home / skills / madappgang / claude-code / ui-style-format
This skill helps you create, validate, and parse UI design style definitions with reference image support.
npx playbooks add skill madappgang/claude-code --skill ui-style-formatReview the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.
---
name: ui-style-format
version: 1.0.0
description: |
UI design style file format specification with reference image support.
Defines the schema for .claude/design-style.md and .claude/design-references/.
Use when creating, validating, or parsing project design styles.
---
# UI Style Format Specification
## Overview
The UI Style system provides a standardized way to define project design preferences
that the `ui` agent uses during design reviews. It supports both text-based style
definitions and visual reference images.
## File Structure
```
{project}/
.claude/
design-style.md # Main style configuration
design-references/ # Visual reference images
{image}.png # PNG or JPG screenshots
MANIFEST.md # Optional metadata
```
## design-style.md Schema
### Required Sections
| Section | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| Header | Version, dates, base reference |
| Reference Images | Links to visual references (v2.0+) |
| Brand Colors | Color palette with light/dark modes |
| Typography | Fonts and type scale |
| Spacing | Base unit and scale |
| Component Patterns | Button, input, card styles |
| Design Rules | DO and DON'T guidelines |
### Optional Sections
| Section | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| Reference URLs | External style guides |
| Style History | Change log |
| MANIFEST.md | Detailed image descriptions |
## Reference Images Integration
### Storage Location
All reference images MUST be stored in `.claude/design-references/`.
### Supported Formats
| Format | Extension | Recommended Use |
|--------|-----------|-----------------|
| PNG | .png | Screenshots, UI components |
| JPEG | .jpg, .jpeg | Photos, complex imagery |
| WebP | .webp | Modern alternative to PNG/JPEG |
### Image Table Format
In the style file, reference images are listed in a table:
```markdown
## Reference Images
| Image | Description | Captured | Mode |
|-------|-------------|----------|------|
| hero-section.png | Homepage hero | 2026-01-08 | light |
```
### Usage Guidelines Section
Each image should have usage notes:
```markdown
### Usage Guidelines
- **hero-section.png**: Reference for hero layout, gradient, CTA placement
```
## Parsing the Style File
### Section Extraction
1. Read `.claude/design-style.md` with Read tool
2. Split by `## ` headers
3. Parse tables using Markdown table regex
4. Extract key-value pairs from tables
### Reference Image Resolution
```
Image Name -> .claude/design-references/{image_name}
```
Example:
```
hero-section.png -> .claude/design-references/hero-section.png
```
### Validation Checklist
Before using a style file, validate:
1. File exists at `.claude/design-style.md`
2. Required sections present
3. Referenced images exist in `.claude/design-references/`
4. Colors are valid hex codes
5. Spacing values are numbers
## Integration with ui Agent
### Style-Aware Review Flow
When the ui agent performs a review:
1. **Load Style**: Read `.claude/design-style.md`
2. **Load References**: List `.claude/design-references/`
3. **Match Components**: Find relevant reference images for review target
4. **Comparative Analysis**: Pass reference image + target to Gemini
5. **Validate Tokens**: Check colors, typography, spacing against style
### Gemini Prompt with References
```
Compare this implementation screenshot against the project design reference.
**Reference Image**: .claude/design-references/hero-section.png
**Implementation**: screenshots/current-hero.png
**Style Tokens** (from .claude/design-style.md):
- Primary Color: #2563EB
- Font: Inter 16px
- Spacing: 4px base
**Validate**:
1. Layout matches reference
2. Colors match defined palette
3. Typography follows scale
4. Spacing uses defined tokens
```
## Version Compatibility
| Version | Features |
|---------|----------|
| 1.x | Text-only style (legacy) |
| 2.x | Reference images + text style |
Version 2.x is backward compatible - the ui agent handles missing
`## Reference Images` section gracefully.
## Best Practices
### Capturing Reference Images
1. **Consistent viewport**: Use same browser width (e.g., 1440px)
2. **Clean state**: No modals, tooltips unless intentional
3. **Both modes**: Capture light and dark variants
4. **Component isolation**: Crop to relevant area
### Writing Usage Guidelines
Be specific about what each image demonstrates:
**Good**: "Reference for button padding (12px), border-radius (8px), and hover state"
**Bad**: "Button reference"
### Updating Styles
When UI changes:
1. Capture new screenshot
2. Replace old image (same name) or add new
3. Update Reference Images table
4. Add entry to Style History
This skill defines a file format and workflow for project UI design styles, combining text-based tokens and visual reference images. It standardizes where to store a design-style.md file and a design-references directory so the ui agent can load, validate, and use style tokens and screenshots during reviews.
The skill inspects a .claude/design-style.md document and the .claude/design-references/ folder. It parses top-level Markdown sections, reads reference-image tables and usage notes, resolves image file paths, and validates required tokens (colors, typography, spacing, components). It also provides a checklist and instructions for pairing reference images with implementation screenshots for comparative analysis.
What image formats are supported?
PNG and JPEG are supported; WebP is allowed as a modern alternative. Store them in .claude/design-references/.
What sections are required in the style file?
Header, Reference Images (v2+), Brand Colors, Typography, Spacing, Component Patterns, and Design Rules are required.