hig-components-dialogs
by raintree-technologyhig-components-dialogs is the Apple HIG presentation-components skill for choosing alerts, action sheets, popovers, sheets, and digit entry views. Use this hig-components-dialogs guide when you need clear, Apple-aligned dialog selection for confirmation flows, destructive actions, nonmodal content, and UI design decisions across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS.
This skill scores 78/100, which means it is a solid listing candidate for directory users: it has enough real Apple HIG workflow guidance to reduce guesswork for dialog/presentation decisions, though it is not a fully polished operational playbook. Users installing it should expect useful trigger coverage and reference-backed recommendations, with some reliance on the broader HIG corpus for deeper edge cases.
- Strong triggerability: the description explicitly covers alerts, action sheets, popovers, sheets, confirmation dialogs, modal presentation, and related user queries.
- Good operational clarity: the body gives direct best-practice guidance for when to use each presentation component, reducing prompt ambiguity.
- Useful supporting references: five structured reference files back the main skill with canonical Apple HIG source material.
- No install command or scripts, so adoption is documentation-driven rather than tool-driven.
- The description is very short and the support files are reference indexes, so some complex implementation decisions may still require extra interpretation.
Overview of hig-components-dialogs skill
hig-components-dialogs is the Apple HIG presentation-components skill for choosing and designing dialogs such as alerts, action sheets, popovers, sheets, and digit entry views. It helps when you need a clear “which dialog should I use?” answer, not just a generic UI prompt. The hig-components-dialogs skill is best for product designers, UI writers, and agent workflows that need Apple-aligned guidance for confirmation flows, destructive actions, transient overlays, and task-focused presentations.
What this skill is for
Use hig-components-dialogs when the job is to select the right dialog pattern and shape it correctly for Apple platforms. It is especially useful for deciding between similar options that often get confused in design reviews, such as alert vs sheet, popover vs sheet, or action sheet vs alert.
What makes it useful
The skill is grounded in Apple HIG references and is organized around practical decision points: when to interrupt, when to keep context, when to offer choices, and when to avoid modal friction. That makes hig-components-dialogs for UI Design more decision-oriented than a raw documentation skim.
When it fits best
This skill fits teams working on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, or visionOS interfaces where presentation patterns need to match platform expectations. It is a strong match if your prompt includes confirmation dialogs, destructive actions, overlay UI, or modal presentation concerns.
How to Use hig-components-dialogs skill
Install and load it in context
Install with: npx skills add raintree-technology/apple-hig-skills --skill hig-components-dialogs. Then read SKILL.md first, followed by the linked reference files in references/ so the model sees the pattern-specific guidance before drafting UI copy or recommendations.
Start from a concrete UI decision
The hig-components-dialogs usage works best when you describe the action, the risk level, the platform, and whether the user must respond immediately. A weak prompt says “design a dialog”; a stronger prompt says “choose between alert, sheet, or action sheet for deleting a shared project on iPhone, with Cancel and one destructive option.”
Files to read first
Start with SKILL.md, then inspect references/alerts.md, references/action-sheets.md, references/popovers.md, references/sheets.md, and references/digit-entry-views.md. Those files cover the main branches of the decision tree and are usually enough to avoid wrong-pattern output.
Prompt shape that gets better results
Give the skill the task goal, the trigger, the user’s next step, and any platform constraints. For example: “A macOS app needs a nonmodal way to show export options from a toolbar button; recommend the dialog pattern and explain why.” That is better than a vague “make this more Apple-like” because it lets the skill map the interaction to the right HIG pattern.
hig-components-dialogs skill FAQ
Is hig-components-dialogs only for Apple platforms?
Yes. It is centered on Apple HIG patterns, so it is most valuable when the product needs iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, or visionOS alignment. If you are designing a web-only modal system, this skill is a poor fit.
How is it different from a normal prompt?
A normal prompt often produces generic modal advice. The hig-components-dialogs guide gives the model a structured, Apple-specific frame for deciding between presentation components and for avoiding anti-patterns like overusing alerts or using a popover where a sheet is more appropriate.
Can beginners use it?
Yes, if they can describe the user action in plain language. Beginners get the best results by stating what happens before the dialog appears, what choices the user has, and what the app should do after dismissal.
When should I not use it?
Do not use hig-components-dialogs when the issue is navigation, page layout, or form field design with no dialog decision. It also is not the right skill when you already know the exact component and only need generic copywriting.
How to Improve hig-components-dialogs skill
Give the decision inputs the skill needs
The biggest quality boost comes from stating the action, urgency, and consequence. For example: “The user is removing a collaborator from a shared document; this is reversible, but the change affects other people.” That helps the skill avoid over-escalating to a blocking alert.
Share platform and interaction constraints
Mention whether the surface is iPhone, iPad, Mac, or visionOS, and whether the trigger comes from a toolbar, list item, or inline control. hig-components-dialogs can then distinguish popovers from sheets and avoid compact-layout mistakes.
Watch for common failure modes
The most common mistakes are choosing a modal pattern for a lightweight task, using an alert for routine information, or making a popover carry too much content. If your first output feels too generic, add the number of choices, the presence of destructive actions, and whether the dialog should preserve context.
Iterate with a sharper second prompt
If the first answer is close but not exact, refine with a constraint such as “keep it nonmodal,” “must support one-handed iPhone use,” or “needs only one confirmation step.” That is the fastest way to improve hig-components-dialogs install outcomes and get a more precise hig-components-dialogs usage recommendation.