Open Design

Overview

Open Design is an open-source design studio that empowers users to design with their existing coding agents as the core engine. It operates on a local-first principle, meaning the agent runs directly on your laptop, ensuring privacy and control. The platform leverages a system of 132 composable skills and 150 brand-grade design systems to drive the design process.

Key Features

• Local-First Agent Integration: Connects with your preferred coding agents (Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, OpenCode, Qwen, etc.) that run locally.
• Composable Skills: Utilizes 132 file-based SKILL.md bundles that can be easily added or removed.
• Design Systems as Markdown: Integrates 150 portable DESIGN.md systems, including popular ones like Linear, Vercel, Stripe, Apple, and Figma.
• BYOK (Bring Your Own Key): Supports various AI models and providers through an OpenAI-compatible proxy, allowing for flexibility in API keys and endpoints.
• Iterative Design Loop: Follows a four-stage process: Detect, Discover, Direct, and Deliver, emphasizing a visual and research-driven workflow.
• Open Source & Extensible: Built with an open-source philosophy, encouraging community contributions and modifications. The codebase is available under the Apache-2.0 license.
• Multiple Output Formats: Delivers designs in various formats including HTML, PDF, PPTX, ZIP, and Markdown.

Use Cases

• Rapid Prototyping: Quickly generate design concepts and prototypes by leveraging AI agents and pre-defined skills.
• Custom Design Workflows: Build and customize design workflows by combining different skills and design systems.
• AI-Powered Design Assistance: Enhance the design process with AI-driven suggestions and automations.
• Local Development: Maintain data privacy and control by running the design agent entirely on your local machine.
• Open Source Collaboration: Contribute to and benefit from a community-driven design tool.

FAQ

What is Open Design?

Open Design is an open-source, local-first design studio that uses your existing coding agent as the design engine, powered by composable skills and design systems.

Which coding agents are supported?

Open Design supports a wide range of agents including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, OpenCode, Qwen, Copilot, Devin, Hermes, Pi, Kimi, and Kiro, auto-detected via your $PATH.

How does the skill system work?

Skills are provided as file-based SKILL.md bundles. You can add a folder of skills, restart the daemon, and they become available in the platform.

Can I use my own API keys or models?

Yes, Open Design supports a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) approach through an OpenAI-compatible proxy, allowing integration with services like DeepSeek, Groq, OpenRouter, or your self-hosted vLLM.

What are the output formats?

Designs can be delivered and exported in HTML, PDF, PPTX, ZIP, and Markdown formats.

Is Open Design free to use?

Yes, Open Design is open-source and available under the Apache-2.0 license, meaning it's free to use, modify, and distribute.