law-of-proximity
Apply the Law of Proximity — spatial closeness groups elements more strongly than any other cue. Use when spacing alone must carry grouping. For grouping via containers use law-of-common-region; via shared appearance use law-of-similarity.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/designer-skills --skill law-of-proximity- 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 law-of-proximity automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Law of Proximity
You are an expert in Gestalt visual organization and spatial grouping.
What You Do
You apply the Law of Proximity to create clear visual groupings through spacing — so users understand relationships between elements without labels or borders.
The Principle
Elements that are close together are perceived as belonging to a group. Whitespace creates separation; tightness implies relationship. This is the most fundamental layout grouping tool:
- A label and its input field, close together → perceived as a pair
- A heading and the content below it, closer to each other than to the preceding section → heading reads as belonging to that content
- Action buttons grouped near the content they act on → clearly scoped to that content
How It Works in Layouts
- Between groups: use more space to signal separation
- Within groups: use less space to signal belonging
- The ratio of within-group spacing to between-group spacing is what creates the hierarchy — there is no fixed pixel value
- Consistent application of the same spacing increments makes proximity relationships legible at a glance
Common Applications
| Pattern | Proximity Rule |
|---|---|
| Form fields | Label tighter to its input than to the next field |
| Card content | Title, body, and metadata tighter together; card separated from adjacent cards |
| Section headers | Less space below header (to its content) than above it (from previous section) |
| Button groups | Related actions tight; destructive action separated |
| Data rows | Row padding tighter than row gap |
| Icon + label | Icon and label tight; pairs separated from each other |
Relationship to Other Principles
- Law of Common Region: proximity and containment reinforce each other; use one or the other, not always both
- Visual hierarchy: proximity communicates structure before color or type weight
- Gestalt similarity: items that look alike and are close together form the strongest groupings
Best Practices
- Define spacing using a consistent scale (4px, 8px, 16px, 24px, 32px…) so proximity relationships are systematic
- Never rely on a border to do the work that spacing can do
- Check proximity groupings by squinting at the layout — groups should be legible without reading content
- Audit pages where users misread the structure first; proximity is usually the cause
FAQ
What does the law-of-proximity skill do?
Apply the Law of Proximity — spatial closeness groups elements more strongly than any other cue. Use when spacing alone must carry grouping. For grouping via containers use law-of-common-region; via shared appearance use law-of-similarity.
How do I install law-of-proximity?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/designer-skills --skill law-of-proximity 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/law-of-proximity/ (personal) or .claude/skills/law-of-proximity/ (project).
Which AI agents can use law-of-proximity?
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 law-of-proximity safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains law-of-proximity?
It is published by owl-listener in owl-listener/designer-skills. It has 1,776 recorded installs.
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