hig-platforms
by raintree-technologyThe hig-platforms skill helps you make Apple UI decisions by platform, not just by generic layout. Use it for iPhone, iPad, macOS, visionOS, tvOS, and watchOS guidance when you need platform-specific navigation, density, input, and conventions. It fits hig-platforms for UI Design, porting apps, and comparing platform differences.
This skill scores 84/100, which means it is a solid directory candidate: users can likely trigger it reliably from the description and get platform-specific Apple HIG guidance with less guesswork than a generic prompt. It is useful enough to install for Apple platform design work, though the repository would still benefit from more explicit workflow aids and supporting assets.
- Strong triggerability: the description names many concrete use cases and platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, watchOS, platform differences, porting).
- Operational guidance is present: the body includes clear platform principles and calls out that users should check existing design context before asking questions.
- Cross-references to related HIG skills improve agent leverage by helping route broader design questions to the right sibling skill.
- No install command, support files, or references were provided, so adoption depends mostly on the SKILL.md text itself.
- The repository evidence shows no practical examples or scripted workflow, so some edge-case handling may still require agent interpretation.
Overview of hig-platforms skill
The hig-platforms skill is for Apple UI decisions that depend on platform, not just generic layout advice. Use the hig-platforms skill when you need to answer questions like “should this be different on iPhone vs iPad?” or “what changes for macOS, visionOS, tvOS, or watchOS?” It is most useful for designers, PMs, and AI agents translating a rough product idea into platform-appropriate UI choices.
What hig-platforms is for
This skill helps you choose the right interaction model, navigation style, and density level for each Apple platform. The real job-to-be-done is to prevent “same UI everywhere” mistakes that feel wrong on Apple devices and create friction during design reviews or implementation.
When it is a good fit
Use hig-platforms for Apple platform design work, universal app planning, or porting an app between platforms. It is especially relevant when your prompt includes platform-specific constraints, input methods, or questions about whether a feature should exist at all on a given device.
What makes it different
The main value of hig-platforms is decision guidance: it emphasizes platform identity, input modality, and layout expectations instead of offering a generic UI checklist. That makes it more useful than a broad “design better” prompt when the outcome depends on Apple Human Interface Guidelines.
How to Use hig-platforms skill
Install and load the skill
Use the repository’s recommended install flow for hig-platforms install, then confirm the skill is available in your agent workspace. If your setup exposes the skill by path, the core file is skills/hig-platforms/SKILL.md.
Read the right files first
Start with SKILL.md, then check the surrounding repo context if present in your environment, especially any design context notes the skill mentions. For hig-platforms usage, the most important thing is to capture the platform, device class, and target task before asking for design output.
Turn a rough request into a usable prompt
A weak request says: “Design this app for Apple platforms.” A stronger one says: “Use hig-platforms to adapt a calendar app for iPhone, iPad, and macOS. The core task is scheduling meetings. Keep iPhone one-handed, use iPad multi-column navigation, and make macOS dense with keyboard shortcuts.”
Workflow that produces better output
Ask for one platform at a time when the product is uncertain, then expand to multi-platform only after the core model is clear. Provide existing UI decisions, required inputs, and constraints such as touch-only, pointer-first, or watch glanceability. That context matters more than long feature lists for hig-platforms for UI Design work.
hig-platforms skill FAQ
Is hig-platforms only for Apple design teams?
No. It is useful for anyone writing prompts or specs for Apple-platform UI, including developers, product teams, and AI agents. If the output needs to respect Apple conventions, hig-platforms is a strong fit.
Should I use this instead of a generic prompt?
Usually yes when platform differences matter. A generic prompt may produce decent UI language, but the hig-platforms guide is better when you need platform-specific navigation, density, and input behavior that matches Apple expectations.
Is it beginner-friendly?
Yes, if you can name the platform and describe the user task. You do not need deep HIG knowledge to use it well, but you will get better results if you already know whether the experience is touch-first, pointer-first, or glance-first.
When should I not use hig-platforms?
Do not use it if your task is purely visual branding, or if you need cross-platform design advice that is not tied to Apple platforms. It is also a poor fit when you have not decided which device family you are designing for.
How to Improve hig-platforms skill
Give the platform decision up front
The fastest way to improve hig-platforms output is to specify the exact platform mix: iPhone only, iPad-only, macOS companion, or full universal app. If you leave this vague, the skill has to guess at the right interaction and layout model.
Include the task, not just the feature list
The skill works best when you state what the user is trying to accomplish, such as “review invoices on the go” or “edit complex project settings with keyboard support.” That lets hig-platforms choose appropriate navigation depth, density, and control placement instead of optimizing for the wrong mental model.
Call out constraints and review the first pass
Mention constraints like accessibility, Apple input methods, split view support, or whether the app must feel native on each device. After the first output, refine by asking what should change for a specific platform, where the design conflicts with Apple conventions, or which parts should be simplified for the smallest screen.