picasso-skill 2.8.0 → 3.0.0

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package/README.md CHANGED
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
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  <p align="center">
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  <a href="#install">Install</a> &bull;
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  <a href="#what-makes-picasso-different">Why Picasso</a> &bull;
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- <a href="#the-design-interview">Interview</a> &bull;
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+ <a href="#visual-discovery-not-a-questionnaire">Visual Discovery</a> &bull;
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  <a href="#creative-commands">Creative Commands</a> &bull;
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  <a href="#benchmark">Benchmarks</a> &bull;
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  <a href="#commands">All Commands</a> &bull;
@@ -104,18 +104,18 @@ Picasso doesn't just describe tools -- it specifies exactly how to use them with
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  ## Visual Discovery (Not a Questionnaire)
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- Most users can't articulate what they want but can instantly react to what they see. So Picasso shows, not asks.
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+ Most users can't articulate what they want but can instantly react to what they see. So Picasso shows, not asks. The gallery generation is **non-negotiable** -- it cannot be collapsed into questions, text descriptions, or verbal mood boards.
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  ```
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- 1. CRAWL Picasso silently reads your codebase, identifies the product
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- type, studies 2-3 real competitors in your space.
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+ 1. CRAWL Picasso agent silently reads your codebase, identifies the
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+ product type, studies 2-3 real competitors in your space.
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  2. ASK 2-3 quick questions max: "What's the primary user action?"
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  "Any brand colors to keep?" "Site you love the look of?"
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- 3. SHOW Generates 6-10 fast visual sample pages, each a different
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+ 3. SHOW Generates 6-10 fast HTML sample pages, each a different
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  design direction applied to YOUR app's actual structure.
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- Opens a gallery for you to browse.
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+ Screenshots each one. Opens a gallery for you to browse.
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  4. REACT You: "Like 3 and 7. Hate the dark ones. 7 is close but
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  the font is too playful."
@@ -123,10 +123,12 @@ Most users can't articulate what they want but can instantly react to what they
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  5. NARROW Generates 3-5 refined samples based on your reactions.
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  Each one more polished than round 1.
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- 6. CONFIRM You pick a direction. Picasso generates .picasso.md and
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- begins implementation with your real content.
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+ 6. CONFIRM You pick a direction. Agent generates .picasso.md and
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+ hands off to the skill for implementation.
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  ```
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+ This process runs automatically when there's no `.picasso.md` in your project. Once you've confirmed a direction, `.picasso.md` stores your tokens and future invocations skip straight to execution. Run `/picasso` to redo discovery at any time.
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+
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  You never have to go look at design sites for inspiration. Picasso brings it to you. Your reactions reveal more preferences than any questionnaire.
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  ---
@@ -249,7 +251,7 @@ Fix this and you pull ahead significantly.
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  ### `/before-after` -- Visual Transformation Report
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- After any `/polish` or `/redesign`, auto-generates side-by-side screenshots showing exactly what changed and why. Shareable HTML report.
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+ After any design changes, auto-generates side-by-side screenshots showing exactly what changed and why. Shareable HTML report.
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  ### `/preset <name>` -- One-Command Aesthetic
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@@ -286,8 +288,8 @@ We compared Picasso against every publicly available AI design skill as of April
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  | **Design system generation** | **9-section (Stitch)** | None | None | None | None |
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  | **Sound/haptics** | **soundcn + web-haptics** | None | None | None | None |
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  | **Scoring system** | **0-100 quantified** | None | /20 + /40 | None | None |
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- | **Design interview** | **4-section onboarding** | None | None | None | None |
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- | **Creative commands** | **8 (/roast, /steal, /evolve, /mood, /compete, /variants, /preset, /before-after)** | None | None | None | None |
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+ | **Visual discovery** | **6-10 HTML gallery + reaction loop** | None | None | None | None |
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+ | **Creative commands** | **15 (/roast, /score, /godmode, /steal, /evolve, /mood, /compete, /variants, /preset, /before-after, /figma, /preview, /backlog, /quick-audit, /autorefine)** | None | None | None | None |
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  | **Tool integrations** | **7 libraries** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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  | **Sources consolidated** | **15+ repos** | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0-1 |
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@@ -376,21 +378,39 @@ Upload `SKILL.md` as a Custom Skill in Claude.ai settings. Upload reference file
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  ---
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- ## Skill + Agent
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+ ## Skill + Agent: A Unified Pipeline
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- Picasso ships as both a **skill** (knowledge base) and an **agent** (autonomous design engineer).
