Comprehensive guide for creating professional UI/UX designs in Penpot using MCP tools. Use this skill when: (1) Creating new UI/UX designs for web, mobile, or desktop applications, (2) Building design systems with components and tokens, (3) Designing dashboards, forms, navigation, or landing pages,

Penpot UI/UX Design Guide Create professional, user centered designs in Penpot using the penpot/penpot mcp MCP server and proven UI/UX principles. Available MCP Tools Tool Purpose mcp penpot execute code Run JavaScript in Penpot plugin context to create/modify designs mcp penpot export shape Export shapes as PNG/SVG for visual inspection mcp penpot import image Import images (icons, photos, logos) into designs mcp penpot penpot api info Retrieve Penpot API documentation MCP Server Setup The Penpot MCP tools require the penpot/penpot mcp server running locally. For detailed installation and troubleshooting, see [setup troubleshooting.md](references/setup troubleshooting.md). Before Setup: Check If Already Running Always check if the MCP server is already available before attempting setup: 1. Try calling a tool first : Attempt mcp penpot penpot api info if it succeeds, the server is running and connected. No setup needed. 2. If the tool fails , ask the user: "The Penpot MCP server doesn't appear to be connected. Is the server already installed and running? If so, I can help troubleshoot. If not, I can guide you through the setup." 3. Only proceed with setup instructions if the user confirms the server is not installed. Quick Start (Only If Not Installed) Then in Penpot: 1. Open a design file 2. Go to Plugins → Load plugin from URL 3. Enter: http://localhost:4400/manifest.json 4. Click "Connect to MCP server" in the plugin UI VS Code Configuration Add to settings.json : Troubleshooting (If Server Is Installed But Not Working) Issue Solution Plugin won't connect Check servers are running ( npm run start:all in penpot mcp dir) Browser blocks localhost Allow local network access prompt, or disable Brave Shield, or try Firefox Tools not appearing in client Restart VS Code/Claude completely after config changes Tool execution fails/times out Ensure Penpot plugin UI is open and shows "Connected" "WebSocket connection failed" Check firewall allows ports 4400, 4401, 4402 Quick Reference Task Reference File MCP server installation & troubleshooting [setup troubleshooting.md](references/setup troubleshooting.md) Component specs (buttons, forms, nav) [component patterns.md](references/component patterns.md) Accessibility (contrast, touch targets) [accessibility.md](references/accessibility.md) Screen sizes & platform specs [platform guidelines.md](references/platform guidelines.md) Core Design Principles The Golden Rules 1. Clarity over cleverness : Every element must have a purpose 2. Consistency builds trust : Reuse patterns, colors, and components 3. User goals first : Design for tasks, not features 4. Accessibility is not optional : Design for everyone 5. Test with real users : Validate assumptions early Visual Hierarchy (Priority Order) 1. Size : Larger = more important 2. Color/Contrast : High contrast draws attention 3. Position : Top left (LTR) gets seen first 4. Whitespace : Isolation emphasizes importance 5. Typography weight : Bold stands out Design Workflow 1. Check for design system first : Ask user if they have existing tokens/specs, or discover from current Penpot file 2. Understand the page : Call mcp penpot execute code with penpotUtils.shapeStructure() to see hierarchy 3. Find elements : Use penpotUtils.findShapes() to locate elements by type or name 4. Create/modify : Use penpot.createBoard() , penpot.createRectangle() , penpot.createText() etc. 5. Apply layout : Use addFlexLayout() for responsive containers 6. Validate : Call mcp penpot export shape to visually check your work Design System Handling Before creating designs, determine if the user has an existing design system: 1. Ask the user : "Do you have a design system or brand guidelines to follow?" 