Generate a design tokens file (CSS variables or Tailwind config) based on a chosen aesthetic philosophy, with light and dark mode palettes, spacing scale, type ramp, and component-level tokens. Use when starting a new project, establishing a visual system, setting up tokens, or mentions "tokens" or

This skill generates the foundational design tokens for a project. Run this after the design brief and before building any components. Every component built after this references these tokens instead of hardcoding values. Example prompts "Set up design tokens for this project" "Generate a token system based on Dieter Rams" "I need a spacing scale and color palette before I start building" "Create tokens that match our brief" Process 1. Check what already exists. Before generating anything, scan the codebase for: CSS variable definitions ( :root , [data theme] , custom property files) Tailwind config ( tailwind.config.js , tailwind.config.ts ) and any theme extensions Theme provider files (Material UI createTheme , Chakra extendTheme , shadcn globals.css ) Design token JSON files (Style Dictionary format, Figma token exports) Any tokens.css , variables.css , theme.css , or similarly named files package.json for UI framework dependencies (tailwindcss, @mui/material, @chakra ui/react, etc.) If tokens already exist, extend them rather than replacing. Identify gaps (missing dark mode, incomplete spacing scale, no motion tokens) and fill those. 2. Read the brief. Look for a design brief at .design/ /DESIGN BRIEF.md . If multiple subfolders exist, use the most recently modified one, or ask the user which feature they are working on. If a philosophy is named, use the parameters from /frontend design to derive token values. If no brief exists, ask the user what direction they want. 3. Generate tokens in the format that matches the project's tech stack: Tailwind project → extend tailwind.config.js and write to globals.css CSS/HTML project → write to a tokens.css file CSS in JS project → write to a theme.ts or theme.js file If unclear, default to CSS custom properties (most portable) 4. Always generate both light and dark mode palettes. Use [data theme="dark"] or prefers color scheme media query. Both palettes should feel intentional for the chosen philosophy, not just inverted values. Token Categories Color Spacing Generate a consistent scale. The base unit should match the philosophy: Tight philosophies (Brutalist, Swiss): 4px base Balanced philosophies (Rams, Scandinavian): 4px or 8px base Spacious philosophies (Japanese Minimalism, Editorial): 8px base with larger multipliers Typography Layout Motion Responsive Breakpoints Dark Mode Always generate dark mode tokens alongside light mode. Rules: Do not simply invert colors. Dark backgrounds should be warm or cool depending on the philosophy. Reduce contrast slightly in dark mode (pure white text on pure black is harsh). Shadows should use darker, more transparent values in dark mode, not the same shadows as light. Accent colors may need lightness adjustments to maintain contrast ratios. Include a prefers color scheme media query AND a [data theme="dark"] attribute selector so the user can support both system preference and manual toggle. Output Save the tokens file in the appropriate location for the project's tech stack. State which philosophy the tokens are derived from and note any deviations or choices made.

design-tokens