---
name: frontend-ui-engineering
description: Builds production-quality UIs. Use when building or modifying user-facing interfaces. Use when creating components, implementing layouts, managing state, or when the output needs to look and feel production-quality rather than AI-generated.
risk: critical
source: https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/frontend-ui-engineering
source_repo: addyosmani/agent-skills
source_type: community
date_added: 2026-07-01
license: MIT
license_source: https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills/blob/main/LICENSE
---
## Supporting material availability

This catalog copy contains the inline guidance below, but does not include the following supporting paths. They are external prerequisites, not bundled files:

- `<support-root>/references/accessibility-checklist.md`

Obtain the required material from the [declared upstream source](https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills), or from a user-provided installation of that source. Resolve each path relative to that installation, inspect its contents, and verify any applicable license and execution prerequisites. Do not run a command or claim a referenced procedure was followed until its required file exists. Do not fabricate the missing scripts or treat an unrelated file with the same name as equivalent. Independent steps fully documented here can proceed within the user’s authorized scope; report any dependent step as unavailable.


# Frontend UI Engineering

## Overview

Build production-quality user interfaces that are accessible, performant, and visually polished. The goal is UI that looks like it was built by a design-aware engineer at a top company — not like it was generated by an AI. This means real design system adherence, proper accessibility, thoughtful interaction patterns, and no generic "AI aesthetic."

## When to Use

- Building new UI components or pages
- Modifying existing user-facing interfaces
- Implementing responsive layouts
- Adding interactivity or state management
- Fixing visual or UX issues

Snippets illustrate patterns and require project types, imports and callbacks; `toggleTask` and `deleteTask` in the container must be supplied by real authorized mutation hooks. Automated accessibility scans are partial evidence and must be paired with keyboard and assistive-technology checks. Honor reduced-motion settings and keep content visible when effects fail.

## Component Architecture

### File Structure

Colocate everything related to a component:

```
src/components/
  TaskList/
    TaskList.tsx          # Component implementation
    TaskList.test.tsx     # Tests
    TaskList.stories.tsx  # Storybook stories (if using)
    use-task-list.ts      # Custom hook (if complex state)
    types.ts              # Component-specific types (if needed)
```

### Component Patterns

**Prefer composition over configuration:**

```tsx
// Good: Composable
<Card>
  <CardHeader>
    <CardTitle>Tasks</CardTitle>
  </CardHeader>
  <CardBody>
    <TaskList tasks={tasks} />
  </CardBody>
</Card>

// Avoid: Over-configured
<Card
  title="Tasks"
  headerVariant="large"
  bodyPadding="md"
  content={<TaskList tasks={tasks} />}
/>
```

**Keep components focused:**

```tsx
// Good: Does one thing
export function TaskItem({ task, onToggle, onDelete }: TaskItemProps) {
  return (
    <li className="flex items-center gap-3 p-3">
      <Checkbox checked={task.done} onChange={() => onToggle(task.id)} />
      <span className={task.done ? 'line-through text-muted' : ''}>{task.title}</span>
      <Button aria-label={`Delete ${task.title}`} variant="ghost" size="sm" onClick={() => onDelete(task.id)}>
        <TrashIcon />
      </Button>
    </li>
  );
}
```

**Separate data fetching from presentation:**

```tsx
// Container: handles data
export function TaskListContainer() {
  const { tasks, isLoading, error, refetch } = useTasks();

  if (isLoading) return <TaskListSkeleton />;
  if (error) return <ErrorState message="Failed to load tasks" retry={refetch} />;
  if (tasks.length === 0) return <EmptyState message="No tasks yet" />;

  return <TaskList tasks={tasks} onToggle={toggleTask} onDelete={deleteTask} />;
}

// Presentation: handles rendering
export function TaskList({ tasks, onToggle, onDelete }: { tasks: Task[]; onToggle: (id: string) => void; onDelete: (id: string) => void }) {
  return (
    <ul role="list" className="divide-y">
      {tasks.map(task => <TaskItem key={task.id} task={task} onToggle={onToggle} onDelete={onDelete} />)}
    </ul>
  );
}
```

## State Management

**Choose the simplest approach that works:**

```
Local state (useState)           → Component-specific UI state
Lifted state                     → Shared between 2-3 sibling components
Context                          → Theme, auth, locale (read-heavy, write-rare)
URL state (searchParams)         → Filters, pagination, shareable UI state
Server state (React Query, SWR)  → Remote data with caching
Global store (Zustand, Redux)    → Complex client state shared app-wide
```

**Avoid prop drilling deeper than 3 levels.** If you're passing props through components that don't use them, introduce context or restructure the component tree.

