Frontend Builder

Meta-skill for generating production-ready React UI for non-programmers by orchestrating frontend-design-ultimate, shadcn-ui, and react-expert. Use when users describe UI outcomes (for example dashboards, landing pages, admin screens) and need a single copy-pasteable TSX component with explicit setup and dependency instructions.

Purpose

Enable non-programmers to get production-grade frontend components from natural-language requirements.

This meta-skill coordinates three upstream skills and produces implementation-ready output, usually as one .tsx file plus concise setup notes.

It does not replace upstream skill logic and does not assume hidden dependencies are already installed.

Required Installed Skills

• frontend-design-ultimate (inspected latest: 1.0.0)
• shadcn-ui (inspected latest: 1.0.0)
• react-expert (inspected latest: 0.1.0)

Install/update:

bash

npx -y clawhub@latest install frontend-design-ultimate
npx -y clawhub@latest install shadcn-ui
npx -y clawhub@latest install react-expert
npx -y clawhub@latest update --all

Verify:

bash

npx -y clawhub@latest list

OpenClaw Compatibility Notes

This skill is written to match OpenClaw skill-loading rules:

• SKILL.md with YAML frontmatter and Markdown body
• single-line frontmatter keys
• metadata encoded as a single-line JSON object
• no unsupported custom top-level frontmatter keys

If this file is edited later, keep those constraints intact.

Runtime Prerequisites

Minimum local stack:

• Node.js 18+
• npm
• React + TypeScript project with Tailwind configured

Adjacent ecosystem dependencies (from inspected upstream skill content):

• tailwindcss (layout/styling baseline)
• lucide-react (icons used by many shadcn examples)
• next-themes (theme toggle patterns in shadcn guidance)
• react-hook-form, zod, @hookform/resolvers (form patterns)
• optional: framer-motion (motion patterns from frontend-design-ultimate)
• optional: recharts or equivalent if a real chart package is required

If user wants shadcn components and they are missing, include explicit setup commands in output:

bash

npx shadcn@latest init
npx shadcn@latest add card button badge tabs table sheet sidebar

Do not assume Next.js unless the user says Next.js. Default to framework-agnostic React .tsx output that can run in Vite or Next.js with minimal adaptation.

Inputs the LM Must Collect First

• ui_goal (dashboard, landing page, admin panel, etc.)
• theme_mode (dark, light, or system)
• primary_metrics (for example revenue, MRR, growth)
• chart_expectation (line, bar, area; static or interactive)
• layout_density (compact, balanced, spacious)
• brand_constraints (colors, logo, typography constraints)
• target_framework (vite-react, nextjs, or generic-react)
• single_file_strict (true/false)

If any critical input is missing, make explicit defaults and state them in Assumptions.

Tool Responsibilities

frontend-design-ultimate

Use for visual direction and anti-generic design decisions:

• choose strong aesthetic direction
• define typographic hierarchy and color system
• enforce mobile-first responsiveness
• avoid boilerplate “AI-slop” layouts

From inspected upstream guidance:

• commit to one clear tone
• include an unforgettable visual element
• prefer CSS variables and strong contrast
• avoid generic default fonts

shadcn-ui

Use for robust UI primitives and composition patterns:

• cards, tabs, sheets, navigation, table, badges, dialogs
• theming conventions and dark mode compatibility
• predictable component structure for fast shipping

From inspected upstream guidance:

• components are copied into the project (not a hosted runtime UI SDK)
• include install commands for any components you reference
• prefer composable primitives for layout and data display

react-expert

Use for behavioral correctness and maintainability:

• state design and data flow
• strict TypeScript-first component patterns
• accessibility and predictable rendering behavior
• optional performance hardening for non-trivial UI

From inspected upstream guidance:

• avoid state mutation and unstable keys
• use semantic structure and cleanup in effects
• ship clear typed interfaces for props/data

Canonical Causal Chain

Use this exact orchestration order.

1. Requirement Parse

• Normalize user request into goals, constraints, and output contract.

2. Design Direction (frontend-design-ultimate)

• Select one explicit aesthetic mode.
• Define palette, type scale, spacing, and page composition.
• Decide dark-mode token strategy.

3. Component Architecture (shadcn-ui)

• Map UI blocks to component primitives (sidebar, card, tabs, table, badge).
• Declare required shadcn installs for referenced primitives.

4. React Glue Logic (react-expert)

• Implement typed data models and render loops.
• Add local state/hooks where required.
• Keep logic simple and deterministic for copy-paste usability.

5. Output Assembly

• Produce one .tsx file by default.
• Include short Setup section with required install commands.
• Include Assumptions and Adaptation Notes.

Output Contract

Default output must contain:

• Setup:

  • exact npm/npx commands for missing dependencies
  • shadcn component add commands used by generated code

• Single TSX File:

  • one self-contained React component in TypeScript
  • imports listed at top
  • mock data included inline unless user supplies real data source

• Assumptions:

  • explicit defaults chosen due to missing input

• Adaptation Notes:

  • where to plug in real API data
  • which imports to remove if a component is unavailable

No auxiliary script generation. No multi-file scaffolding unless user explicitly asks.

Chart Handling Rule

If chart library is not guaranteed in target project:

• default to a semantic “chart-ready” card layout with placeholders, or
• use lightweight inline SVG chart logic in the same .tsx.

Do not hallucinate unavailable chart components. If using external chart lib (for example Recharts), include install command and clearly label as optional.

Scenario Mapping: Revenue Dashboard (Dark Mode)

For scenario: "I need a dark-mode dashboard showing revenue metrics"

Execution:

1. frontend-design-ultimate defines dark palette, bold typography, and dashboard composition (sidebar + metric grid + chart area).
2. shadcn-ui maps layout to Card, Badge, Tabs, optional Sidebar primitives.
3. react-expert creates typed metric arrays and rendering loops for KPI tiles + trend view.
4. final output returns one production-usable .tsx component plus setup commands.

Quality Gates

Before finalizing output, ensure:

• component compiles as TSX (no missing symbols in emitted code)
• design is intentional, not default-template generic
• dark mode tokens are coherent and readable
• mobile behavior is included (sm/md/lg responsive strategy)
• all referenced UI components are listed in setup commands
• no fake API calls presented as real integrations

If any gate fails, return Needs Revision with a concrete missing-items list.

Guardrails

• Never claim “works out of the box” without listing dependency assumptions.
• Never emit components from libraries not declared in setup.
• Never hide unresolved decisions (state them under Assumptions).
• Prefer one high-quality component over broad but shallow scaffolding.

Failure Handling

• Missing upstream skills: stop and report exact missing skills.
• Missing project context: output generic React version and mark adaptation points.
• Missing chart dependency: provide fallback rendering path and optional install command.
• Conflicting constraints (for example “single file” + “full app routing”): prioritize single-file contract and document tradeoff.