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Getting started02/03

Install OpenDesigner

Updated · Edit on GitHub

You add OpenDesigner to the AI tool you already use: two commands in Claude Code, or a skills folder, a skill zip or a ChatGPT Project in other tools. After that, open your project and say: "Create a design system for this project." There is no account to create.

OpenDesigner is free and open source (MIT).

Five ways in · what each host loadsChecked 2026-10-14
Claude Code
A plugin with eight skills
/plugin marketplace add ckryptickunal/OpenDesigner
/plugin install opendesigner@opendesigner
Manifest checkedInstall run not recorded yet
Claude app
A skill zip under Customize > Skills
python3 tools/build_dist.py   writes dist/opendesigner.zip
Packaging checkedRun not recorded yetEngine: code-execution sandbox
Codex, Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Gemini CLI
A skills folder in your project
cp -R OpenDesigner/.agents/skills/opendesigner* your-project/.agents/skills/
Run not recorded yetAgent Plugins read plugin.json
ChatGPT
A Project; nothing to install
chatgpt-project/instructions.md   into the Project instructions
chatgpt-project/knowledge/        upload its five files
Run not recorded yet
No AI at all
The engine on its own, Python 3.10 or newer
python3 path/to/OpenDesigner/skills/opendesigner/scripts/engine.py sketch --name "Acme" --feel friendly,minimal
Tested · Python 3.10.11All files written, no errors
Five ways in. Claude Code installs a plugin, the Claude app takes a skill zip, agents that read .agents/skills/ get a folder copy, ChatGPT gets a Project, and the engine runs on its own. Only the engine path has a recorded test run so far.

Claude Code

Add the repository as a plugin marketplace, then install the plugin:

/plugin marketplace add ckryptickunal/OpenDesigner
/plugin install opendesigner@opendesigner

The plugin installs eight skills: opendesigner, opendesigner-extract, opendesigner-extend, opendesigner-export, opendesigner-illustrate, opendesigner-review, opendesigner-paint and opendesigner-preflight.

Claude app (claude.ai or Claude Desktop)

Build the skill zip on your computer, then upload dist/opendesigner.zip under Customize > Skills. Code execution must be turned on.

git clone https://github.com/ckryptickunal/OpenDesigner && cd OpenDesigner
python3 tools/build_dist.py

The second command writes the zip files into dist/. In the Claude app, the engine runs in Claude's code-execution sandbox.

Codex, Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Gemini CLI and other agents

These tools read skills from a folder called .agents/skills/. Copy the OpenDesigner skills into your project:

git clone https://github.com/ckryptickunal/OpenDesigner
mkdir -p your-project/.agents/skills
cp -R OpenDesigner/.agents/skills/opendesigner* your-project/.agents/skills/

Tools that support Agent Plugins can also read the plugin.json file at the root of the repository.

Some of these tools can't show pictures in the chat. Then OpenDesigner shows choices as text, or writes a local HTML page you open in your browser.

ChatGPT

There is nothing to install.

  1. Create a Project.
  2. Paste the part of chatgpt-project/instructions.md below its line into the Project instructions.
  3. Upload the five files in chatgpt-project/knowledge/.

The files are in the repository.

No AI at all: the engine on its own

The engine is a Python file. It needs Python 3.10 or newer, uses only Python's standard library and makes no network calls. It builds a complete system from a few answers:

python3 path/to/OpenDesigner/skills/opendesigner/scripts/engine.py sketch --name "Acme" --feel friendly,minimal

It writes DESIGN.md, PRODUCT.md and an opendesigner/ folder with tokens, exports and an overview page. See Engine commands for the rest.

engine.py sketchPasses: no errors
$ python3 path/to/OpenDesigner/skills/opendesigner/scripts/engine.py sketch --name "Acme" --feel friendly,minimal
initialized opendesigner/state.json
Applied 455 OpenDesigner house standards (v2) for accessibility, color, components, elevation, layout, motion, platforms, process, tokens, tooling, typography. They are locked…
built opendesigner: tokens, build/ (css, tailwind, figma, paper, swift, compose, dtcg, artifact), DESIGN.md, PRODUCT.md, preview.html, overview.html
Passes: no errors. 1 warning, 5 notes.  (opendesigner)
WARN  No brand color yet, so the accent uses a stand-in blue  [Brand color is a raw input; DC-L06-06]
NOTE  … 5 notes, such as: the smallest control is 24px tall, give it a 44px tap area
Checked 164 color pairs in every mode, 12 mode combinations and 420 tokens.
This is a sketch: every part works, and most choices are still defaults.
Wrote DESIGN.md, PRODUCT.md and opendesigner/50 files · under 2 s · no network
The engine alone, run with the command on this page: one sketch builds the tokens, every export, DESIGN.md and the overview page, then checks 164 color pairs. Nothing leaves your computer. Photo: Philipp Hubert on Unsplash.

What you need

  • Your own AI tool and plan. OpenDesigner is free, but the AI is not part of it. Your chat goes to your AI provider, as with any prompt.
  • Python 3.10 or newer for the engine.
  • To write straight into Figma: Figma's remote MCP server and a Full seat. Without them, you can still import the Figma variable files by hand. See Export.
  • To write into Paper: Paper Desktop running on your computer.

What has been tested so far

OpenDesigner is new, so here is what was checked on 2026-10-14 and what was not.

  • Claude Code: the plugin manifest passes Claude Code's own check. An install in a fresh Claude Code session has not been tested yet.
  • Claude app: the skill files pass the packaging check. Building the zip, uploading it and a run on claude.ai have not been recorded yet.
  • Codex, Cursor and other agents: the eight skill folders are in the public repository. A run in each of these tools has not been recorded yet.
  • ChatGPT: the instructions file and the five knowledge files are in the public repository. A run in ChatGPT has not been recorded yet.
  • The engine on its own: tested with Python 3.10.11. It wrote all its files with no errors.

If a step fails, please open an issue and say which tool you used. That helps us fix the steps for everyone.

After you install

Say "Create a design system for this project." Then follow Your first design system.

Your privacy

The engine runs on your computer and makes no network calls. OpenDesigner asks once whether it may keep a private log of your steps in your project. Only a clear yes turns it on. Sending an anonymous report to the maintainers is a second, separate yes, and no server collects reports yet, so nothing is sent today. The full details are in the privacy page.