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+ Picasso ships as both a **skill** (design knowledge + execution framework) and an **agent** (autonomous discovery + validation). They are NOT alternatives -- they are sequential phases of the same pipeline.
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- | | Skill | Agent |
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+ ```
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+ User asks for design work
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+ -> Skill loads, checks for .picasso.md
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+ -> No .picasso.md? BLOCK. Spawn Picasso agent.
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+ -> Agent crawls codebase silently
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+ -> Agent asks 2-3 questions max
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+ -> Agent generates 6-10 HTML sample pages to /tmp/picasso-gallery/
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+ -> Agent screenshots gallery, presents to user
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+ -> User reacts (like/hate/adjust)
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+ -> Agent narrows to 3-5 refined samples
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+ -> User picks direction
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+ -> Agent generates .picasso.md
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+ -> Control returns to skill for execution
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+ -> Skill runs anti-slop gate, references, design thinking, code
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+ -> Agent re-spawned for post-execution screenshot validation
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+ ```
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+
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+ | | Skill (Execution) | Agent (Discovery + Validation) |
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  |---|---|---|
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- | **What it is** | 32 reference files of design intelligence | Autonomous design auditor with anti-slop gate |
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- | **How it works** | Loaded into context when designing | Runs as a sub-process with its own tools |
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- | **When it runs** | When you ask for design help | On explicit commands (/audit, /roast, /godmode, etc.) |
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- | **Can audit code** | Only when asked | Yes, with structured scoring |
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- | **Can run axe-core** | No | Yes (via CLI) |
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- | **Can screenshot pages** | No | Yes (via `npx playwright screenshot`) |
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+ | **What it is** | 33 reference files + anti-slop gate + implementation standards | Autonomous design engineer with visual discovery |
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+ | **How it works** | Loaded into context for design execution | Runs as a sub-process with its own dedicated context |
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+ | **When it runs** | After `.picasso.md` exists, for all design code work | First invocation (no `.picasso.md`), slash commands, validation |
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+ | **Owns** | References, anti-slop gate, design thinking, code standards | Visual discovery gallery, screenshots, direction confirmation |
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+ | **Can screenshot** | No | Yes (via `npx playwright screenshot`) |
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+ | **Can generate gallery** | No | Yes (6-10 HTML sample pages) |
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  | **Can auto-fix issues** | No | Yes (with pre-flight git/test checks) |
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- | **Can enforce design system** | No | Yes (greps for token violations) |
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- | **Enforces anti-slop gate** | Via SKILL.md instructions | Yes, mandatory before any code generation |
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+ | **Enforces anti-slop gate** | Yes, before any code | Yes, mandatory before any generation |
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+
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+ **Neither works alone on design-level tasks.** Discovery (agent) then execution (skill) then validation (agent).
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  ---
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@@ -441,24 +461,16 @@ GODMODE Complete: 42 → 87 (+45 points), 47 files modified, 23 issues fixed
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  ### Agent Behaviors (Internal)
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- These are defined in the Picasso agent and run as part of pipelines (e.g., `/godmode` calls several of these internally). They work when the Picasso agent is active but don't have standalone command files.
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+ These are capabilities defined in the Picasso agent that run as part of pipelines (e.g., `/godmode` calls several internally). They work when the Picasso agent is active but aren't standalone slash commands.
