Design System: Apple

Hermes Agent — Implementation Notes

The original site uses proprietary fonts. For self-contained HTML output, use these CDN substitutes:

Primary: system-ui | Mono: SF Mono (system)

Font stack (CSS): font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;

Mono stack (CSS): font-family: 'SF Mono (system)', ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, 'Liberation Mono', 'Courier New', monospace;
html

Use write_file to create HTML, serve via generative-widgets skill (cloudflared tunnel). Verify visual accuracy with browser_vision after generating.

1. Visual Theme & Atmosphere

Apple's website is a masterclass in controlled drama — vast expanses of pure black and near-white serve as cinematic backdrops for products that are photographed as if they were sculptures in a gallery. The design philosophy is reductive to its core: every pixel exists in service of the product, and the interface itself retreats until it becomes invisible. This is not minimalism as aesthetic preference; it is minimalism as reverence for the object.

The typography anchors everything. San Francisco (SF Pro Display for large sizes, SF Pro Text for body) is Apple's proprietary typeface, engineered with optical sizing that automatically adjusts letterforms depending on point size. At display sizes (56px), weight 600 with a tight line-height of 1.07 and subtle negative letter-spacing (-0.28px) creates headlines that feel machined rather than typeset — precise, confident, and unapologetically direct. At body sizes (17px), the tracking loosens slightly (-0.374px) and line-height opens to 1.47, creating a reading rhythm that is comfortable without ever feeling slack.

The color story is starkly binary. Product sections alternate between pure black (#000000) backgrounds with white text and light gray (#f5f5f7) backgrounds with near-black text (#1d1d1f). This creates a cinematic pacing — dark sections feel immersive and premium, light sections feel open and informational. The only chromatic accent is Apple Blue (#0071e3), reserved exclusively for interactive elements: links, buttons, and focus states. This singular accent color in a sea of neutrals gives every clickable element unmistakable visibility.

Key Characteristics:

SF Pro Display/Text with optical sizing — letterforms adapt automatically to size context
Binary light/dark section rhythm: black (#000000) alternating with light gray (#f5f5f7)
Single accent color: Apple Blue (#0071e3) reserved exclusively for interactive elements
Product-as-hero photography on solid color fields — no gradients, no textures, no distractions
Extremely tight headline line-heights (1.07-1.14) creating compressed, billboard-like impact
Full-width section layout with centered content — the viewport IS the canvas
Pill-shaped CTAs (980px radius) creating soft, approachable action buttons
Generous whitespace between sections allowing each product moment to breathe

2. Color Palette & Roles

Primary

Pure Black (#000000): Hero section backgrounds, immersive product showcases. The darkest canvas for the brightest products.
Light Gray (#f5f5f7): Alternate section backgrounds, informational areas. Not white — the slight blue-gray tint prevents sterility.
Near Black (#1d1d1f): Primary text on light backgrounds, dark button fills. Slightly warmer than pure black for comfortable reading.

Interactive

Apple Blue (#0071e3): --sk-focus-color, primary CTA backgrounds, focus rings. The ONLY chromatic color in the interface.
Link Blue (#0066cc): --sk-body-link-color, inline text links. Slightly darker than Apple Blue for text-level readability.
Bright Blue (#2997ff): Links on dark backgrounds. Higher luminance for contrast on black sections.

Text

White (#ffffff): Text on dark backgrounds, button text on blue/dark CTAs.
Near Black (#1d1d1f): Primary body text on light backgrounds.
Black 80% (rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)): Secondary text, nav items on light backgrounds. Slightly softened.
Black 48% (rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.48)): Tertiary text, disabled states, carousel controls.

Surface & Dark Variants

Dark Surface 1 (#272729): Card backgrounds in dark sections.
Dark Surface 2 (#262628): Subtle surface variation in dark contexts.
Dark Surface 3 (#28282a): Elevated cards on dark backgrounds.
Dark Surface 4 (#2a2a2d): Highest dark surface elevation.
Dark Surface 5 (#242426): Deepest dark surface tone.

