design-system

Q: How do I install design-system?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill design-system in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/design-system/ (personal) or .claude/skills/design-system/ (project).

by anthropics OfficialFrontend & Design

Audit, document, or extend your design system. Use when checking for naming inconsistencies or hardcoded values across components, writing documentation for a component's variants, states, and accessibility notes, or designing a new pattern that fits the existing system.

Installs: 4.3K
Last 24h: +18
Trending rank: #6324
Security: Pass

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill design-system

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads design-system automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

Security audits

Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.

Gen Agent Trust Hub PassSAFE ·This skill provides a structured framework for managing design systems. It involves a security consideration regarding the ingestion of external data from design tools and documentation, which is a common requirement for its primary purpose. No executable code or dangerous patterns were detected.

Socket PassNo alerts

Snyk PassLOW ·Risk: LOW · No issues

Runlayer PassNONE ·1 file scanned · No issues

ZeroLeaks PassLOW ·1 finding · Score: 86/100

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

/design-system

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Manage your design system — audit for consistency, document components, or design new patterns.

Usage

/design-system audit                    # Full system audit
/design-system document [component]     # Document a component
/design-system extend [pattern]         # Design a new component or pattern

Components of a Design System

Design Tokens

Atomic values that define the visual language:

Colors (brand, semantic, neutral)
Typography (scale, weights, line heights)
Spacing (scale, component padding)
Borders (radius, width)
Shadows (elevation levels)
Motion (durations, easings)

Components

Reusable UI elements with defined:

Variants (primary, secondary, ghost)
States (default, hover, active, disabled, loading, error)
Sizes (sm, md, lg)
Behavior (interactions, animations)
Accessibility (ARIA, keyboard)

Patterns

Common UI solutions combining components:

Forms (input groups, validation, submission)
Navigation (sidebar, tabs, breadcrumbs)
Data display (tables, cards, lists)
Feedback (toasts, modals, inline messages)

Principles

Consistency over creativity — The system exists so teams don't reinvent the wheel
Flexibility within constraints — Components should be composable, not rigid
Document everything — If it's not documented, it doesn't exist
Version and migrate — Breaking changes need migration paths

Output — Audit

## Design System Audit

### Summary
**Components reviewed:** [X] | **Issues found:** [X] | **Score:** [X/100]

### Naming Consistency
| Issue | Components | Recommendation |
|-------|------------|----------------|
| [Inconsistent naming] | [List] | [Standard to adopt] |

### Token Coverage
| Category | Defined | Hardcoded Values Found |
|----------|---------|----------------------|
| Colors | [X] | [X] instances of hardcoded hex |
| Spacing | [X] | [X] instances of arbitrary values |
| Typography | [X] | [X] instances of custom fonts/sizes |

### Component Completeness
| Component | States | Variants | Docs | Score |
|-----------|--------|----------|------|-------|
| Button | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | 8/10 |
| Input | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ | 5/10 |

### Priority Actions
1. [Most impactful improvement]
2. [Second priority]
3. [Third priority]

Output — Document

## Component: [Name]

### Description
[What this component is and when to use it]

### Variants
| Variant | Use When |
|---------|----------|
| [Primary] | [Main actions] |
| [Secondary] | [Supporting actions] |

### Props / Properties
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
|----------|------|---------|-------------|
| [prop] | [type] | [default] | [description] |

### States
| State | Visual | Behavior |
|-------|--------|----------|
| Default | [description] | — |
| Hover | [description] | [interaction] |
| Active | [description] | [interaction] |
| Disabled | [description] | Non-interactive |
| Loading | [description] | [animation] |

### Accessibility
- **Role**: [ARIA role]
- **Keyboard**: [Tab, Enter, Escape behavior]
- **Screen reader**: [Announced as...]

### Do's and Don'ts
| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|------|---------|
| [Best practice] | [Anti-pattern] |

### Code Example
[Framework-appropriate code snippet]

Output — Extend

## New Component: [Name]

### Problem
[What user need or gap this component addresses]

### Existing Patterns
| Related Component | Similarity | Why It's Not Enough |
|-------------------|-----------|---------------------|
| [Component] | [What's shared] | [What's missing] |

### Proposed Design

#### API / Props
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
|----------|------|---------|-------------|
| [prop] | [type] | [default] | [description] |

#### Variants
| Variant | Use When | Visual |
|---------|----------|--------|
| [Variant] | [Scenario] | [Description] |

#### States
| State | Behavior | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|
| Default | [Description] | — |
| Hover | [Description] | [Interaction] |
| Disabled | [Description] | Non-interactive |
| Loading | [Description] | [Animation] |

#### Tokens Used
- Colors: [Which tokens]
- Spacing: [Which tokens]
- Typography: [Which tokens]

### Accessibility
- **Role**: [ARIA role]
- **Keyboard**: [Expected interactions]
- **Screen reader**: [Announced as...]

### Open Questions
- [Decision that needs design review]
- [Edge case to resolve]

If Connectors Available

If ~~design tool is connected:

Audit components directly in Figma — check naming, variants, and token usage
Pull component properties and layer structure for documentation

If ~~knowledge base is connected:

Search for existing component documentation and usage guidelines
Publish updated documentation to your wiki

Tips

Start with an audit — Know where you are before deciding where to go.
Document as you build — It's easier to document a component while designing it.
Prioritize coverage over perfection — 80% of components documented beats 100% of 10 components.

FAQ

What does the design-system skill do?

How do I install design-system?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill design-system in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/design-system/ (personal) or .claude/skills/design-system/ (project).

Which AI agents can use design-system?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is design-system safe to install?

Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; Runlayer passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.

Who maintains design-system?

It is published by anthropics in anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 4,264 recorded installs.