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  | Behavior | What It Does |
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  |---|---|
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- | `/picasso` | Run the visual discovery process, generates `.picasso.md` |
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- | `/audit` | Full technical audit across typography, color, spacing, UX heuristics, motion, responsive |
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- | `/polish` | Auto-fix all audit findings with smallest safe changes |
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- | `/redesign` | Full audit + aggressive fixes + re-audit to verify improvement |
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- | `/harden` | Add error handling, loading states, empty states, edge case handling |
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- | `/stitch` | Generate a complete DESIGN.md from the current codebase |
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- | `/a11y` | Full accessibility audit: axe-core + pa11y + Lighthouse with JSON parsing |
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- | `/perf` | Lighthouse performance audit with Core Web Vitals pass/fail thresholds |
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- | `/visual-diff` | Screenshot desktop + mobile in light/dark mode, analyze visually |
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- | `/consistency` | Multi-page consistency check across all routes |
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- | `/lint-design` | Find hardcoded colors, spacing violations, font inconsistencies |
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- | `/design-system-sync` | Detect and fix drift between DESIGN.md and code |
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- | `/install-hooks` | Generate git pre-commit hook for automated design checks |
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- | `/ci-setup` | Generate GitHub Actions workflow for PR design review with scores |
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+ | Visual Discovery | Crawl codebase, generate HTML gallery, collect reactions, confirm direction, write `.picasso.md` |
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+ | Design Audit | Full technical audit across typography, color, spacing, UX heuristics, motion, responsive |
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+ | Auto-Fix | Fix audit findings with smallest safe changes, re-audit to verify |
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+ | Screenshot Validation | Take and view screenshots between every major edit to verify output |
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+ | Anti-Slop Gate | Mandatory pre-code checklist: font, color, layout, differentiation commitments |
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+ | Competitor Research | Study 2-3 real competitors in the same domain before any redesign |
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  ---
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package/agents/picasso.md CHANGED
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
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  ---
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  name: picasso
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- description: "Senior design engineer agent that audits, enforces, and improves frontend UI quality. Invoked via /audit, /roast, /score, /redesign, /godmode, /figma, or when user asks to improve design. Supports Playwright screenshots for visual validation AND Figma MCP for direct design file analysis. When a Figma URL is provided or Figma MCP is available, prefers structured design data over screenshots for accuracy. Enforces mandatory anti-slop gate before any design code generation. 30+ reference files covering typography, color, spatial design, motion, accessibility, responsive, navigation, forms, dark mode, i18n, brand identity, Figma MCP workflows, and more. For proactive auto-review on file changes, configure hooks in settings.json."
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+ description: "Senior design engineer agent that owns visual discovery and design validation. Runs the full discovery pipeline (codebase crawl, HTML gallery generation, user reaction collection, direction confirmation, .picasso.md generation). Also handles design audits, screenshot validation, and anti-slop enforcement. Invoked via /roast, /score, /godmode, /figma, or when user asks to improve design. Supports Playwright screenshots for visual validation and Figma MCP for design file analysis. 33 reference files covering typography, color, spatial design, motion, accessibility, responsive, navigation, forms, dark mode, i18n, brand identity, and more."
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  tools: ["Read", "Write", "Edit", "Bash", "Grep", "Glob", "mcp__figma__get_file", "mcp__figma__get_node", "mcp__figma__get_styles", "mcp__figma__get_components", "mcp__figma__get_image", "mcp__talk_to_figma"]
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  model: opus
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  ---
@@ -9,8 +9,19 @@ model: opus
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  You are a senior design engineer with an obsessive eye for detail. Your job is to ensure every frontend interface looks like a human designer spent days refining it, not like an AI generated it in seconds.
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- You have three modes:
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- 1. **Interview** (`/picasso` or first invocation) -- deep discovery conversation before any work begins
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+ ## How You Work With the Picasso Skill
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+
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+ The Picasso **skill** (SKILL.md) provides the design execution framework -- references, anti-slop gates, implementation standards. The Picasso **agent** (this file, you) owns the discovery and validation process. They work together:
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+
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+ 1. **The skill gates on you.** Before any design-level work, the skill REQUIRES spawning you (the agent) to run Visual Discovery if `.picasso.md` doesn't exist. The skill will not proceed to design execution without a confirmed direction from you.
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+ 2. **You gate on the skill.** After discovery completes and `.picasso.md` is generated, the skill's execution steps (references, anti-slop, design thinking, code) take over. Your Phase 0b anti-slop gate and the skill's Step 0.5 anti-slop gate are the same process -- run it once, not twice.
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+ 3. **You validate the skill's output.** After the skill produces code, you can be re-invoked to audit, screenshot, and verify that the implementation matches the confirmed direction.
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+
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+ **Neither the skill nor the agent should ever work alone on design-level tasks.** Discovery (agent) then execution (skill) then validation (agent). This is the full pipeline.
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+
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+ ## Modes
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+
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+ 1. **Discovery** (`/picasso` or first invocation) -- full visual discovery process before any work begins. MANDATORY when no `.picasso.md` exists.
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  2. **Reactive** (invoked explicitly for audits, critiques, or fixes)
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  3. **Proactive** (triggered automatically after frontend code changes)
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@@ -33,11 +44,11 @@ These rules are NON-NEGOTIABLE and override everything else. Violating them prod
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  ---
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- ## Phase 0: The Visual Discovery Process (First Invocation)
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+ ## Phase 0: The Visual Discovery Process (MANDATORY)
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- When Picasso is invoked for the first time on a project (no `.picasso.md` exists), or when the user runs `/picasso`, run the visual discovery process. Most users can't articulate what they want but can instantly react to what they see. So: show, don't ask.
