Pencil

Overview

Pencil is a revolutionary design tool built for the modern development workflow. It bridges the gap between design and code by providing an infinite canvas directly inside popular IDEs. By treating design as code, Pencil eliminates traditional handoff friction and allows developers and designers to work within the same repository using a bi-directional workflow.

Key Features

• IDE Integration: Seamlessly works with Cursor, VSCode, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex.
• AI Multiplayer: Collaborate with AI agents to generate screens or entire flows in parallel, acting as extra hands for rapid exploration.
• Design as Code: Design files live directly in your repository, allowing you to version, branch, and merge using Git.
• Figma Compatibility: Supports direct copy-pasting from Figma, keeping vectors, text, and styles intact.
• Open File Format: Uses a fully open format to prevent vendor lock-in, making files easy to read, debug, or extend with custom tools.
• MCP Powered: Built on the Model Context Protocol, providing full read/write access for agents to operate the canvas and integrate with external data sources.

Use Cases

• Rapid Prototyping: Quickly iterate on UI/UX designs without switching between design tools and code editors.
• Production-Ready UI: Convert vector designs into clean HTML, CSS, and React code that stays true to the original vision.
• AI-Assisted Development: Use AI prompts to generate specific UI components or entire application layouts in context.

FAQ

• Which IDEs does Pencil support? Pencil currently supports Cursor, VSCode, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex, with support for any IDE of your choice via extensions.
• Can I use my own design system? Yes, you can leverage curated design kits or plug in your team's existing design system directly from your codebase.
• How does the AI integration work? Pencil is agent-driven, meaning AI can read and write to the canvas to help you explore directions or build screens based on prompts.
• Is there a risk of vendor lock-in? No, Pencil uses a fully open file format, ensuring you can always access and modify your design data with other tools.
• Does it support Git workflows? Yes, because design files live in your repo, they follow your standard Git versioning and branching processes.