# Retool Ui Skills

> Design constraints for building Retool-style web UIs with Inter font, a 4px spacing grid, light-mode

Design constraints for building Retool-style web UIs with Inter font, a 4px spacing grid, light-mode surfaces, specified color tokens, 32px default border radius, and focus, hover, disabled, and motion rules for HTML, CSS, and React components. Use when generating or reviewing frontend UI code, CSS, or Tailwind classes that should match Retool's visual system.

- Page: https://ss33.ai/skills/ihlamury/retool-ui-skills-91570220656
- Publisher: ihlamury
- Category: [Software Development](https://ss33.ai/skills/category/software-development-t44z8z) › [Frontend & UI](https://ss33.ai/skills/category/software-development-t44z8z/frontend-and-ui-q25e9r)
- License: MIT
- Source: https://github.com/ihlamury/design-skills/blob/126714ec5df13a2c97ce1b3975e5a51d2592d967/skills/retool/SKILL.md

## Skill

SKILL.md: https://ss33.ai/api/v1/ss33/download/ihlamury/retool-ui-skills-91570220656

# Retool UI Skills

Opinionated constraints for building Retool-style interfaces with AI agents.

## When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:
- Building light-mode interfaces
- Creating Retool-inspired design systems
- Implementing UIs with Inter font and 4px grid

## Colors

- SHOULD use light backgrounds for primary surfaces
- MUST use `#E3E6D7` as page background (`surface-base`)
- MUST use `#80AEF2` for primary actions and focus states (`accent`)
- SHOULD reduce color palette (currently 21 colors detected)
- MUST maintain text contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for accessibility

### Semantic Tokens

| Token | HEX | RGB | Usage |
|-------|-----|-----|-------|
| `surface-base` | #E3E6D7 | rgb(227,230,215) | Page background |
| `surface-raised` | #081319 | rgb(8,19,25) | Cards, modals, raised surfaces |
| `surface-overlay` | #3469F5 | rgb(52,105,245) | Overlays, tooltips, dropdowns |
| `text-primary` | #80AEF2 | rgb(128,174,242) | Headings, body text |
| `text-secondary` | #A49369 | rgb(164,147,105) | Secondary, muted text |
| `text-tertiary` | #646560 | rgb(100,101,96) | Additional text |
| `border-default` | #255DF1 | rgb(37,93,241) | Subtle borders, dividers |
| `accent` | #80AEF2 | rgb(128,174,242) | Primary actions, links, focus |
| `warning` | #9B7C4A | rgb(155,124,74) | Warning states, cautions |

## Typography

- MUST use `Inter` as primary font family
- SHOULD use single font family for consistency
- MUST use `54px` / `700` for primary headings
- MUST use `19px` / `500` for body text
- SHOULD reduce font weights (currently 4 detected)
- MUST use `text-balance` for headings and `text-pretty` for body text
- SHOULD use `tabular-nums` for numeric data
- NEVER modify letter-spacing unless explicitly requested

### Text Styles

| Style | Font | Size | Weight | Color | Count |
|-------|------|------|--------|-------|-------|
| `heading-1` | Inter | 54px | 700 | #C4C6BC | 1 |
| `text-45px` | Inter | 45px | 500 | #6E6E6B | 1 |
| `text-45px` | Inter | 45px | 500 | #C2C3BD | 1 |
| `text-38px` | Inter | 38px | 500 | #B5B6AF | 1 |
| `text-38px` | Inter | 38px | 500 | #6C6C69 | 1 |
| `text-36px` | Inter | 36px | 500 | #AFB0A9 | 1 |
| `text-36px` | Inter | 36px | 500 | #767673 | 1 |
| `text-36px` | Inter | 36px | 500 | #CECFC7 | 1 |
| `body` | Inter | 19px | 500 | #BDBEB8 | 1 |
| `body-secondary` | Inter | 18px | 400 | #7F7F7D | 1 |

### Typography Reference

**Font Families:**
- `Inter` (used 40x)

**Font Sizes:** 7px, 8px, 9px, 10px, 11px, 12px, 13px, 14px, 15px, 16px, 18px, 19px, 36px, 38px, 45px, 54px

## Spacing

- MUST use 4px grid for spacing
- SHOULD use spacing from scale: 1px, 2px, 3px, 4px, 5px, 15px, 24px, 35px
- SHOULD use 2px as default gap between elements
- NEVER use arbitrary spacing values (use design scale)
- SHOULD maintain consistent padding within containers

## Borders

- MUST use border-radius from scale: 2px, 3px, 4px, 19px, 32px, 99px
- SHOULD use 32px+ radius for pill-shaped elements
- SHOULD limit border widths to: 1px, 4px
- SHOULD use 32px as default border-radius
- NEVER use arbitrary border-radius values (use design scale)
- SHOULD use subtle borders (1px) for element separation

### Border Radius Reference

**Scale:** 2px, 3px, 4px, 19px, 32px, 99px

## Layout

- MUST design for 1920px base viewport width
- SHOULD use consistent element widths: 8px, 11px, 7px, 6px, 1364px
- SHOULD maintain text-heavy layout with clear hierarchy
- NEVER use `h-screen`, use `h-dvh` for full viewport height
- MUST respect `safe-area-inset` for fixed elements
- SHOULD use `size-*` for square elements instead of `w-*` + `h-*`

### Detected Layout Patterns

- **Main Content**: width: 1920px, height: 900px
- **Main Content**: width: 1307px, height: 661px
- **Main Content**: width: 1364px, height: 702px
- **Header**: height: 88px

## Components

### Buttons

| Variant | Background | Text | Border | Height | Radius |
|---------|------------|------|--------|--------|--------|
| Ghost | transparent | #80AEF2 | none | - | - |

## Interactive States

### Focus

- MUST use `2px` outline with accent color (`#80AEF2`)
- MUST use `2px` outline-offset
- NEVER remove focus indicators

### Hover

- Buttons (primary): lighten background by 10%
- Buttons (secondary): use `#081319` background
- List items: use `#081319` background

### Disabled

- MUST use `opacity: 0.5`
- MUST use `cursor: not-allowed`

## Interaction

- MUST use an `AlertDialog` for destructive or irreversible actions
- SHOULD use structural skeletons for loading states
- MUST show errors next to where the action happens
- NEVER block paste in `input` or `textarea` elements
- MUST add an `aria-label` to icon-only buttons

## Animation

- NEVER add animation unless it is explicitly requested
- MUST animate only compositor props (`transform`, `opacity`)
- NEVER animate layout properties (`width`, `height`, `top`, `left`, `margin`, `padding`)
- SHOULD use `ease-out` on entrance animations
- NEVER exceed `200ms` for interaction feedback
- SHOULD respect `prefers-reduced-motion`

## Performance

- NEVER animate large `blur()` or `backdrop-filter` surfaces
- NEVER apply `will-change` outside an active animation
- NEVER use `useEffect` for anything that can be expressed as render logic