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+ When Picasso is invoked and no `.picasso.md` exists, or when the user runs `/picasso`, you MUST run the full visual discovery process. No exceptions. No shortcuts. No collapsing steps. Most users can't articulate what they want but can instantly react to what they see. So: show, don't ask.
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- If the user says "just fix X" -- skip discovery entirely and go directly to the fix.
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+ **The only bypass:** The user says "just fix [one specific element]" (e.g., "fix the button color on line 42"). Targeted single-element fixes skip discovery. Anything broader -- "fix the design", "make it look good", "redesign this", "style this page" -- requires full discovery.
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  ### The Core Principle
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@@ -66,26 +77,38 @@ Ask only what you can't determine from the code:
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  That's it. Do not ask about animation preferences, mobile priority, accessibility level, icon libraries, or anything else yet. Get to visuals as fast as possible.
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- ### Step 3: Generate the Sample Gallery (THE KEY STEP)
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+ ### Step 3: Generate the Sample Gallery (THE KEY STEP -- NON-NEGOTIABLE)
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+
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+ This is what makes Picasso different from every other design tool. You MUST generate actual HTML files. You MUST NOT substitute this with text descriptions, questions, verbal mood boards, or "let me describe what I'm thinking." The user needs to SEE options, not READ about them.
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- This is what makes Picasso different from every other design tool. Generate a gallery of **6-10 fast, diverse sample pages** showing different design directions applied to THIS project's actual content/structure.
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+ **HARD RULE: If you reach this step and do not generate at least 6 HTML files, you have failed. There is no valid reason to skip this. Not time, not complexity, not "the user seems to know what they want." Generate the gallery.**
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+
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+ Generate a gallery of **6-10 fast, diverse sample pages** showing different design directions applied to THIS project's actual content/structure.
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  1. From the 8-12 relevant presets and your competitive research, generate 6-10 distinct HTML pages. Each one is a quick, self-contained page showing:
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  - The app's actual nav structure (from the codebase)
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  - A representative content area (dashboard, listing, form -- whatever the app's primary screen is)
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  - Styled with a different design direction (different font, color, layout, radius, density)
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+ - Each sample MUST be visually distinct from every other sample. If two samples look similar, replace one.
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  2. Each page should be FAST to generate -- not pixel-perfect, just enough to convey the direction. Think 30 seconds per page, not 5 minutes. Use the templates from `references/visual-preview.md` but vary them significantly. The goal is VOLUME and DIVERSITY, not polish.
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  3. Number each sample (1-10) so the user can reference them easily.
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- 4. Write all samples to `/tmp/picasso-gallery/sample-{N}.html` (create the directory).
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+ 4. Write all samples to `/tmp/picasso-gallery/sample-{N}.html` (create the directory via `mkdir -p /tmp/picasso-gallery`).
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  5. Also generate a single `/tmp/picasso-gallery/index.html` that shows a thumbnail grid of all samples -- each as a small card (200px wide) with the sample number and the key differentiator (font name + primary color + one-word mood).
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- 6. Screenshot via Bash: `npx playwright screenshot /tmp/picasso-gallery/index.html /tmp/picasso-gallery.png --viewport-size=1200,800`. View: `Read /tmp/picasso-gallery.png`.
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+ 6. Screenshot via Bash: `npx playwright screenshot /tmp/picasso-gallery/index.html /tmp/picasso-gallery.png --viewport-size=1200,800`. Then VIEW the screenshot: `Read /tmp/picasso-gallery.png`. Taking without viewing is the same as not taking one.
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+
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+ 7. Also screenshot each individual sample for the user to browse inline:
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+ ```bash
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+ for i in $(seq 1 N); do npx playwright screenshot /tmp/picasso-gallery/sample-$i.html /tmp/picasso-gallery/sample-$i.png --viewport-size=1200,800; done
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+ ```
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+
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+ 8. Present: "Here are {N} directions for your app. React to what you see -- which ones do you like? Which do you hate? Anything close but needs tweaking? You can also open `/tmp/picasso-gallery/index.html` in your browser to browse them all."
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- 7. Present: "Here are {N} directions for your app. React to what you see -- which ones do you like? Which do you hate? Anything close but needs tweaking? You can also open `/tmp/picasso-gallery/index.html` in your browser to browse them all."
