AI App Starter
A dark-first DESIGN.md for AI apps: deep space canvas, an indigo-to-violet brand gradient reserved for generative moments, calm neutrals, and streaming-aware states.
- Tokens
- 14
- Components
- 8
- Themes
- Light + Dark
- Responsive
- 3 breakpoints
Preview Lab
LiveInspect theme and responsive behavior
Design system overview
A calm shell that lets AI output take the stage
A dark-first system for AI apps: deep space canvas, an indigo-to-violet brand gradient reserved for generative moments, calm neutrals, and streaming-aware states.
The template defines the working system behind the preview: three-zone layout, prompt composer behavior, streaming and stop states, semantic status, keyboard focus, and implementation rules for AI coding agents.
Primary
One clear action
Active navigation and primary controls
Typography
$482,900
Total revenue
+8.2% this month
Controls
Status
Tokens
Color system
Named roles from the template contract. Every swatch is keyboard-copyable and includes its intended use, so the palette stays meaningful outside this preview.
Brand
Surfaces
Text
Semantic
Data visualization
Source file
Raw DESIGN.md and export formats
This is the single canonical source view. Anonymous visitors see a short preview; signed-in users get the complete Markdown and generated implementation formats.
# AI App Starter DESIGN.md
## Product feel
Build a dark-first product surface for an AI application: chat, agents, generation, and
streaming output. The interface should feel focused and modern, with a deep space canvas,
an indigo-to-violet brand gradient reserved for AI moments, and calm neutrals everywhere else.
Motion and color signal that the system is thinking, streaming, or done — never decoration.
## Color system
### Brand
- Indigo: #6366f1 — primary actions, active state, brand gradient start
- Violet: #8b5cf6 — brand gradient end, AI/generative emphasis
- Blue: #3b82f6 — links, secondary interactive accents
### Surfaces (dark-first)
- Canvas: #0f0f23 — deep app background
- Surface: #1a1a2e — panels, message cards, sidebar
- Surface Raised: #16213e — elevated menus, active conversation
- Hover: #20203a — hover rows and controls
- Border: #2a2a45 — separators and card outlines
### Text
- Text Primary: #f5f5fa — headings, message body
- Text Secondary: #a5a5c0 — labels, metadata, timestamps
- Text Muted: #6b6b8a — placeholders, disabled
### Semantic
- Success: #10b981 — completed generations, healthy status
- Warning: #f59e0b — rate limits, pending review
- Danger: #ef4444 — errors, stopped runs
- Info: #3b82f6 — informational links and hints
## Light mode
- Indigo: #6366f1 — primary actions, active state, brand gradient start
- Violet: #8b5cf6 — brand gradient end, AI/generative emphasis
- Blue: #3b82f6 — links, secondary interactive accents
- Canvas: #f6f6fb — app background
- Surface: #ffffff — panels, message cards, sidebar
- Surface Raised: #eef0fa — elevated menus, active conversation
How to use this template
- 01
Copy
Copy the complete DESIGN.md content from this page.
- 02
Paste
Create a DESIGN.md file in your project root and paste it in.
- 03
Reference
In your AI agent chat: "Build the next screen following DESIGN.md."
- 04
Generate
The agent applies the tokens, spacing, and component rules automatically.
Use with AI Coding Agents
Copy one of these prompts into your AI coding agent to apply the AI App Starter DESIGN.md design system to your project. The DESIGN.md file in your repo root is the source of truth.
# .cursor/rules (or DESIGN.md) You are working in a project that uses the AI App Starter DESIGN.md design system. Read the DESIGN.md file in this project root and follow it strictly when generating UI. Match the brand's exact colors, typography, spacing scale, and border radius. Do not create generic Tailwind UI — apply the visual language from DESIGN.md. Key rules: - Use the defined color palette, not arbitrary hex values - Apply the correct font family and weight scale - Follow spacing tokens (4/8/12/16/24/32px scale) - Match component patterns: buttons, cards, inputs, badges as specified
More templates
Related templates
Explore other ready-to-use DESIGN.md templates for your next project.
Minimal SaaS Dashboard
A calm, data-dense SaaS operating system with warm neutral surfaces, graphite navigation, electric signal accents, and a strict 4px grid.
Editorial Product Landing Page
A complete conversion system for product launches: warm editorial composition, signal-red action hierarchy, product evidence, section rhythm, copy limits, and mobile rules.
Ecommerce
A minimal, editorial ecommerce DESIGN.md: bright neutral canvas, near-black ink, generous whitespace, and a strict product grid where imagery is the hero.
Admin Panel
Free Admin Panel DESIGN.md for Cursor, Codex, and Claude Code: Light + Dark themes, responsive table rules, semantic states, and Tailwind-ready exports.
Goes well with
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the AI App Starter DESIGN.md template with Cursor?
Copy the full DESIGN.md from this page into your project root, or add it to .cursor/rules when you want Cursor-specific project rules. Then prompt: "Read DESIGN.md and follow its design system for every UI change."
Is the AI App Starter template free for commercial projects?
Yes. All DesignMD templates are MIT licensed — copy, modify, and ship them in commercial products without attribution.
What does the AI App Starter DESIGN.md include?
AI App Starter documents light + dark tokens, responsive layout rules, and Primary (Gradient) Button, Secondary Button, Prompt Composer, Message Bubble patterns for AI coding agents. It is prepared for Cursor, Claude Code, Codex.