## Design System Adherence

### Avoid the AI Aesthetic

AI-generated UI has recognizable patterns. Avoid all of them:

| AI Default | Why It Is a Problem | Production Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Purple/indigo everything | Models default to visually "safe" palettes, making every app look identical | Use the project's actual color palette |
| Excessive gradients | Gradients add visual noise and clash with most design systems | Flat or subtle gradients matching the design system |
| Rounded everything (rounded-2xl) | Maximum rounding signals "friendly" but ignores the hierarchy of corner radii in real designs | Consistent border-radius from the design system |
| Generic hero sections | Template-driven layout with no connection to the actual content or user need | Content-first layouts |
| Lorem ipsum-style copy | Placeholder text hides layout problems that real content reveals (length, wrapping, overflow) | Realistic placeholder content |
| Oversized padding everywhere | Equal generous padding destroys visual hierarchy and wastes screen space | Consistent spacing scale |
| Stock card grids | Uniform grids are a layout shortcut that ignores information priority and scanning patterns | Purpose-driven layouts |
| Shadow-heavy design | Layered shadows add depth that competes with content and slows rendering on low-end devices | Subtle or no shadows unless the design system specifies |

### Spacing and Layout

Use a consistent spacing scale. Don't invent values:

```css
/* Use the scale: 0.25rem increments (or whatever the project uses) */
/* Good */  padding: 1rem;      /* 16px */
/* Good */  gap: 0.75rem;       /* 12px */
/* Bad */   padding: 13px;      /* Not on any scale */
/* Bad */   margin-top: 2.3rem; /* Not on any scale */
```

### Typography

Respect the type hierarchy:

```
h1 → Page title (one per page)
h2 → Section title
h3 → Subsection title
body → Default text
small → Secondary/helper text
```

Don't skip heading levels. Don't use heading styles for non-heading content.

### Color

- Use semantic color tokens: `text-primary`, `bg-surface`, `border-default` — not raw hex values
- Ensure sufficient contrast (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
- Don't rely solely on color to convey information (use icons, text, or patterns too)

## Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)

Every component must meet these standards:

### Keyboard Navigation

```tsx
// Every interactive element must be keyboard accessible
<button onClick={handleClick}>Click me</button>        // ✓ Focusable by default
<div onClick={handleClick}>Click me</div>               // ✗ Not focusable
<div role="button" tabIndex={0} onClick={handleClick}    // ✓ But prefer <button>
     onKeyDown={e => {
       if (e.key === 'Enter') handleClick();
       if (e.key === ' ') e.preventDefault();
     }}
     onKeyUp={e => {
       if (e.key === ' ') handleClick();
     }}>
  Click me
</div>
```

### ARIA Labels

```tsx
// Label interactive elements that lack visible text
<button aria-label="Close dialog"><XIcon /></button>

// Label form inputs
<label htmlFor="email">Email</label>
<input id="email" type="email" />

// Or use aria-label when no visible label exists
<input aria-label="Search tasks" type="search" />
```

### Focus Management

```tsx
// Move focus when content changes
function Dialog({ isOpen, onClose }: DialogProps) {
  const closeRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (isOpen) closeRef.current?.focus();
  }, [isOpen]);

  // This fragment only moves focus: open={isOpen} is non-modal and does not trap it.
  // For a modal use showModal()/close(), Escape handling, an accessible name
  // and focus restoration, or a tested dialog primitive.
  return (
    <dialog open={isOpen}>
      <button ref={closeRef} onClick={onClose}>Close</button>
      {/* dialog content */}
    </dialog>
  );
}
```