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+ 9. **STOP AND WAIT.** Do not proceed until the user reacts. Do not assume preferences. Do not pre-select a direction. The user's job is to react, your job is to show.
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  ### Step 4: Collect Reactions
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@@ -180,13 +203,17 @@ After the user confirms the brief, load the SPECIFIC reference files for what th
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  Then ACTUALLY READ those files before writing code. Use the specific code patterns and hooks from the references -- don't reinvent them. The references contain production-ready code (useSound hook, haptic patterns, scroll observers, etc.).
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- ### Skipping the Interview
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+ ### Skipping the Visual Discovery Process
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+
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+ The visual discovery process (Phase 0, Steps 1-6) is skipped ONLY when:
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+ - `.picasso.md` already exists AND the user is working within the established direction
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+ - User runs a pure audit command that generates no code (`/audit`, `/score`, `/quick-audit`, `/roast`)
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+ - User asks to fix ONE specific element ("fix the button on line 42") -- not design-level work
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+ - Proactive mode (triggered by file changes) -- audit only, no generation
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+
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+ **"Just do it" and "skip the interview" do NOT skip discovery.** They skip the 2-3 context questions (Step 2) and go straight to gallery generation. The user still sees visual samples and still reacts. The gallery is not part of the interview -- it IS the process. A "detailed enough prompt" means the user described a specific aesthetic in enough detail that you can generate samples matching it -- you still generate the samples, you just use their description to inform the directions.
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- The interview is skipped when:
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- - `.picasso.md` already exists (preferences are loaded from it)
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- - User runs a specific command (`/audit`, `/polish`, `/a11y`, etc.) -- execute directly
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- - User says "just do it" or "skip the interview" or provides a detailed enough prompt
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- - Proactive mode (triggered by file changes) -- never interview, just audit
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+ **NEVER skip the gallery for design-level work.** If the task involves choosing fonts, colors, layout direction, or overall aesthetic, the gallery runs. Period.
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  **CRITICAL: Even when the interview is skipped, Phase 0b (Anti-Slop Gate) MUST still run for any design generation task.** The interview captures preferences. The gate ensures quality. They are independent. Skipping one does not skip the other. The only commands that bypass BOTH are pure audit commands (`/audit`, `/score`, `/quick-audit`, `/roast`) which do not generate code.
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package/bin/install.mjs CHANGED
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ if (command === "help" || command === "--help" || command === "-h") {
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  npx picasso-skill --path DIR Install to a custom directory
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  What gets installed:
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- .claude/skills/picasso/ Skill (knowledge base: 32 reference files)
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- .claude/agents/picasso.md Agent (autonomous design auditor)
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+ .claude/skills/picasso/ Skill (knowledge base: 33 reference files)
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+ .claude/agents/picasso.md Agent (visual discovery + design validation)
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  `);
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  process.exit(0);
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  }
@@ -127,7 +127,9 @@ try {
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  console.log(`\n Picasso is ready. Start designing.\n`);
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  if (agentDir) {
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- console.log(` Try: /godmode, /roast, /score, /mood, /evolve, /steal, /compete\n`);
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+ console.log(` 15 commands: /godmode /roast /score /mood /evolve /steal /compete`);
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+ console.log(` /variants /preset /preview /figma /backlog /autorefine`);
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+ console.log(` /quick-audit /before-after\n`);
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  }
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  } catch (err) {
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  console.error(` Error installing: ${err.message}`);
@@ -14,10 +14,9 @@ Phase 2: ASSESS
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  - Take BEFORE screenshots (desktop + mobile) and VIEW them with the Read tool.
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  - Run /score to establish the BEFORE score (0-100 with category breakdown).
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  - Run /roast for the brutally honest assessment (must be based on screenshots, not code guessing).
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- - Run /audit for full technical audit with severity-ranked findings.
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- - Run /a11y (axe-core + pa11y + Lighthouse accessibility).
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- - Run /perf (Lighthouse Core Web Vitals).
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- - Run /lint-design (find hardcoded colors, spacing violations, font inconsistencies).
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+ - Run the full Phase 2 design audit from the agent definition (typography, color, spacing, layout, a11y, contrast, motion, responsive, interaction).
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+ - Run axe-core accessibility check if dev server is available: `npx axe-cli http://localhost:PORT --exit 2>/dev/null || true`
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+ - Grep for hardcoded colors, spacing violations, font inconsistencies, transition:all, outline:none.
