skill · from the design plugin
/design-handoff
Generate developer handoff specs from a design. Use when a design is ready for engineering and needs a spec sheet covering layout, design tokens, component props, interaction states, responsive breakpoints, edge cases, and animation details.
- design plugin
- Slash command
you ›install the design plugin
metaphor ›Installed design. /design-handoff is ready.
you ›/design-handoff
metaphor ›Loaded the design-handoff skill. What should I work on?
What the agent is told
This is the skill's SKILL.md, exactly what Metaphor reads before the task.
If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.
Generate comprehensive developer handoff documentation from a design.
Usage
/design-handoff $ARGUMENTS
Generate handoff specs for: @$1
If a Figma URL is provided, pull the design from Figma. Otherwise, work from the provided description or screenshot.
What to Include
Visual Specifications
- Exact measurements (padding, margins, widths)
- Design token references (colors, typography, spacing)
- Responsive breakpoints and behavior
- Component variants and states
Interaction Specifications
- Click/tap behavior
- Hover states
- Transitions and animations (duration, easing)
- Gesture support (swipe, pinch, long-press)
Content Specifications
- Character limits
- Truncation behavior
- Empty states
- Loading states
- Error states
Edge Cases
- Minimum/maximum content
- International text (longer strings)
- Slow connections
- Missing data
Accessibility
- Focus order
- ARIA labels and roles
- Keyboard interactions
- Screen reader announcements
Principles
- Don't assume — If it's not specified, the developer will guess. Specify everything.
- Use tokens, not values — Reference
spacing-mdnot16px. - Show all states — Default, hover, active, disabled, loading, error, empty.
- Describe the why — "This collapses on mobile because users primarily use one-handed" helps developers make good judgment calls.
Output
## Handoff Spec: [Feature/Screen Name]
### Overview
[What this screen/feature does, user context]
### Layout
[Grid system, breakpoints, responsive behavior]
### Design Tokens Used
| Token | Value | Usage |
|-------|-------|-------|
| `color-primary` | #[hex] | CTA buttons, links |
| `spacing-md` | [X]px | Between sections |
| `font-heading-lg` | [size/weight/family] | Page title |
### Components
| Component | Variant | Props | Notes |
|-----------|---------|-------|-------|
| [Component] | [Variant] | [Props] | [Special behavior] |
### States and Interactions
| Element | State | Behavior |
|---------|-------|----------|
| [CTA Button] | Hover | [Background darken 10%] |
| [CTA Button] | Loading | [Spinner, disabled] |
| [Form] | Error | [Red border, error message below] |
### Responsive Behavior
| Breakpoint | Changes |
|------------|---------|
| Desktop (>1024px) | [Default layout] |
| Tablet (768-1024px) | [What changes] |
| Mobile (<768px) | [What changes] |
### Edge Cases
- **Empty state**: [What to show when no data]
- **Long text**: [Truncation rules]
- **Loading**: [Skeleton or spinner]
- **Error**: [Error state appearance]
### Animation / Motion
| Element | Trigger | Animation | Duration | Easing |
|---------|---------|-----------|----------|--------|
| [Element] | [Trigger] | [Description] | [ms] | [easing] |
### Accessibility Notes
- [Focus order]
- [ARIA labels needed]
- [Keyboard interactions]
If Connectors Available
If ~~design tool is connected:
- Pull exact measurements, tokens, and component specs from Figma
- Export assets and generate a complete spec sheet
If ~~project tracker is connected:
- Link the handoff to the implementation ticket
- Create sub-tasks for each section of the spec
Tips
- Share the Figma link — I can pull exact measurements, tokens, and component info.
- Mention edge cases — "What happens with 100 items?" helps me spec boundary conditions.
- Specify the tech stack — "We use React + Tailwind" helps me give relevant implementation notes.
Questions
What is the design-handoff skill?
Generate developer handoff specs from a design. Use when a design is ready for engineering and needs a spec sheet covering layout, design tokens, component props, interaction states, responsive breakpoints, edge cases, and animation details.
How do I use design-handoff in Metaphor?
Install the design plugin by asking the agent "install the design plugin", then type /design-handoff in the composer.
What is a skill?
A skill is a set of written instructions the agent reads before it starts a kind of task. It changes how the agent works, not what it is allowed to do.
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