Agent Skills: Design Reference Transformer

Plan mode: If you are planning work, this entire skill is ONE plan step: "Invoke /vibes:design-reference". Do not decompose the steps below into separate plan tasks.

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Design Reference Transformer

Transform a complete design reference HTML file into a working Vibes app with Fireproof data persistence.

Core Principle

Preserve and adapt, don't interpret and recreate.

The design reference is source code to transform, not inspiration to interpret. When given a complete HTML file with styles, your job is to make minimal surgical changes to connect it to React/Fireproof—not to recreate it from your understanding of its aesthetic.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User provides a design.html, mockup, or static prototype file
• User says "match this design exactly" or "use this as a reference"
• User wants their existing HTML converted to a Vibes app
• A previous implementation didn't match the design reference

The Transformation is Mechanical

The conversion from design HTML to React/Fireproof is deterministic, not creative:

| Transformation | Rule | Example | |----------------|------|---------| | Attributes | class → className | class="btn" → className="btn" | | Attributes | for → htmlFor | for="email" → htmlFor="email" | | Attributes | kebab-case → camelCase | stroke-width → strokeWidth | | Self-closing | Add explicit close | <input> → <input /> | | Comments | HTML → JSX | <!-- x --> → {/* x */} | | Inline styles | String → Object | style="color: red" → style={{ color: 'red' }} | | Event handlers | Lowercase → camelCase | onclick → onClick |

CSS requires NO changes. Copy the entire <style> block verbatim.

Workflow

Step 1: Read the Design Reference

# Read the design file completely
Read design.html

Note the structure:

• <style> block (copy verbatim)
• HTML structure (preserve exactly)
• Any vanilla JavaScript (will be replaced with React)

Step 2: Identify Dynamic Content

Ask: "What content comes from the database?"

Typical dynamic elements:

• List items that repeat (.map())
• Text that users enter (controlled inputs)
• Counts, totals, timestamps
• User-specific content

Everything else stays static.

Step 3: Create the React Component

import React from "react";
import { useFireproofClerk } from "use-fireproof";

export default function App() {
  const { database, useLiveQuery, useDocument } = useFireproofClerk("app-db");

  // Hooks for dynamic data
  const { doc, merge, submit } = useDocument({ /* initial shape */ });
  const { docs } = useLiveQuery("type", { key: "item" });

  return (
    <>
      {/* CSS copied VERBATIM from design.html */}
      <style>{`
        /* Paste entire <style> block here unchanged */
      `}</style>

      {/* HTML structure preserved, only syntax converted */}
      {/* Dynamic content replaced with {expressions} */}
    </>
  );
}

Step 4: Handle Dark Mode Override (If Needed)

The Vibes template has dark mode support. If your design is light-only, add this CSS override:

/* Force light theme regardless of system preference */
html, body, #container, #container > div {
    background-color: var(--your-bg-color) !important;
}

Note: Avoid targeting [style*="position: fixed"] as this will style the VibesSwitch toggle button.

Step 4b: Scope CSS to Avoid VibesSwitch/VibesPanel Conflicts

The template includes a VibesSwitch toggle button and VibesPanel admin menu that sit outside your app container. Broad CSS selectors can accidentally style these components.

Watch for these problematic patterns:

| Problematic | Why | Safe Alternative | |-------------|-----|------------------| | button { ... } | Styles VibesSwitch toggle | .app button { ... } or #container button { ... } | | * { ... } (with colors/backgrounds) | Cascades everywhere | Scope to specific containers | | [style*="position: fixed"] | Targets VibesSwitch | Target by class/ID instead | | body > div | May match menu wrapper | Use #container > div |

If your design has global button/element styles:

1. Wrap your app content in a container with a class: <div className="app">...</div>
2. Scope broad rules: button { } → .app button { }
3. Or use #container which is the template's app root

The template already protects components with:

button[aria-controls="hidden-menu"] { background: transparent !important; }
#hidden-menu { /* menu-specific variable resets */ }

But defense-in-depth is better—scope your CSS to avoid conflicts.

