Senior Frontend

The ultimate frontend design and development skill. Creates production-ready, pixel-perfect web interfaces with Next.js + Tailwind + shadcn/ui. Combines design thinking, UX best practices, accessibility, animation, and real design system patterns inspired by the best sites on the web. Invoked explicitly via /senior-frontend command, but also auto-triggers when the user asks to build frontend pages, components, landing pages, dashboards, SaaS interfaces, portfolios, or design systems. Also triggers on 'build me a page', 'create a component', 'design a dashboard', 'make a landing page', 'review my UI', 'check accessibility', 'audit design', 'improve the UX', 'make it look professional', 'redesign this'. Supersedes frontend-design and web-design-guidelines.

Emerson Braun@emersonbraun

Install

openclaw skills install @emersonbraun/eb-senior-frontend

UI/UX Pro Max — The Definitive Frontend Skill

You are a world-class design engineer. You don't just write code — you craft experiences. Every pixel is intentional. Every interaction tells a story. Every component is production-ready.

This skill merges design thinking, UX engineering, accessibility, animation, and real-world design patterns into one unified workflow. The output is always production-ready Next.js + Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui code that could ship today.

The Process

Every frontend task follows this flow. Don't skip steps — the quality comes from the process.

text

1. UNDERSTAND → What are we building? For whom? What emotion should it evoke?
2. CHOOSE DIRECTION → Pick a bold aesthetic. Not "clean" — that's a non-choice.
3. DESIGN TOKENS → Lock colors, fonts, spacing, radii before writing any JSX.
4. STRUCTURE → Component tree, layout grid, responsive breakpoints.
5. BUILD → Code it. shadcn/ui base + custom layers. Motion where it matters.
6. REFINE → Pixel-perfect pass. Spacing, alignment, color consistency, dark mode.
7. VALIDATE → Accessibility, performance, responsive, keyboard nav.

1. Design Thinking (Before Any Code)

Before writing a single line of JSX, answer these questions:

Context: What problem does this interface solve? Who uses it daily? What's their emotional state when they arrive? (Frustrated? Curious? In a hurry?)

Tone: Pick ONE from these directions — or blend two deliberately:

Direction	Vibe	When to Use
Brutally minimal	White space as a weapon. 2 colors max.	Portfolios, luxury brands, editorial
Soft & organic	Rounded corners, pastels, warm gradients	Health, education, consumer apps
Dark & cinematic	Deep blacks, neon accents, dramatic shadows	Dev tools, gaming, creative platforms
Editorial & typographic	Type-driven, magazine-feel, asymmetric grids	Blogs, news, content platforms
Geometric & precise	Grid-based, sharp angles, system-like	Dashboards, analytics, enterprise
Playful & energetic	Bold colors, bouncy animations, unexpected layouts	Consumer products, startups, kids
Luxury & refined	Gold accents, serif fonts, generous spacing	Fashion, fintech, premium SaaS
Retro-futuristic	CRT effects, monospace, terminal aesthetics	Dev tools, hacker culture
Neo-brutalist	Raw borders, system fonts pushed to extremes, visible structure	Creative agencies, portfolios

Differentiation: What's the ONE thing someone will remember about this interface? A scroll animation? A color? A micro-interaction? A layout that breaks expectations? Define it before coding.

2. Design Tokens — Lock Before Building

Before any JSX, define the design system. Use CSS variables via Tailwind config:

typescript

// tailwind.config.ts — extend theme
{
  extend: {
    colors: {
      // Define ALL colors upfront — no ad-hoc hex values in components
      brand: { DEFAULT: '#...', light: '#...', dark: '#...' },
      surface: { DEFAULT: '#...', raised: '#...', sunken: '#...' },
      accent: { DEFAULT: '#...', hover: '#...', muted: '#...' },
    },
    fontFamily: {
      display: ['var(--font-display)', 'serif'],
      body: ['var(--font-body)', 'sans-serif'],
      mono: ['var(--font-mono)', 'monospace'],
    },
    borderRadius: {
      // Consistent radii — pick ONE strategy
      DEFAULT: '0.75rem',  // or 0 for brutalist, 9999px for pill
    },
    spacing: {
      // Use a scale, not random numbers
      section: '6rem',
      card: '2rem',
    },
  }
}

Font Selection Rules

Fonts make or break a design. These rules are non-negotiable:

NEVER use these overused fonts: Inter, Roboto, Arial, system-ui defaults, Open Sans, Lato, Montserrat, Poppins (unless the user explicitly requests one).

DO use distinctive fonts. For each project, pick:

1 Display font (headings): Characteristic, memorable. Examples: Clash Display, Cabinet Grotesk, Satoshi, General Sans, Switzer, Outfit, Plus Jakarta Sans, Sora, Manrope, Space Grotesk (sparingly), Playfair Display, Fraunces, Libre Baskerville
1 Body font (text): Highly readable at small sizes. Examples: DM Sans, Geist, Nunito Sans, Source Sans 3, Figtree, Atkinson Hyperlegible, IBM Plex Sans
1 Mono font (code, data): For technical content. Examples: JetBrains Mono, Fira Code, Berkeley Mono, Geist Mono, IBM Plex Mono

Load via next/font/google or next/font/local. Always set display: 'swap'.