Button States

Button Active (#ededf2): Active/pressed state for light buttons.
Button Default Light (#fafafc): Search/filter button backgrounds.
Overlay (rgba(210, 210, 215, 0.64)): Media control scrims, overlays.
White 32% (rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.32)): Hover state on dark modal close buttons.

Shadows

Card Shadow (rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22) 3px 5px 30px 0px): Soft, diffused elevation for product cards. Offset and wide blur create a natural, photographic shadow.

3. Typography Rules

Font Family

Display: SF Pro Display, with fallbacks: SF Pro Icons, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif
Body: SF Pro Text, with fallbacks: SF Pro Icons, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif
SF Pro Display is used at 20px and above; SF Pro Text is optimized for 19px and below.

Hierarchy

Role	Font	Size	Weight	Line Height	Letter Spacing	Notes
Display Hero	SF Pro Display	56px (3.50rem)	600	1.07 (tight)	-0.28px	Product launch headlines, maximum impact
Section Heading	SF Pro Display	40px (2.50rem)	600	1.10 (tight)	normal	Feature section titles
Tile Heading	SF Pro Display	28px (1.75rem)	400	1.14 (tight)	0.196px	Product tile headlines
Card Title	SF Pro Display	21px (1.31rem)	700	1.19 (tight)	0.231px	Bold card headings
Sub-heading	SF Pro Display	21px (1.31rem)	400	1.19 (tight)	0.231px	Regular card headings
Nav Heading	SF Pro Text	34px (2.13rem)	600	1.47	-0.374px	Large navigation headings
Sub-nav	SF Pro Text	24px (1.50rem)	300	1.50	normal	Light sub-navigation text
Body	SF Pro Text	17px (1.06rem)	400	1.47	-0.374px	Standard reading text
Body Emphasis	SF Pro Text	17px (1.06rem)	600	1.24 (tight)	-0.374px	Emphasized body text, labels
Button Large	SF Pro Text	18px (1.13rem)	300	1.00 (tight)	normal	Large button text, light weight
Button	SF Pro Text	17px (1.06rem)	400	2.41 (relaxed)	normal	Standard button text
Link	SF Pro Text	14px (0.88rem)	400	1.43	-0.224px	Body links, "Learn more"
Caption	SF Pro Text	14px (0.88rem)	400	1.29 (tight)	-0.224px	Secondary text, descriptions
Caption Bold	SF Pro Text	14px (0.88rem)	600	1.29 (tight)	-0.224px	Emphasized captions
Micro	SF Pro Text	12px (0.75rem)	400	1.33	-0.12px	Fine print, footnotes
Micro Bold	SF Pro Text	12px (0.75rem)	600	1.33	-0.12px	Bold fine print
Nano	SF Pro Text	10px (0.63rem)	400	1.47	-0.08px	Legal text, smallest size

Principles

Optical sizing as philosophy: SF Pro automatically switches between Display and Text optical sizes. Display versions have wider letter spacing and thinner strokes optimized for large sizes; Text versions are tighter and sturdier for small sizes. This means the font literally changes its DNA based on context.
Weight restraint: The scale spans 300 (light) to 700 (bold) but most text lives at 400 (regular) and 600 (semibold). Weight 300 appears only on large decorative text. Weight 700 is rare, used only for bold card titles.
Negative tracking at all sizes: Unlike most systems that only track headlines, Apple applies subtle negative letter-spacing even at body sizes (-0.374px at 17px, -0.224px at 14px, -0.12px at 12px). This creates universally tight, efficient text.
Extreme line-height range: Headlines compress to 1.07 while body text opens to 1.47, and some button contexts stretch to 2.41. This dramatic range creates clear visual hierarchy through rhythm alone.