### Meaningful Empty and Error States

```tsx
// Don't show blank screens
function TaskList({ tasks, onCreateTask }: { tasks: Task[]; onCreateTask: () => void }) {
  if (tasks.length === 0) {
    return (
      <div role="status" className="text-center py-12">
        <TasksEmptyIcon className="mx-auto h-12 w-12 text-muted" />
        <h3 className="mt-2 text-sm font-medium">No tasks</h3>
        <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted">Get started by creating a new task.</p>
        <Button className="mt-4" onClick={onCreateTask}>Create Task</Button>
      </div>
    );
  }

  return <ul role="list">...</ul>;
}
```

## Responsive Design

Design for mobile first, then expand:

```tsx
// Tailwind: mobile-first responsive
<div className="
  grid grid-cols-1      /* Mobile: single column */
  sm:grid-cols-2        /* Small: 2 columns */
  lg:grid-cols-3        /* Large: 3 columns */
  gap-4
">
```

Test at these breakpoints: 320px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px.

## Loading and Transitions

```tsx
// Skeleton loading (not spinners for content)
function TaskListSkeleton() {
  return (
    <div className="space-y-3" aria-busy="true" aria-label="Loading tasks">
      {Array.from({ length: 3 }).map((_, i) => (
        <div key={i} className="h-12 bg-muted animate-pulse rounded" />
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

// Optimistic updates for perceived speed
function useToggleTask() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  return useMutation({
    mutationFn: toggleTask,
    onMutate: async (taskId) => {
      await queryClient.cancelQueries({ queryKey: ['tasks'] });
      const previous = queryClient.getQueryData(['tasks']);

      queryClient.setQueryData(['tasks'], (old: Task[]) =>
        (old ?? []).map(t => t.id === taskId ? { ...t, done: !t.done } : t)
      );

      return { previous };
    },
    onError: (_err, _taskId, context) => {
      queryClient.setQueryData(['tasks'], context?.previous);
    },
  });
}
```

## See Also

For detailed accessibility requirements and testing tools, see `references/accessibility-checklist.md`.

## Common Rationalizations

| Rationalization | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Accessibility is a nice-to-have" | It's a legal requirement in many jurisdictions and an engineering quality standard. |
| "We'll make it responsive later" | Retrofitting responsive design can add work; no universal effort multiplier is established here. |
| "The design isn't final, so I'll skip styling" | Use the design system defaults. Unstyled UI creates a broken first impression for reviewers. |
| "This is just a prototype" | Prototypes become production code. Build the foundation right. |
| "The AI aesthetic is fine for now" | It signals low quality. Use the project's actual design system from the start. |

## Red Flags

- Components with more than 200 lines (split them)
- Inline styles or arbitrary pixel values
- Missing error states, loading states, or empty states
- No keyboard navigation testing
- Color as the sole indicator of state (red/green without text or icons)
- Generic "AI look" (purple gradients, oversized cards, stock layouts)

## Verification

After building UI:

- [ ] Component renders without console errors
- [ ] All interactive elements are keyboard accessible (Tab through the page)
- [ ] Screen reader can convey the page's content and structure
- [ ] Responsive: works at 320px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px
- [ ] Loading, error, and empty states all handled
- [ ] Follows the project's design system (spacing, colors, typography)
- [ ] No accessibility warnings in dev tools or axe-core

## Limitations

- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches its upstream source and local project context.
- Verify commands, generated code, dependencies, credentials, and external service behavior before applying changes.
- Do not treat examples as a substitute for environment-specific tests, security review, or user approval for destructive or costly actions.


---
Source attribution: addyosmani/agent-skills contributors, via Agentic Awesome Skills
Original project: https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills
License: MIT + CC-BY-4.0
License information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Addy Osmani

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: addyosmani/agent-skills contributors, via Agentic Awesome Skills
Original project: https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills
Attribution basis: Recorded upstream repository

Fields of work: Development & Engineering, Design
Roles: Frontend Developer, UI Designer
Specialties: Specialty not specified
Tools: Tool not specified
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Dave AI task classification from package title, description, and declared metadata
Instruction SHA-256: 55b37ed660c9e69fe05d2fed8f10ec12939af98acdbeaa3daff029a4e2f1646e
Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27
This metadata supersedes earlier Mega AI Hub catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.