XAML, MVVM, styling |
| `uno` | Uno Platform, WinUI XAML cross-target |
| `uwp` | UWP XAML, Fluent, adaptive UI |

---

## Example Workflow

**User request:** "Build a landing page for a professional skincare service"

### Step 1: Analyze Requirements
- Product type: Beauty/Spa service
- Style keywords: elegant, professional, soft
- Industry: Beauty/Wellness
- Stack: html-tailwind (default)

### Step 2: Generate Design System (REQUIRED)

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "beauty spa wellness service elegant" --design-system -p "Serenity Spa"
```

**Output:** Complete design system with pattern, style, colors, typography, effects, and anti-patterns.

### Step 3: Supplement with Detailed Searches (as needed)

```bash
# Get UX guidelines for animation and accessibility
python3 scripts/search.py "animation accessibility" --domain ux

# Get alternative typography options if needed
python3 scripts/search.py "elegant luxury serif" --domain typography
```

### Step 4: Stack Guidelines

```bash
python3 scripts/search.py "layout responsive form" --stack html-tailwind
```

**Then:** Synthesize design system + detailed searches and implement the design.

---

## Output Formats

The `--design-system` flag supports two output formats:

```bash
# ASCII box (default) - best for terminal display
python3 scripts/search.py "fintech crypto" --design-system

# Markdown - best for documentation
python3 scripts/search.py "fintech crypto" --design-system -f markdown
```

---

## Tips for Better Results

1. **Be specific with keywords** - "healthcare SaaS dashboard" > "app"
2. **Search multiple times** - Different keywords reveal different insights
3. **Combine domains** - Style + Typography + Color = Complete design system
4. **Always check UX** - Search "animation", "z-index", "accessibility" for common issues
5. **Use stack flag** - Get implementation-specific best practices
6. **Iterate** - If first search doesn't match, try different keywords

---

## Common Rules for Professional UI

These are frequently overlooked issues that make UI look unprofessional:

### Icons & Visual Elements

| Rule | Do | Don't |
|------|----|----- |
| **No emoji icons** | Use SVG icons (Heroicons, Lucide, Simple Icons) | Use emojis like 🎨 🚀 ⚙️ as UI icons |
| **Stable hover states** | Use color/opacity transitions on hover | Use scale transforms that shift layout |
| **Correct brand logos** | Research official SVG from Simple Icons | Guess or use incorrect logo paths |
| **Consistent icon sizing** | Use fixed viewBox (24x24) with w-6 h-6 | Mix different icon sizes randomly |

### Interaction & Cursor

| Rule | Do | Don't |
|------|----|----- |
| **Cursor pointer** | Add `cursor-pointer` to all clickable/hoverable cards | Leave default cursor on interactive elements |
| **Hover feedback** | Provide visual feedback (color, shadow, border) | No indication element is interactive |
| **Smooth transitions** | Use `transition-colors duration-200` | Instant state changes or too slow (>500ms) |

### Light/Dark Mode Contrast

| Rule | Do | Don't |
|------|----|----- |
| **Glass card light mode** | Use `bg-white/80` or higher opacity | Use `bg-white/10` (too transparent) |
| **Text contrast light** | Use `#0F172A` (slate-900) for text | Use `#94A3B8` (slate-400) for body text |
| **Muted text light** | Use `#475569` (slate-600) minimum | Use gray-400 or lighter |
| **Border visibility** | Use `border-gray-200` in light mode | Use `border-white/10` (invisible) |

### Layout & Spacing

| Rule | Do | Don't |
|------|----|----- |
| **Floating navbar** | Add `top-4 left-4 right-4` spacing | Stick navbar to `top-0 left-0 right-0` |
| **Content padding** | Account for fixed navbar height | Let content hide behind fixed elements |
| **Consistent max-width** | Use same `max-w-6xl` or `max-w-7xl` | Mix different container widths |

---

## Pre-Delivery Checklist

Before delivering UI code, verify these items:

### Visual Quality
- [ ] No emojis used as icons (use SVG instead)
- [ ] All icons from consistent icon set (Heroicons/Lucide)
- [ ] Brand logos are correct (verified from Simple Icons)
- [ ] Hover states don't cause layout shift
- [ ] Use theme colors directly (bg-primary) not var() wrapper

### Interaction
- [ ] All clickable elements have `cursor-pointer`
- [ ] Hover states provide clear visual feedback
- [ ] Transitions are smooth (150-300ms)
- [ ] Focus states visible for keyboard navigation

### Light/Dark Mode
- [ ] Light mode text has sufficient contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
- [ ] Glass/transparent elements visible in light mode
- [ ] Borders visible in both modes
- [ ] Test both modes before delivery

### Layout
- [ ] Floating elements have proper spacing from edges
- [ ] No content hidden behind fixed navbars
- [ ] Responsive at 375px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px
- [ ] No horizontal scroll on mobile

### Accessibility
- [ ] All images have alt text
- [ ] Form inputs have labels
- [ ] Color is not the only indicator
- [ ] `prefers-reduced-motion` respected