4. Component Stylings

Buttons

Primary Blue (CTA)

Background: #0071e3 (Apple Blue)
Text: #ffffff
Padding: 8px 15px
Radius: 8px
Border: 1px solid transparent
Font: SF Pro Text, 17px, weight 400
Hover: background brightens slightly
Active: #ededf2 background shift
Focus: 2px solid var(--sk-focus-color, #0071E3) outline
Use: Primary call-to-action ("Buy", "Shop iPhone")

Primary Dark

Background: #1d1d1f
Text: #ffffff
Padding: 8px 15px
Radius: 8px
Font: SF Pro Text, 17px, weight 400
Use: Secondary CTA, dark variant

Pill Link (Learn More / Shop)

Background: transparent
Text: #0066cc (light bg) or #2997ff (dark bg)
Radius: 980px (full pill)
Border: 1px solid #0066cc
Font: SF Pro Text, 14px-17px
Hover: underline decoration
Use: "Learn more" and "Shop" links — the signature Apple inline CTA

Filter / Search Button

Background: #fafafc
Text: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
Padding: 0px 14px
Radius: 11px
Border: 3px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04)
Focus: 2px solid var(--sk-focus-color, #0071E3) outline
Use: Search bars, filter controls

Media Control

Background: rgba(210, 210, 215, 0.64)
Text: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.48)
Radius: 50% (circular)
Active: scale(0.9), background shifts
Focus: 2px solid var(--sk-focus-color, #0071e3) outline, white bg, black text
Use: Play/pause, carousel arrows

Cards & Containers

Background: #f5f5f7 (light) or #272729-#2a2a2d (dark)
Border: none (borders are rare in Apple's system)
Radius: 5px-8px
Shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22) 3px 5px 30px 0px for elevated product cards
Content: centered, generous padding
Hover: no standard hover state — cards are static, links within them are interactive

Background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8) (translucent dark) with backdrop-filter: saturate(180%) blur(20px)
Height: 48px (compact)
Text: #ffffff at 12px, weight 400
Active: underline on hover
Logo: Apple logomark (SVG) centered or left-aligned, 17x48px viewport
Mobile: collapses to hamburger with full-screen overlay menu
The nav floats above content, maintaining its dark translucent glass regardless of section background

Image Treatment

Products on solid-color fields (black or white) — no backgrounds, no context, just the object
Full-bleed section images that span the entire viewport width
Product photography at extremely high resolution with subtle shadows
Lifestyle images confined to rounded-corner containers (12px+ radius)

Distinctive Components

Product Hero Module

Full-viewport-width section with solid background (black or #f5f5f7)
Product name as the primary headline (SF Pro Display, 56px, weight 600)
One-line descriptor below in lighter weight
Two pill CTAs side by side: "Learn more" (outline) and "Buy" / "Shop" (filled)

Product Grid Tile

Square or near-square card on contrasting background
Product image dominating 60-70% of the tile
Product name + one-line description below
"Learn more" and "Shop" link pair at bottom

Feature Comparison Strip

Horizontal scroll of product variants
Each variant as a vertical card with image, name, and key specs
Minimal chrome — the products speak for themselves

5. Layout Principles

Spacing System

Base unit: 8px
Scale: 2px, 4px, 5px, 6px, 7px, 8px, 9px, 10px, 11px, 14px, 15px, 17px, 20px, 24px
Notable characteristic: the scale is dense at small sizes (2-11px) with granular 1px increments, then jumps in larger steps. This allows precise micro-adjustments for typography and icon alignment.

Grid & Container

Max content width: approximately 980px (the recurring "980px radius" in pill buttons echoes this width)
Hero: full-viewport-width sections with centered content block
Product grids: 2-3 column layouts within centered container
Single-column for hero moments — one product, one message, full attention
No visible grid lines or gutters — spacing creates implied structure

Whitespace Philosophy

Cinematic breathing room: Each product section occupies a full viewport height (or close to it). The whitespace between products is not empty — it is the pause between scenes in a film.
Vertical rhythm through color blocks: Rather than using spacing alone to separate sections, Apple uses alternating background colors (black, #f5f5f7, white). Each color change signals a new "scene."
Compression within, expansion between: Text blocks are tightly set (negative letter-spacing, tight line-heights) while the space surrounding them is vast. This creates a tension between density and openness.