2. Discover from Penpot : Check for existing components, colors, and patterns If user HAS a design system: Use their specified colors, spacing, typography Match their existing component patterns Follow their naming conventions If user has NO design system: Use the default tokens below as a starting point Offer to help establish consistent patterns Reference specs in [component patterns.md](references/component patterns.md) Key Penpot API Gotchas width / height are READ ONLY → use shape.resize(w, h) parentX / parentY are READ ONLY → use penpotUtils.setParentXY(shape, x, y) Use insertChild(index, shape) for z ordering (not appendChild ) Flex children array order is REVERSED for dir="column" or dir="row" After text.resize() , reset growType to "auto width" or "auto height" Positioning New Boards Always check existing boards before creating new ones to avoid overlap: Board spacing guidelines: Use 100px gap between related screens (same flow) Use 200px+ gap between different sections/flows Align boards vertically (same y) for visual organization Group related screens horizontally in user flow order Default Design Tokens Use these defaults only when user has no design system. Always prefer user's tokens if available. Spacing Scale (8px base) Token Value Usage spacing xs 4px Tight inline elements spacing sm 8px Related elements spacing md 16px Default padding spacing lg 24px Section spacing spacing xl 32px Major sections spacing 2xl 48px Page level spacing Typography Scale Level Size Weight Usage Display 48 64px Bold Hero headlines H1 32 40px Bold Page titles H2 24 28px Semibold Section headers H3 20 22px Semibold Subsections Body 16px Regular Main content Small 14px Regular Secondary text Caption 12px Regular Labels, hints Color Usage Purpose Recommendation Primary Main brand color, CTAs Secondary Supporting actions Success 22C55E range (confirmations) Warning F59E0B range (caution) Error EF4444 range (errors) Neutral Gray scale for text/borders Common Layouts Mobile Screen (375×812) Desktop Dashboard (1440×900) Component Checklist Buttons [ ] Clear, action oriented label (2 3 words) [ ] Minimum touch target: 44×44px [ ] Visual states: default, hover, active, disabled, loading [ ] Sufficient contrast (3:1 against background) [ ] Consistent border radius across app Forms [ ] Labels above inputs (not just placeholders) [ ] Required field indicators [ ] Error messages adjacent to fields [ ] Logical tab order [ ] Input types match content (email, tel, etc.) Navigation [ ] Current location clearly indicated [ ] Consistent position across screens [ ] Maximum 7±2 top level items [ ] Touch friendly on mobile (48px targets) Accessibility Quick Checks 1. Color contrast : Text 4.5:1, Large text 3:1 2. Touch targets : Minimum 44×44px 3. Focus states : Visible keyboard focus indicators 4. Alt text : Meaningful descriptions for images 5. Hierarchy : Proper heading levels (H1→H2→H3) 6. Color independence : Never rely solely on color Design Review Checklist Before finalizing any design: [ ] Visual hierarchy is clear [ ] Consistent spacing and alignment [ ] Typography is readable (16px+ body text) [ ] Color contrast meets WCAG AA [ ] Interactive elements are obvious [ ] Mobile friendly touch targets [ ] Loading/empty/error states considered [ ] Consistent with design system Validating Designs Use these validation approaches with mcp penpot execute code : Check Method Elements outside bounds penpotUtils.analyzeDescendants() with isContainedIn() Text too small (<12px) penpotUtils.findShapes() filtering by fontSize Missing contrast Call mcp penpot export shape and visually inspect Hierarchy structure penpotUtils.shapeStructure() to review nesting Export CSS Use penpot.generateStyle(selection, { type: 'css', includeChildren: true }) via mcp penpot execute code to extract CSS from designs. Tips for Great Designs 1. Start with content : Real content reveals layout needs 2. Design mobile first : Constraints breed creativity 3. Use a grid : 8px base grid keeps things aligned 4. Limit colors : 1 primary + 1 secondary + neutrals 5. Limit fonts : 1 2 typefaces maximum 6. Embrace whitespace : Breathing room improves comprehension 7. Be consistent : Same action = same appearance everywhere 8. Provide feedback : Every action needs a response

penpot-uiux-design