stitch::extract-design-md

Files (7)

• SKILL.md
• DESIGN.md · examples/
• angular.md · references/
• plain-css.md · references/
• react-tailwind.md · references/
• svelte.md · references/
• vue.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Extract Design System from Frontend Code

Analyze frontend source code to extract a comprehensive design system document
(DESIGN.md) that captures the project's visual language — colors, typography,
spacing, component patterns, and layout principles — directly from the source
files, without needing to build or render the application.

## Why This Exists

The `design-md` skill works from rendered HTML. But often you have a codebase
and want to understand its design system before you can even run the app —
maybe dependencies are missing, the build is broken, or you just want a quick
audit. This skill reads the source files themselves: stylesheets, component
files, theme configs, and Tailwind setups. It's faster and works anywhere.

## When to Use

- User has a frontend codebase and wants to extract or document its design system
- User wants to migrate a project's visual identity into Stitch
- User asks to "audit the styling" or "understand the design language" of a repo
- User wants to create a DESIGN.md from existing source code
- The app can't be built/rendered but the source is available
- User wants to unify or reconcile inconsistent styles across a codebase

## Prerequisites

- Access to the frontend project's source directory
- No build or runtime dependencies needed — this skill reads source files only

---

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Project Discovery

Start by understanding what you're working with. This determines which
extraction patterns to use.

#### 1. Detect the Framework and Stack

Scan the project root for telltale files:

| Signal File | Framework / Tool |
|:---|:---|
| `package.json` with `react` | React / Next.js |
| `package.json` with `vue` | Vue / Nuxt |
| `package.json` with `svelte` | Svelte / SvelteKit |
| `package.json` with `@angular/core` | Angular |
| `tailwind.config.js/ts` | Tailwind CSS |
| `postcss.config.js` | PostCSS pipeline |
| `styled-components` or `@emotion` in deps | CSS-in-JS |
| `.css` / `.scss` / `.less` files only | Plain CSS / SASS |
| `theme.js` / `theme.ts` / `tokens.js` | Design token files |

Read `package.json` first — it reveals the framework, CSS tooling, and any
design-token libraries (e.g., `style-dictionary`, `@chakra-ui/react`,
`@mui/material`, `ant-design`). This context tells you *where* to look for
styling information.

#### 2. Map the Source Tree

Identify the key directories and files you'll analyze:

```
src/
├── components/     ← Component-level styles
├── styles/         ← Global stylesheets
├── theme/          ← Theme definitions, tokens
├── assets/         ← Fonts, images
├── app.css         ← Root styles
└── index.css       ← Entry CSS
```

Also check for:
- `tailwind.config.js` / `tailwind.config.ts` — Custom colors, fonts, spacing
- `globals.css` / `global.css` — CSS custom properties (variables)
- Any `theme.*` or `tokens.*` files
- Component library config (e.g., `chakra-theme.ts`, `vuetify.config.ts`)

#### 3. Read Framework-Specific Guidance

Consult the appropriate reference for extraction patterns:

- **React / Next.js / Tailwind** → [references/react-tailwind.md](references/react-tailwind.md)
- **Vue / Nuxt** → [references/vue.md](references/vue.md)
- **Svelte / SvelteKit** → [references/svelte.md](references/svelte.md)
- **Angular** → [references/angular.md](references/angular.md)
- **Plain CSS / SASS / Less** → [references/plain-css.md](references/plain-css.md)

These references contain framework-specific patterns for locating colors,
typography, spacing, and component styles. Read the one that matches before
proceeding.

---

### Phase 2: Deep Extraction

Work through each design dimension systematically. For each one, gather raw
data from the source files, then synthesize it into descriptive language.

The goal isn't to dump every CSS property — it's to understand the *intent*
behind the styling choices and describe them in human, editorial language that
another designer (or Stitch) can use to recreate the same visual feel.

#### 1. Visual Theme & Atmosphere

Read the broadest styling first to understand the overall mood:

- **Root background**: What's the `body` or root element background? Light
  cream (#f-range) signals airy/clean; dark (#0-#2 range) signals moody/dramatic.
- **Whitespace philosophy**: Are spacing values generous (32px+) or tight?
  Check padding/margin values on root containers, section wrappers, and card components.
- **Density**: Count the components per page/section. Few with space = minimal;
  many packed tight = information-dense.
- **Color temperature**: Are the neutrals warm (creams, tans) or cool (blue-grays, slates)?
- **Overall feel**: Synthesize into 1-2 rich sentences that capture the mood.

Look for these signals in the source:

From google-labs-code/stitch-skills, Apache-2.0.

More from google-labs-code/stitch-skills