Border Radius Scale

Micro (5px): Small containers, link tags
Standard (8px): Buttons, product cards, image containers
Comfortable (11px): Search inputs, filter buttons
Large (12px): Feature panels, lifestyle image containers
Full Pill (980px): CTA links ("Learn more", "Shop"), navigation pills
Circle (50%): Media controls (play/pause, arrows)

6. Depth & Elevation

Level	Treatment	Use
Flat (Level 0)	No shadow, solid background	Standard content sections, text blocks
Navigation Glass	`backdrop-filter: saturate(180%) blur(20px)` on `rgba(0,0,0,0.8)`	Sticky navigation bar — the glass effect
Subtle Lift (Level 1)	`rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22) 3px 5px 30px 0px`	Product cards, floating elements
Media Control	`rgba(210, 210, 215, 0.64)` background with scale transforms	Play/pause buttons, carousel controls
Focus (Accessibility)	`2px solid #0071e3` outline	Keyboard focus on all interactive elements

Shadow Philosophy: Apple uses shadow extremely sparingly. The primary shadow (3px 5px 30px with 0.22 opacity) is soft, wide, and offset — mimicking a diffused studio light casting a natural shadow beneath a physical object. This reinforces the "product as physical sculpture" metaphor. Most elements have NO shadow at all; elevation comes from background color contrast (dark card on darker background, or light card on slightly different gray).

Decorative Depth

Navigation glass: the translucent, blurred navigation bar is the most recognizable depth element, creating a sense of floating UI above scrolling content
Section color transitions: depth is implied by the alternation between black and light gray sections rather than by shadows
Product photography shadows: the products themselves cast shadows in their photography, so the UI doesn't need to add synthetic ones

7. Do's and Don'ts

Do

Use SF Pro Display at 20px+ and SF Pro Text below 20px — respect the optical sizing boundary
Apply negative letter-spacing at all text sizes (not just headlines) — Apple tracks tight universally
Use Apple Blue (#0071e3) ONLY for interactive elements — it must be the singular accent
Alternate between black and light gray (#f5f5f7) section backgrounds for cinematic rhythm
Use 980px pill radius for CTA links — the signature Apple link shape
Keep product imagery on solid-color fields with no competing visual elements
Use the translucent dark glass (rgba(0,0,0,0.8) + blur) for sticky navigation
Compress headline line-heights to 1.07-1.14 — Apple headlines are famously tight

Don't

Don't introduce additional accent colors — the entire chromatic budget is spent on blue
Don't use heavy shadows or multiple shadow layers — Apple's shadow system is one soft diffused shadow or nothing
Don't use borders on cards or containers — Apple almost never uses visible borders (except on specific buttons)
Don't apply wide letter-spacing to SF Pro — it is designed to run tight at every size
Don't use weight 800 or 900 — the maximum is 700 (bold), and even that is rare
Don't add textures, patterns, or gradients to backgrounds — solid colors only
Don't make the navigation opaque — the glass blur effect is essential to the Apple UI identity
Don't center-align body text — Apple body copy is left-aligned; only headlines center
Don't use rounded corners larger than 12px on rectangular elements (980px is for pills only)

8. Responsive Behavior

Breakpoints

Name	Width	Key Changes
Small Mobile	<360px	Minimum supported, single column
Mobile	360-480px	Standard mobile layout
Mobile Large	480-640px	Wider single column, larger images
Tablet Small	640-834px	2-column product grids begin
Tablet	834-1024px	Full tablet layout, expanded nav
Desktop Small	1024-1070px	Standard desktop layout begins
Desktop	1070-1440px	Full layout, max content width
Large Desktop	>1440px	Centered with generous margins

Touch Targets

Primary CTAs: 8px 15px padding creating ~44px touch height
Navigation links: 48px height with adequate spacing
Media controls: 50% radius circular buttons, minimum 44x44px
"Learn more" pills: generous padding for comfortable tapping

