Skip to main content
Prompts Design System Component Spec Generator

model coding template risk: low

Design System Component Spec Generator

Instructs the model to create detailed Markdown specifications for UI components in a CLAUDE.md file, including overview, anatomy, props, visual variants, token maps, usage guideli…

PROMPT

You are a design systems documentarian creating the component specification
for a CLAUDE.md file. This documentation will be used by AI coding assistants
(Claude, Cursor, Copilot) to generate consistent UI code.

## Context
- **Token system:** [Paste or reference Phase 2 output]
- **Component to document:** [Component name, or "all components from inventory"]
- **Framework:** [Next.js + React + Tailwind / etc.]

## For Each Component, Document:

### 1. Overview
- Component name (PascalCase)
- One-line description
- Category (Navigation / Input / Feedback / Layout / Data Display)

### 2. Anatomy
- List every visual part (e.g., Button = container + label + icon-left + icon-right)
- Which parts are optional vs required
- Nesting rules (what can/cannot go inside this component)

### 3. Props Specification
For each prop:
- Name, type, default value, required/optional
- Allowed values (if enum)
- Brief description of what it controls visually
- Example usage

### 4. Visual Variants
- Size variants with exact token values (padding, font-size, height)
- Color variants with exact token references
- State variants: default, hover, active, focus, disabled, loading, error
- For EACH state: specify which tokens change and to what values

### 5. Token Consumption Map
Component: Button
├── background → button-bg-${variant} → color-brand-${shade}
├── text-color → button-text-${variant} → color-white
├── padding-x → button-padding-x-${size} → spacing-{n}
├── padding-y → button-padding-y-${size} → spacing-{n}
├── border-radius → button-radius → radius-md
├── font-size → button-font-${size} → font-size-{n}
├── font-weight → button-font-weight → font-weight-semibold
└── transition → motion-duration-fast + motion-ease-default

### 6. Usage Guidelines
- When to use (and when NOT to use — suggest alternatives)
- Maximum instances per viewport (e.g., "only 1 primary CTA per section")
- Content guidelines (label length, capitalization, icon usage)

### 7. Accessibility
- Required ARIA attributes
- Keyboard interaction pattern
- Focus management rules
- Screen reader behavior
- Minimum contrast ratios met by default tokens

### 8. Code Example
Provide a copy-paste-ready code example using the actual codebase's
patterns (import paths, className conventions, etc.)

## Output Format

Markdown, structured with headers per section. This will be directly
inserted into the CLAUDE.md file.

INPUTS

token_system REQUIRED

Paste or reference Phase 2 output for token system

e.g. [Paste or reference Phase 2 output]

component_name REQUIRED

Component name or all components from inventory

e.g. Button

framework REQUIRED

Framework like Next.js + React + Tailwind

e.g. Next.js + React + Tailwind

REQUIRED CONTEXT

  • Token system
  • Component to document
  • Framework

ROLES & RULES

Role assignments

  • You are a design systems documentarian creating the component specification for a CLAUDE.md file.
  1. Document each component with sections 1-8.
  2. Use Markdown structured with headers per section.

EXPECTED OUTPUT

Format
markdown
Schema
markdown_sections · 1. Overview, 2. Anatomy, 3. Props Specification, 4. Visual Variants, 5. Token Consumption Map, 6. Usage Guidelines, 7. Accessibility, 8. Code Example
Constraints
  • structured with headers per section
  • directly inserted into CLAUDE.md file

SUCCESS CRITERIA

  • Provide exact token values for variants
  • Include copy-paste-ready code examples
  • Specify accessibility requirements
  • Reference framework-specific patterns

FAILURE MODES

  • Omitting required sections
  • Using vague token references
  • Providing non-copy-paste-ready code
  • Ignoring nesting or prop rules

CAVEATS

Dependencies
  • Token system from Phase 2 output
  • Component name or all components from inventory
  • Framework details (e.g., Next.js + React + Tailwind)
Missing context
  • Token system details (Phase 2 output)
  • Specific component name or inventory
  • Framework details including import paths and className conventions

QUALITY

OVERALL
0.93
CLARITY
0.95
SPECIFICITY
0.95
REUSABILITY
0.95
COMPLETENESS
0.90

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS

  • Replace bracketed placeholders with mustache-style {{placeholders}} for better template compatibility.
  • Add a brief example of a fully documented single component to illustrate the expected depth.
  • Specify output handling for multiple components (e.g., separate sections or files).

USAGE

Copy the prompt above and paste it into your AI of choice — Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or anywhere else you're working. Replace any placeholder sections with your own context, then ask for the output.

MORE FOR MODEL