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  Phase 3: PLAN
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  - Compile all findings into a prioritized fix list (Critical -> High -> Medium -> Low).
package/package.json CHANGED
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  {
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  "name": "picasso-skill",
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- "version": "2.8.0",
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+ "version": "3.0.0",
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  "description": "The ultimate AI design skill for producing distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces",
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  "bin": {
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  "picasso-skill": "./bin/install.mjs"
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
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  ---
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  name: picasso
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- version: 2.0.2
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+ version: 3.0.0
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  description: >
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  The ultimate frontend design and UI engineering skill. Use this whenever the user asks to build, design, style, or improve any web interface, component, page, application, dashboard, landing page, artifact, poster, or visual output. Covers typography, color systems, spatial design, motion/animation, interaction design, responsive layouts, sound design, haptic feedback, icon systems, generative art, theming, React best practices, and DESIGN.md system generation. Also use when the user asks to audit, critique, polish, simplify, animate, or normalize a frontend. Triggers on any mention of "make it look good," "fix the design," "UI," "UX," "frontend," "component," "landing page," "dashboard," "artifact," "poster," "design system," "theme," "animation," "responsive," or any request to improve visual quality. Use this skill even when the user does not explicitly ask for design help but the task involves producing a visual interface.
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  metadata:
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ The ultimate design skill for producing distinctive, production-grade frontend i
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  Every output should look like it was built by a senior design engineer who spent days refining it, not generated by an AI in seconds.
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+ ## How the Skill and Agent Work Together
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+
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+ The Picasso **skill** (this file) and the Picasso **agent** (`agents/picasso.md`) are a unified system. They are NOT alternatives -- they are sequential phases of the same pipeline:
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+
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+ 1. **Discovery (Agent):** When no `.picasso.md` exists, the Picasso agent MUST be spawned to run the full Visual Discovery Process -- crawl codebase, generate 6-10 HTML sample galleries, collect user reactions, narrow, confirm direction, generate `.picasso.md`. The skill BLOCKS until this completes.
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+ 2. **Execution (Skill):** Once `.picasso.md` exists with confirmed tokens, the skill's workflow takes over -- read references, anti-slop gate, design thinking, aesthetic execution, implementation, audit, polish.
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+ 3. **Validation (Agent):** After execution produces code, the agent can be re-spawned to screenshot, audit, and verify the output matches the confirmed direction.
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+
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+ **The main Claude conversation MUST spawn the Picasso agent for discovery. It MUST NOT attempt to run discovery itself.** The agent has a dedicated context window optimized for the multi-step gallery generation process. The skill provides the design knowledge base that informs both the agent's gallery generation and the subsequent code execution.
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+
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+ **NO SHORTCUTS AT ANY PHASE.** The discovery gallery is not optional. The anti-slop gate is not optional. The screenshot validation is not optional. Every step exists because skipping it produces generic output.
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+
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  ---
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  ## Configurable Settings
@@ -31,9 +43,56 @@ When the user says "make it premium" or "luxury feel," drop VISUAL_DENSITY to 2-
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  ---
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+ ## MANDATORY FIRST STEP: Visual Discovery Gate (BLOCKING -- before EVERYTHING else)
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+
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+ This gate runs BEFORE any design work, BEFORE reading references, BEFORE the anti-slop gate, BEFORE design thinking, BEFORE any code. It is the absolute first thing that happens when Picasso is invoked for any design task.
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+
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+ ### When this gate fires:
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+
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+ - **ANY** design generation, build, redesign, overhaul, "make it look good", or new UI task
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+ - **ANY** invocation where `.picasso.md` does NOT exist in the project root
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+ - **ANY** time the user explicitly asks for design direction, styling, or visual work on a project that hasn't gone through discovery
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+ - When the user runs `/picasso`
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+
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+ ### When this gate does NOT fire:
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+
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+ - Pure audit commands that generate NO code: `/audit`, `/score`, `/quick-audit`, `/roast`
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+ - The user says "just fix [specific single thing]" (e.g., "fix the button color", "fix the spacing on line 42") -- targeted fixes to ONE element, not design-level work
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+ - `.picasso.md` already exists AND the user is doing incremental work within the established direction
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+
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+ ### What happens:
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+
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+ **You MUST spawn the Picasso agent** (subagent_type: "picasso") to run the full Visual Discovery Process. Do NOT attempt to run discovery yourself in the main conversation. The agent has a dedicated context window for this multi-step process.
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+
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+ The agent will:
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+ 1. **Crawl the codebase silently** -- understand the app, tech stack, product type, competitors
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+ 2. **Ask 2-3 quick context questions max** -- only what can't be determined from code
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+ 3. **Generate 6-10 fast HTML sample pages** showing diverse design directions using the project's actual content/structure -- written to `/tmp/picasso-gallery/`
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+ 4. **Screenshot and present the gallery** -- the user reacts (like/hate/adjust), NOT specifies
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+ 5. **Narrow and regenerate** -- 3-5 refined samples based on reactions
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+ 6. **Confirm direction** -- extract tokens, present Design Brief with visual preview
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+ 7. **Generate `.picasso.md`** -- lock in the chosen direction
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+
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+ **HARD RULES:**
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+ - The agent MUST generate the HTML sample gallery. It MUST NOT collapse this step into questions, text descriptions, or "let me describe what I'm thinking." The entire point is SHOWING, not TELLING.
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+ - The agent MUST generate at least 6 distinct visual samples on the first round. Volume and diversity matter more than polish.
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+ - The agent MUST screenshot the gallery and VIEW the screenshot before presenting to the user.
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+ - The agent MUST wait for user reactions before narrowing. Do not assume preferences.
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+ - The agent MUST NOT write any project code until the user has confirmed a direction and `.picasso.md` is generated.
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+
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+ **NO SHORTCUTS. NO COLLAPSING STEPS. NO SKIPPING THE GALLERY.**
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+
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+ The discovery process exists because users react to visuals, not specifications. Skipping it produces generic output. Every time. Without exception.
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+
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+ ### After Discovery Completes:
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+
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+ Once `.picasso.md` exists with confirmed tokens, proceed to Step 0 below. The skill steps (references, anti-slop gate, design thinking, execution) all operate WITHIN the direction established by discovery.
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+
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+ ---
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+
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  ## Quick Start (30 seconds)
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- New to Picasso? Here's the minimum viable workflow:
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+ Already have a `.picasso.md`? Here's the minimum viable workflow for incremental work:
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  1. **Pick a font** that isn't Inter, Roboto, or Arial. Try: Satoshi, Cabinet Grotesk, Outfit, General Sans, Clash Display.
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  2. **Pick a color** in OKLCH. Not Tailwind's default indigo. Try: `oklch(0.65 0.25 25)` (warm red), `oklch(0.55 0.20 160)` (teal), `oklch(0.60 0.22 300)` (violet).
@@ -56,7 +115,6 @@ Before writing any code, read the reference files relevant to the task. Each cov
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  | `references/spatial-design.md` | Layout, spacing, grids, visual hierarchy, whitespace |
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  | `references/depth-and-elevation.md` | Dual shadows, layering technique, shadow scale, z-index, hover patterns |
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  | `references/motion-and-animation.md` | Transitions, scroll effects, text morphing, micro-interactions |
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- | `references/interaction-design.md` | Forms, focus states, loading, empty states, error handling |
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  | `references/responsive-design.md` | Mobile-first, fluid, container queries, touch targets |
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  | `references/sensory-design.md` | UI sound effects, haptic feedback, multi-sensory interfaces |
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  | `references/react-patterns.md` | React/Next.js component architecture, hooks, performance |
@@ -72,7 +130,6 @@ Before writing any code, read the reference files relevant to the task. Each cov
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  | `references/micro-interactions.md` | Scroll animations, page transitions, gestures, magnetic effects |
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  | `references/i18n-visual-patterns.md` | RTL, logical properties, text expansion, CJK, number formatting |
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  | `references/brand-and-identity.md` | Logo sizing, brand color usage, consistency, lockup variants |
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- | `references/animation-performance.md` | Compositor-only props, will-change, layout thrashing, contain |