Collapsing Strategy

Hero headlines: 56px Display → 40px → 28px on mobile, maintaining tight line-height proportionally
Product grids: 3-column → 2-column → single column stacked
Navigation: full horizontal nav → compact mobile menu (hamburger)
Product hero modules: full-bleed maintained at all sizes, text scales down
Section backgrounds: maintain full-width color blocks at all breakpoints — the cinematic rhythm never breaks
Image sizing: products scale proportionally, never crop — the product silhouette is sacred

Image Behavior

Product photography maintains aspect ratio at all breakpoints
Hero product images scale down but stay centered
Full-bleed section backgrounds persist at every size
Lifestyle images may crop on mobile but maintain their rounded corners
Lazy loading for below-fold product images

9. Agent Prompt Guide

Quick Color Reference

Primary CTA: Apple Blue (#0071e3)
Page background (light): #f5f5f7
Page background (dark): #000000
Heading text (light): #1d1d1f
Heading text (dark): #ffffff
Body text: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8) on light, #ffffff on dark
Link (light bg): #0066cc
Link (dark bg): #2997ff
Focus ring: #0071e3
Card shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22) 3px 5px 30px 0px

Example Component Prompts

"Create a hero section on black background. Headline at 56px SF Pro Display weight 600, line-height 1.07, letter-spacing -0.28px, color white. One-line subtitle at 21px SF Pro Display weight 400, line-height 1.19, color white. Two pill CTAs: 'Learn more' (transparent bg, white text, 1px solid white border, 980px radius) and 'Buy' (Apple Blue #0071e3 bg, white text, 8px radius, 8px 15px padding)."
"Design a product card: #f5f5f7 background, 8px border-radius, no border, no shadow. Product image top 60% of card on solid background. Title at 28px SF Pro Display weight 400, letter-spacing 0.196px, line-height 1.14. Description at 14px SF Pro Text weight 400, color rgba(0,0,0,0.8). 'Learn more' and 'Shop' links in #0066cc at 14px."
"Build the Apple navigation: sticky, 48px height, background rgba(0,0,0,0.8) with backdrop-filter: saturate(180%) blur(20px). Links at 12px SF Pro Text weight 400, white text. Apple logo left, links centered, search and bag icons right."
"Create an alternating section layout: first section black bg with white text and centered product image, second section #f5f5f7 bg with #1d1d1f text. Each section near full-viewport height with 56px headline and two pill CTAs below."
"Design a 'Learn more' link: text #0066cc on light bg or #2997ff on dark bg, 14px SF Pro Text, underline on hover. After the text, include a right-arrow chevron character (>). Wrap in a container with 980px border-radius for pill shape when used as a standalone CTA."

Iteration Guide

Every interactive element gets Apple Blue (#0071e3) — no other accent colors
Section backgrounds alternate: black for immersive moments, #f5f5f7 for informational moments
Typography optical sizing: SF Pro Display at 20px+, SF Pro Text below — never mix
Negative letter-spacing at all sizes: -0.28px at 56px, -0.374px at 17px, -0.224px at 14px, -0.12px at 12px
The navigation glass effect (translucent dark + blur) is non-negotiable — it defines the Apple web experience
Products always appear on solid color fields — never on gradients, textures, or lifestyle backgrounds in hero modules
Shadow is rare and always soft: 3px 5px 30px 0.22 opacity or nothing at all
Pill CTAs use 980px radius — this creates the signature Apple rounded-rectangle-that-looks-like-a-capsule shape

Design System: Apple

Design System: Apple

1. Visual Theme & Atmosphere

2. Color Palette & Roles

Primary

Interactive

Text

Surface & Dark Variants

Button States

Shadows

3. Typography Rules

Font Family

Hierarchy

Principles

4. Component Stylings

Buttons

Cards & Containers

Navigation

Image Treatment

Distinctive Components

5. Layout Principles

Spacing System

Grid & Container

Whitespace Philosophy

Border Radius Scale

6. Depth & Elevation

Decorative Depth

7. Do's and Don'ts

Do

Don't

8. Responsive Behavior

Breakpoints

Touch Targets

Collapsing Strategy

Image Behavior

9. Agent Prompt Guide

Quick Color Reference

Example Component Prompts

Iteration Guide