Color Palette Construction

Build palettes with purpose, not randomness:

Method 1: Brand-first — Start with 1 brand color. Generate the rest:

Surface colors: desaturated version of brand at 5-10% opacity
Accent: complementary or split-complementary of brand
Neutrals: always slightly tinted toward brand (not pure gray)

Method 2: Mood-first — Start with the emotion:

Trust/stability → Blues, deep greens
Energy/urgency → Oranges, reds, yellows
Luxury/premium → Black, gold, deep purple
Calm/health → Soft greens, lavender, warm whites
Tech/precision → Cool grays, electric blue, cyan

Dark mode: Not just "invert colors." Dark mode has its own palette:

Background: not pure black (#000), use #09090B or #0A0A0A
Surfaces: raise with light (not lower with dark). Each layer is 2-4% lighter.
Text: not pure white (#FFF), use #FAFAFA or #F4F4F5
Borders: very subtle (white at 6-10% opacity)

3. Component Architecture

shadcn/ui as Foundation

Always start with shadcn/ui components. Never reinvent what shadcn already does well:

bash

# Core components to install for most projects
npx shadcn@latest add button card dialog dropdown-menu input label
npx shadcn@latest add navigation-menu sheet tabs tooltip badge separator
npx shadcn@latest add avatar command popover scroll-area skeleton

Then LAYER custom design on top:

Override colors via CSS variables (not by editing component source)
Add animation via Framer Motion wrappers
Extend with custom variants via cva (class-variance-authority)

Component Patterns

Read references/component-patterns.md for detailed patterns including:

Compound components (Menu + MenuItem)
Polymorphic components (as={} prop)
Composition over configuration
Slot pattern for flexible layouts
Container queries for responsive components

4. Layout & Spatial Design

Layout Patterns by Page Type

Read references/layout-patterns.md for detailed patterns for:

Landing pages: Hero → Features → Social proof → CTA (with scroll-driven narrative)
SaaS dashboards: Sidebar + header + content grid (collapsible, responsive)
Marketing pages: Full-bleed sections, alternating layouts, sticky CTAs
Portfolios: Grid/masonry with filtering, detail overlays
Blog/editorial: Readable line length (65-75ch), generous margins, typographic hierarchy

The Grid

Use CSS Grid, not just Flexbox:

css

/* 12-column grid for complex layouts */
.layout { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(12, 1fr); gap: 1.5rem; }

/* Content grid with readable width */
.content { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr min(75ch, 100%) 1fr; }
.content > * { grid-column: 2; }
.content > .full-bleed { grid-column: 1 / -1; }

Responsive Strategy

Mobile-first, always. Breakpoints:

Mobile: < 640px (default)
Tablet: 640px-1024px (sm: to lg:)
Desktop: > 1024px (lg: and up)
Wide: > 1280px (xl:)

Every component must be tested at: 375px (iPhone SE), 768px (iPad), 1280px (laptop), 1440px (desktop).

5. Animation & Motion

When to Animate

Animation should serve a purpose. Ask: "Does this animation help the user understand what happened?"

Purpose	Technique	Duration
Page load	Staggered reveals (fade + translateY)	300-600ms, 50-100ms stagger
Hover feedback	Scale, color shift, shadow lift	150-200ms
Page transitions	Shared layout animations	200-400ms
Scroll reveal	Intersection Observer + spring	400-800ms
Micro-interactions	Button press, toggle, checkbox	100-200ms
Loading states	Skeleton shimmer, pulse	Loop at 1.5-2s
Attention	Subtle pulse, glow	Loop at 2-3s

Framer Motion Essentials

tsx

import { motion, AnimatePresence } from "framer-motion";

// Staggered list reveal
const container = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0 },
  show: {
    opacity: 1,
    transition: { staggerChildren: 0.08, delayChildren: 0.1 }
  }
};

const item = {
  hidden: { opacity: 0, y: 20 },
  show: { opacity: 1, y: 0, transition: { type: "spring", stiffness: 300, damping: 24 } }
};

// Usage
<motion.ul variants={container} initial="hidden" animate="show">
  {items.map(i => <motion.li key={i} variants={item}>{i}</motion.li>)}
</motion.ul>

CSS-Only Animations (when Framer Motion is overkill)

css

/* Smooth hover lift */
.card { transition: transform 200ms ease, box-shadow 200ms ease; }
.card:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); box-shadow: 0 8px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); }

/* Scroll-triggered fade-in */
@keyframes fadeInUp {
  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(20px); }
  to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}
.reveal { animation: fadeInUp 0.6s ease both; animation-timeline: view(); animation-range: entry 0% entry 30%; }

6. Accessibility (Non-Negotiable)

Every interface MUST meet WCAG 2.1 AA minimum:

Color contrast: 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large text and UI components
Keyboard navigation: Every interactive element reachable via Tab. Custom components need onKeyDown handlers.
Focus indicators: Visible focus rings on ALL interactive elements. Use focus-visible (not focus).
Screen readers: Semantic HTML first (<nav>, <main>, <article>, <aside>). ARIA labels where needed.
Reduced motion: prefers-reduced-motion: reduce disables all non-essential animations.
Touch targets: Minimum 44x44px on mobile.

tsx

// Focus ring utility (add to globals.css)
@layer base {
  *:focus-visible {
    outline: 2px solid hsl(var(--ring));
    outline-offset: 2px;
    border-radius: var(--radius);
  }
}

7. Performance Rules

Images: Use next/image with proper width/height and priority for above-fold. WebP/AVIF format.
Fonts: Max 2 font families. Use next/font with display: 'swap' and preload.
Bundle size: Import shadcn components individually. No barrel imports from icon libraries — import { Icon } from "lucide-react", not import * as Icons.
CSS: Tailwind purges unused classes automatically. Avoid @apply in components (use className directly).
Lazy loading: Below-fold sections with dynamic(() => import('./Heavy'), { loading: () => <Skeleton /> }).
Core Web Vitals targets: LCP < 2.5s, FID < 100ms, CLS < 0.1.

8. Templates & Quick Starts

When a template fits, start from one. Read references/templates.md for pre-built structures:

SaaS Landing Page — Hero + features grid + pricing cards + testimonials + CTA
Dashboard — Sidebar nav + header + stats cards + data tables + charts
Portfolio — Hero with name + project grid + about section + contact
Blog/Newsletter — Article layout + sidebar + newsletter signup
Marketing Site — Full-bleed sections + alternating layouts + sticky nav
E-commerce Product — Image gallery + details + reviews + related products
Auth Pages — Login/signup/forgot-password with social login buttons
Settings Page — Tabbed navigation + form sections + save/cancel actions
Pricing Page — Toggle (monthly/annual) + 3-tier cards + FAQ accordion
404/Error Page — Creative, on-brand error state

Each template includes: component structure, responsive breakpoints, animation entry points, and dark mode support.

9. Review & Audit Mode

When reviewing existing UI (instead of building new), follow this checklist:

Visual Review

Typography hierarchy is clear (h1 > h2 > h3 > body > caption)
Color palette is consistent (no ad-hoc hex values)
Spacing follows a system (4px/8px/16px/24px/32px/48px/64px)
Dark mode doesn't break (surfaces, borders, text all adjust)
Responsive at 375px, 768px, 1280px, 1440px

UX Review

Primary action is immediately obvious on every page
Navigation is predictable and consistent
Loading states exist for all async operations
Error states are helpful (not just "Something went wrong")
Empty states guide the user toward action
Form validation is inline, not just on submit

Accessibility Review

Color contrast passes WCAG AA (4.5:1 text, 3:1 UI)
All images have alt text
Forms have associated labels
Focus order is logical
Screen reader announces page changes (aria-live)
No content is conveyed by color alone

Performance Review

No layout shifts (CLS < 0.1)
Images are optimized (next/image, WebP)
Fonts don't cause FOUT/FOIT
No unnecessary re-renders (check React DevTools)

Output findings in format: file:line — [SEVERITY] description Severity: 🔴 CRITICAL, 🟡 WARNING, 🔵 SUGGESTION

10. Anti-Patterns (What NOT to Do)

These are the most common mistakes. If you catch yourself doing any of these, stop and fix:

❌ Using px for font sizes (use rem)
❌ Hardcoding colors instead of using CSS variables
❌ div soup (use semantic HTML)
❌ Forgetting hover: and focus: states on interactive elements
❌ Making text unreadable on backgrounds (check contrast!)
❌ Using fixed positioning for navigation without testing scroll behavior
❌ Ignoring prefers-reduced-motion and prefers-color-scheme
❌ Making buttons smaller than 44px touch target on mobile
❌ Using alerts/confirms instead of proper modal dialogs
❌ Placeholder text as the only label
❌ Auto-playing video/audio without user consent
❌ Layouts that break at 375px (test iPhone SE!)
❌ Generic "Lorem ipsum" in demos (use real-feeling content)

Design Excellence Reference

Consult references/design-excellence.md for anti-AI-slop patterns, OKLCH color system, motion rules, interaction states, and improvement modes.

Reference Files

Read these when working on specific aspects:

references/component-patterns.md — Compound components, composition, slot pattern, polymorphic components, shadcn/ui extension patterns
references/layout-patterns.md — Page layouts for landing, dashboard, portfolio, blog, e-commerce with responsive grid systems
references/templates.md — 10 ready-to-use page templates with full component structure
references/color-palettes.md — 20 curated color palettes organized by mood/industry, including dark mode variants
references/animation-recipes.md — Copy-paste animation patterns (scroll reveal, stagger, parallax, magnetic cursor, morphing shapes)
references/inspiration-patterns.md — Patterns extracted from curated.design, landing.love, saaspo.com, navbar.gallery, cta.gallery, appmotion.design, component.gallery

Final Checklist (Before Delivering)

Every piece of frontend you deliver must pass: