design-engineering

Reviews and improves UI motion, easing, micro-interactions, and animation accessibility in CSS and GSAP code.

Updated Sep 6, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/malikkotb/shellpluscore --skill design-engineering-malikkotb
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: design-engineering
Source: https://github.com/malikkotb/shellpluscore/tree/main/.agents/skills/design-engineering
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/malikkotb/shellpluscore --skill design-engineering-malikkotb

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Interfaces often feel unpolished because of small animation mistakes: transition: all, scale(0) entrances, ease-in on dropdowns, or hover effects that misfire on touch devices. This Skill provides a structured decision framework and review format for UI motion craft so animations feel intentional, performant, and accessible. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Animation decision framework: Decide whether to animate at all based on usage frequency, then choose easing curves, durations, and springs with concrete values (e.g. ease-out for entering, 150–250ms for dropdowns). - Component and CSS guidance: Press feedback with scale(0.97), origin-aware popovers, @starting-style enter animations, clip-path reveals, and gesture patterns like momentum-based dismissal and rubber-band damping. - Performance and accessibility rules: Prefer transform and opacity, respect prefers-reduced-motion, and guard hover effects with @media (hover: hover) and (pointer: fine). - Use Case: When reviewing a pull request that adds a modal and toast animations, use this Skill to produce a Before/After/Why table flagging issues like keyframes on rapid toggles or missing reduced-motion handling. ## Quick Start Review the animation CSS in my component and suggest improvements using the Before/After/Why table format.

Frequently Asked Questions about design-engineering

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I choose the right easing and duration for UI animations?

Use ease-out for entering or exiting elements, ease-in-out for on-screen movement, and linear for constant motion. Keep routine UI motion under roughly 300ms: buttons 100–160ms, dropdowns 150–250ms, modals 200–500ms.

How do I review animation code for common mistakes?

Check for `transition: all`, `scale(0)` entrances, `ease-in` on dropdowns, and keyframes on rapidly repeated toggles. Present findings in a Before/After/Why markdown table with one row per issue and a brief rationale.

Should I use CSS transitions or keyframes for interactive UI?

Prefer CSS transitions for interruptible UI like toasts and toggles because they retarget mid-flight, while keyframes restart from zero. Use springs for drag gestures that can reverse mid-animation since they preserve velocity.

How do I handle prefers-reduced-motion in animations?

Wrap motion in a `prefers-reduced-motion` media query and reduce or remove movement while keeping opacity or color changes that aid understanding. In scripts, branch with `window.matchMedia` or `gsap.matchMedia()`.

Why do hover animations misfire on touch devices?

Hover styles can stick after taps on touch screens. Guard hover-only motion with `@media (hover: hover) and (pointer: fine)` so it only applies to devices with precise pointing like a mouse.

When should I not use this design-engineering skill?

Do not use it for CMS schema changes, Plop scaffolding, or pure code-style formatting without a UI craft angle. GSAP scroll architecture belongs to the gsap-core and gsap-scrolltrigger skills, and formal WCAG audits belong to the accessibility guide.