stitch-ui-design

Stitch UI Design Prompting

Expert guidance for crafting effective prompts in Google Stitch, the AI-powered UI design tool by Google Labs. This skill helps create precise, actionable prompts that generate high-quality UI designs for web and mobile applications.

What is Google Stitch?

Google Stitch is an experimental AI UI generator powered by Gemini 2.5 Flash that transforms text prompts and visual references into functional UI designs. It supports:

• Text-to-UI generation from natural language prompts
• Image-to-UI conversion from sketches, wireframes, or screenshots
• Multi-screen app flows and responsive layouts
• Export to HTML/CSS, Figma, and code
• Iterative refinement with variants and annotations

Core Prompting Principles

1. Be Specific and Detailed

Generic prompts yield generic results. Specific prompts with clear requirements produce tailored, professional designs.

Poor prompt:

Create a dashboard

Effective prompt:

Member dashboard with course modules grid, progress tracking bar, 
and community feed sidebar using purple theme and card-based layout

Why it works: Specifies components (modules, progress, feed), layout structure (grid, sidebar), visual style (purple theme, cards), and context (member dashboard).

2. Define Visual Style and Theme

Always include color schemes, design aesthetics, and visual direction to avoid generic AI outputs.

Components to specify:

• Color palette (primary colors, accent colors)
• Design style (minimalist, modern, playful, professional, glassmorphic)
• Typography preferences (if any)
• Spacing and density (compact, spacious, balanced)

Example:

E-commerce product page with hero image gallery, add-to-cart CTA, 
reviews section, and related products carousel. Use clean minimalist 
design with sage green accents and generous white space.

3. Structure Multi-Screen Flows Clearly

For apps with multiple screens, list each screen as bullet points before generation.

Approach:

Fitness tracking app with:
- Onboarding screen with goal selection
- Home dashboard with daily stats and activity rings

Stitch will ask for confirmation before generating multiple screens, ensuring alignment with your vision.

4. Specify Platform and Responsive Behavior

Indicate whether the design is for mobile, tablet, desktop, or responsive web.

Examples:

5. Include Functional Requirements

Describe interactive elements, states, and user flows to generate more complete designs.

Elements to specify:

• Button actions and CTAs
• Form fields and validation
• Navigation patterns
• Loading states
• Empty states
• Error handling

Example:

Prompt Structure Template

Use this template for comprehensive prompts:

Example:

Iteration Strategies

Refine with Annotations

Use Stitch's "annotate to edit" feature to make targeted changes without rewriting the entire prompt.

Workflow:

1. Generate initial design from prompt
2. Annotate specific elements that need changes
3. Describe modifications in natural language
4. Stitch updates only the annotated areas

Example annotations:

• "Make this button larger and use primary color"
• "Add more spacing between these cards"
• "Change this to a horizontal layout"

Generate Variants

Request multiple variations to explore different design directions:

Progressive Refinement

Start broad, then add specificity in follow-up prompts:

Initial:

Refinement 1:

Refinement 2:

Common Use Cases

Landing Pages

Mobile Apps

Dashboards

Forms and Inputs

Design-to-Code Workflow

Export Options

Stitch provides multiple export formats:

1. HTML/CSS - Clean, semantic markup for web projects
2. Figma - "Paste to Figma" for design system integration
3. Code snippets - Component-level exports for frameworks

Best Practices for Export

Before exporting:

• Verify responsive breakpoints
• Check color contrast for accessibility
• Ensure interactive states are defined
• Review component naming and structure

After export:

• Refactor generated code for production standards
• Add proper semantic HTML tags
• Implement accessibility attributes (ARIA labels, alt text)
• Optimize images and assets
• Add animations and micro-interactions

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Vague Prompts

✅ Specific Prompts

❌ Missing Context

✅ Context-Rich Prompts

❌ No Visual Direction

✅ Clear Visual Direction

Tips for Better Results

1. Reference existing designs - Upload screenshots or sketches as visual references alongside text prompts

2. Use design terminology - Terms like "hero section," "card layout," "glassmorphic," "bento grid" help Stitch understand your intent

3. Specify interactions - Describe hover states, click actions, and transitions for more complete designs

4. Think in components - Break complex screens into reusable components (header, card, form, etc.)

5. Iterate incrementally - Make small, focused changes rather than complete redesigns

6. Test responsiveness - Always verify designs at multiple breakpoints (mobile, tablet, desktop)

7. Consider accessibility - Mention color contrast, font sizes, and touch target sizes in prompts

8. Leverage variants - Generate multiple options to explore different design directions quickly

Integration with Development Workflow

Stitch → Figma → Code

1. Generate UI in Stitch with detailed prompts
2. Export to Figma for design system integration
3. Hand off to developers with design specs
4. Implement with production-ready code

Stitch → HTML → Framework

1. Generate and refine UI in Stitch
2. Export HTML/CSS code
3. Convert to React/Vue/Svelte components
4. Integrate into application codebase

Rapid Prototyping

1. Create multiple screen variations quickly
2. Test with users or stakeholders
3. Iterate based on feedback
4. Finalize design for development

Conclusion

Effective Stitch prompts are specific, context-rich, and visually descriptive. By following these principles and templates, you can generate professional UI designs that serve as strong foundations for production applications.

Remember: Stitch is a starting point, not a final product. Use it to accelerate the design process, explore ideas quickly, and establish visual direction—then refine with human judgment and production standards.

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.