Spacing Scale Generator Skill

Spacing Scale Generator

Overview

Generate consistent spacing scales using a base value and ratio. Creates exponentially distributed values centered around a base unit for harmonious layouts.

When to Use

Setting up spacing tokens for a new project
Standardizing padding and margin values
Creating a gap/grid system
Migrating from arbitrary spacing to tokens

Quick Reference

| Naming Style | Example Names | Best For | |--------------|---------------|----------| | T-shirt | xs, sm, md, lg, xl | Semantic, readable | | Numeric | 100, 200, 300... | Precise, extensible |

| Unit | When to Use | |------|-------------| | px | Fixed layouts, pixel-perfect designs | | rem | Scalable, respects user font settings | | em | Component-relative spacing |

The Process

Get base value: Default 4px or 0.25rem (common base unit)
Get ratio: How much each step grows (1.5 is balanced, 2 is dramatic)
Ask steps: How many spacing values (8-12 is typical)
Ask naming: T-shirt sizes (xs, sm, md, lg) or numeric (100, 200, 300)?
Ask unit: px, rem, or em?
Ask format: CSS, Tailwind, or JSON?
Generate: Create scale centered on base, expanding in both directions

Common Ratios

| Ratio | Character | Example (base 4px) | |-------|-----------|-------------------| | 1.25 | Tight | 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 | | 1.5 | Balanced | 1.8, 2.7, 4, 6, 9, 13.5 | | 1.618 | Golden | 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6.5, 10.5, 17 | | 2 | Dramatic | 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 |

Output Formats

CSS Custom Properties:

:root {
  --spacing-xs: 2px;
  --spacing-sm: 4px;
  --spacing-md: 8px;
  --spacing-lg: 16px;
  --spacing-xl: 32px;
}

Tailwind Config:

module.exports = {
  theme: {
    spacing: {
      'xs': '2px',
      'sm': '4px',
      'md': '8px',
      'lg': '16px',
      'xl': '32px',
    }
  }
}

JSON Tokens:

{
  "spacing": {
    "xs": "2px",
    "sm": "4px",
    "md": "8px",
    "lg": "16px",
    "xl": "32px"
  }
}

Algorithm

The scale is centered on the base value at the midpoint:

value = baseValue * (ratio ^ (step - midpoint))

For a 10-step scale with base 4 and ratio 1.5:

Step 0 (5 below mid): 4 * 1.5^-5 = 0.53
Step 5 (midpoint): 4 * 1.5^0 = 4
Step 9 (4 above mid): 4 * 1.5^4 = 20.25

T-shirt Size Mapping

Full range: 3xs, 2xs, xs, sm, md, lg, xl, 2xl, 3xl, 4xl, 5xl, 6xl

The midpoint of your scale maps to "md" and expands outward.

Agent Skills: Spacing Scale Generator

Install this agent skill to your local

Skill Files