Tokens

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Context: this sub-skill is one lens of the broader ui-craft skill. If the ui-craft skill is also installed, read its SKILL.md first for Discovery + Anti-Slop + Craft Test, then apply the specific lens below.

Read references/tokens.md before proceeding. The 3-layer contract (primitive → semantic → component) and the intentional-dark test are defined there.

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Step 1: Detect existing tokens

Scan for token definitions in the project:

• CSS variables in :root, [data-theme], [data-mode], or theme wrapper selectors
• Tailwind config (tailwind.config.js/ts) under theme.extend or theme
• CSS-in-JS theme objects (theme.ts, *.styles.ts, styled.d.ts, ThemeProvider)
• design-tokens.json or tokens.json (Style Dictionary / Theo)
• globals.css, variables.css, tokens.css

Build an inventory: which of the 7 categories exist (color / spacing / type / radii / shadows / motion / z-index), which layers are present (primitive / semantic / component), and whether both light and dark are defined.

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Step 2: Route based on $ARGUMENTS and inventory

• "audit" → run audit only (Step 3). No proposals.
• "establish" → skip audit, go to Step 4.
• "color" / "spacing" / "type" / "radii" / "shadows" / "motion" / "z-index" → focus the audit and any proposal on that one category.
• empty → if tokens exist: audit. If nothing found: establish.

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Step 3: Audit (tokens exist)

Evaluate against the contract in references/tokens.md. Output a severity-ranked gap list — don't propose code yet.

Check:

1. 3-layer coverage — are primitive, semantic, and component layers all present? Missing semantics is the most common gap: primitives exist but nothing switches for dark mode and no surface stack is defined.
2. 7-category coverage — any of (color / spacing / type / radii / shadows / motion / z-index) missing? Flag each absent category.
3. Intentional dark mode — run the intentional-dark test: does dark mode do more than invert --text-primary? Is --surface-canvas a tinted near-black (not #000)? Is accent chroma reduced 10-15%? Are shadows replaced with border rings?
4. Naming discipline — are primitives named for values (--gray-500) not roles (--button-bg)? Are semantics named for roles (--text-primary) not values (--gray-900-text)?
5. No arbitrary values — inline colors, spacing, or z-index values that bypass the token system.

Output format:

Severity	Category	Finding
Critical	Dark mode	--surface-canvas is #000 — runs the intentional-dark test
High	Semantics	No surface stack — components use raw primitives
Medium	Shadows	Single-layer shadows — ambient layer missing
Low	Z-index	Arbitrary values (z-index: 999) in 3 components

Show what's missing. Do not propose code during audit unless the user asks.

Step 3b — Converge mode (explicit opt-in)

Load skills/ui-craft/references/loops.md preset token-consistency (budget = the default loop budget defined in loops.md). Emit the pre-flight cost notice. After fixing the top off-system value (raw hex color, arbitrary radius, or magic spacing), re-scan until zero off-system values or budget exhausted.

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Step 4: Establish (no tokens found)

Propose a minimal spine inline. Cover all 7 categories. Always include both light and dark blocks — both intentional.

Minimal spine order:

1. Primitives — neutral ramp (gray-50 to gray-950), one accent ramp, semantic color bases, spacing scale, type scale, radii, shadows, motion, z-index.
2. Semantics — surface stack (5 levels), text roles, border roles, accent roles, status roles (success / warning / error / info).
3. Component tokens — defer unless a specific component is already being built.

Use OKLCH for color unless the project uses sRGB across the board — in that case flag the gap, propose OKLCH, but don't auto-convert.

Before writing to a file, ask which file to write to. Detect from project structure and suggest one:

• Tailwind project → globals.css (CSS variables inside :root)
• CSS-in-JS → theme.ts (exported theme object)
• Vanilla CSS → tokens.css (standalone variables file)
• Cross-platform / multi-consumer → design-tokens.json (Style Dictionary format)

Confirm with the user before writing.

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Step 5: Never overwrite

If the project has an existing token file, propose additions as patches — show what would change in a diff block:

  :root {
+   /* ── Semantic surface stack (new) ── */
+   --surface-canvas:  var(--gray-50);
+   --surface-raised:  var(--gray-100);
+   --surface-overlay: #fff;
+   --surface-sunken:  var(--gray-200);
+   --surface-inverse: var(--gray-900);
  }

Let the user apply. Don't write directly unless they approve.

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Constraints

• Don't impose Tailwind on a vanilla CSS project. Match the project's existing syntax.
• Don't impose OKLCH if the project uses sRGB consistently — flag it, suggest migration, don't force it.
• Respect existing naming conventions — if the project uses --color-primary over --accent-500, extend that pattern rather than introducing a parallel naming scheme.

Next step: /craft — build on the spine you just established (rung 1).