Step 5: Assemble and Test

node "/path/to/vibes-skill/scripts/assemble.js" app.jsx index.html

Open in browser and visually diff against the design reference. They should be pixel-identical except for dynamic content.

Anti-Patterns (DO NOT DO THESE)

| Anti-Pattern | Why It's Wrong | Correct Approach | |--------------|----------------|------------------| | Translate colors to OKLCH | Changes the design | Use exact hex values from reference | | Restructure HTML "for React" | Breaks layout | Preserve structure, only change syntax | | "Improve" the CSS | Not your job | Copy verbatim | | Add your own classes | Introduces drift | Use exact classes from reference | | Interpret the "vibe" | Creates divergence | Be literal, not interpretive | | Skip vanilla JS analysis | Miss functionality | Understand what it does, then React-ify |

Transformation Checklist

Before writing code, verify:

• [ ] Read the entire design.html file
• [ ] Identified all <style> blocks (will copy verbatim)
• [ ] Identified dynamic content (lists, inputs, user data)
• [ ] Identified vanilla JS functionality (will convert to React)
• [ ] Noted any custom fonts (add to imports if needed)
• [ ] Checked for dark/light theme assumptions

During transformation:

• [ ] CSS pasted unchanged (no "improvements")
• [ ] HTML structure preserved exactly
• [ ] Only syntax converted (class→className, etc.)
• [ ] Dynamic content uses {expressions} and .map()
• [ ] Vanilla JS replaced with React hooks and handlers
• [ ] Dark mode override added if design is light-only

After assembly:

• [ ] Visual comparison with design reference
• [ ] All interactive elements work
• [ ] Data persists on refresh
• [ ] No console errors
• [ ] VibesSwitch toggle (bottom-right) displays correctly with no background box
• [ ] VibesPanel menu opens when toggle is clicked
• [ ] Menu buttons are correctly styled (not inheriting app button styles)

Example: Static List → Dynamic List

Design HTML:

<ul class="item-list">
  <li class="item">First item</li>
  <li class="item">Second item</li>
</ul>

React with Fireproof:

const { docs } = useLiveQuery("type", { key: "item" });

<ul className="item-list">
  {docs.map(item => (
    <li key={item._id} className="item">{item.text}</li>
  ))}
</ul>

Note: Only the content changed. The classes, structure, and styling are identical.

Example: Static Form → Controlled Form

Design HTML:

<form>
  <input type="text" class="input" placeholder="Enter text...">
  <button class="btn">Submit</button>
</form>

React with Fireproof:

const { doc, merge, submit } = useDocument({ text: "", type: "item" });

<form onSubmit={submit}>
  <input
    type="text"
    className="input"
    placeholder="Enter text..."
    value={doc.text}
    onChange={(e) => merge({ text: e.target.value })}
  />
  <button type="submit" className="btn">Submit</button>
</form>

Note: Same structure, same classes, same placeholder. Only added React bindings.

Integration with Vibes Assembly

This skill produces an app.jsx that works with the standard Vibes assembly:

# In the working directory
node "/path/to/vibes-skill/scripts/assemble.js" app.jsx index.html

The assembly script:

• Inserts your JSX into the Vibes template
• Handles Clerk authentication wrapper
• Sets up import maps for React and Fireproof
• Configures Connect if .env is present

What's Next?

After transforming a design reference, present these options using AskUserQuestion:

Question: "Design reference transformed! What's next?"
Header: "Next"
Options:
- Label: "Test locally"
  Description: "Open index.html in browser to verify it matches the design exactly"

- Label: "Deploy to exe.dev (/exe)"
  Description: "Push the app live at yourapp.exe.xyz"

- Label: "Make adjustments"
  Description: "Fine-tune specific elements while preserving the design"

- Label: "I'm done"
  Description: "Wrap up - files are saved locally"