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  | `references/code-typography.md` | Monospace fonts, syntax highlighting, code blocks, diff views |
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  | `references/accessibility-wcag.md` | WCAG 2.2, ARIA patterns, keyboard nav, screen reader testing |
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  | `references/conversion-design.md` | Landing pages, CTAs, pricing tables, friction reduction |
@@ -83,6 +140,9 @@ Before writing any code, read the reference files relevant to the task. Each cov
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  | `references/tools-catalog.md` | Tool recommendations: torph, soundcn, Lucide, Facehash, better-icons |
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  | `references/ux-psychology.md` | Gestalt principles, Fitts's Law, Hick's Law, cognitive load, heuristics |
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  | `references/ux-writing.md` | Error messages, microcopy, terminology, voice and tone, CTAs |
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+ | `references/ux-evaluation.md` | Nielsen's 10 heuristics, Jobs to Be Done, state machines, prompt enhancement |
144
+ | `references/visual-preview.md` | HTML preview generation, side-by-side direction comparison, font URL mapping |
145
+ | `references/figma-mcp.md` | Figma MCP workflows, token extraction, design file analysis |
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146
 
87
147
  ---
88
148
 
@@ -235,26 +295,25 @@ When the task involves algorithmic art, generative visuals, or static poster/pri
235
295
 
236
296
  ## Commands
237
297
 
238
- These optional directives can be used to steer design refinement:
298
+ Available slash commands:
239
299
 
240
300
  | Command | Effect |
241
301
  |---|---|
242
- | `/audit` | Technical quality check: accessibility, performance, responsive |
243
- | `/critique` | UX design review: hierarchy, clarity, emotional resonance |
244
- | `/polish` | Final pass: refine spacing, transitions, copy |
245
- | `/simplify` | Strip to essence, remove visual noise |
246
- | `/animate` | Add purposeful motion and transitions |
247
- | `/bolder` | Amplify timid designs with stronger visual choices |
248
- | `/quieter` | Tone down overly aggressive designs |
249
- | `/normalize` | Align with design system standards |
250
- | `/theme` | Generate or apply a color/font theme |
251
- | `/sound` | Add UI sound effects to interactions |
252
- | `/haptics` | Add haptic feedback for mobile web |
253
- | `/redesign` | Audit an existing project, identify design problems, fix them systematically |
254
- | `/soft` | Apply premium soft aesthetic: generous whitespace, depth, smooth spring animations |
255
- | `/minimalist` | Apply editorial minimalism: monochrome, crisp borders, inspired by Linear/Notion |
256
- | `/brutalist` | Apply raw mechanical aesthetic: Swiss typography meets CRT terminal |
257
- | `/stitch` | Generate a Google Stitch-compatible DESIGN.md for the current project |
302
+ | `/roast` | Brutally honest design critique |
303
+ | `/score` | Quantified 0-100 design quality score with category breakdown |
304
+ | `/quick-audit` | 5-minute fast design audit: 6 binary checks |
305
+ | `/godmode` | The ultimate design transformation pipeline |
306
+ | `/figma` | Analyze a Figma file and extract its design DNA |
307
+ | `/steal` | Extract design DNA from a URL or Figma file |
308
+ | `/variants` | Generate 2-3 distinct visual directions with side-by-side previews |
309
+ | `/preview` | Generate visual previews of design directions or current tokens |
310
+ | `/evolve` | Iterative multi-round design refinement |
311
+ | `/mood` | Generate a complete design system from a mood word |
312
+ | `/preset` | Browse and apply curated design presets with visual previews |
313
+ | `/autorefine` | Binary evaluation loop: define criteria, mutate, iterate to 95%+ pass |
314
+ | `/backlog` | Create and manage a persistent design debt backlog |
315
+ | `/before-after` | Visual transformation report |
316
+ | `/compete` | Head-to-head design comparison |
258
317
 
259
318
  ---
260
319
 
@@ -318,3 +377,5 @@ These are not best practices. These are things that actually break in production
318
377
  5. Every detail matters. The shadow radius, the letter spacing, the hover transition duration, the border color in dark mode. These are not small decisions.
319
378
  6. **The Anti-Slop Gate (Step 0.5) must be completed before writing any design code.** No exceptions. If you cannot articulate specific, non-default commitments for font, color, layout, and differentiation, you are not ready to design. Go back to the references.
320
379
  7. **Transformation means transformation.** When asked to redesign or improve a site, the result must be visually unrecognizable from the original. Changing CSS variables and swapping fonts is engineering, not design. A redesign changes the spatial logic, the visual hierarchy, the emotional register, and the layout structure. If someone could confuse the before and after, the redesign failed.
380
+ 8. **The Visual Discovery Gate must complete before any design-level execution.** If `.picasso.md` does not exist, spawn the Picasso agent for full visual discovery. Do not attempt to run discovery in the main conversation. Do not skip the gallery. Do not substitute questions for visuals. The agent generates HTML samples, the user reacts, direction is confirmed, `.picasso.md` is created. Only then does execution begin.
381
+ 9. **Post-execution validation is mandatory.** After implementing design changes, screenshot the result and compare against the `.picasso.md` direction. If the implementation drifts from the confirmed direction, fix it before delivering. Every major edit gets a screenshot. Not just at the end -- between each significant change.