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design-systems/discord/DESIGN.md

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+# Design System Inspired by Discord
+
+> Category: Productivity & SaaS
+> Voice / chat platform. Deep blurple, dark-first surfaces, playful accent moments.
+
+## 1. Visual Theme & Atmosphere
+
+Discord's product is engineered for evenings, raids, and group voice — so the entire surface is dark-first. The default canvas is the deep `Background Primary` (`#313338` light theme, `#1e1f22` dark theme), with chat columns layered on slightly lighter or darker shades to denote channels, threads, and side panels. The signature **Blurple** (`#5865f2`) is reserved for the brand mark, primary CTAs, mentions, and the "you" affordance — used sparingly so it pops against the muted neutrals.
+
+Typography is **gg sans** (Discord's custom Whitney-replacement) for prose and chrome, with rounded geometric shapes that feel approachable but still legible at the small sizes a chat client demands. Headings step up incrementally; chat rows are tight (4–8px between message groups) so hours of scrollback feel scannable.
+
+The shape language is rounded but not balloon-soft: 8px radii on cards, 4px on inputs, full pills on status badges and tags. Servers are rounded-square avatars at 48px that morph to circles on hover — a tiny piece of motion that has become part of the brand's identity.
+
+**Key Characteristics:**
+- Dark-first surfaces: `#1e1f22` / `#2b2d31` / `#313338` (3-step depth)
+- Blurple `#5865f2` as the only saturated accent in the chat surface
+- gg sans (Whitney-style) for all text — friendly, geometric, neutral
+- Rounded-square server avatars (16px radius) that snap to circles on hover
+- Tight chat-row spacing, generous side-panel padding
+- Status dots: green online, yellow idle, red dnd, gray offline
+- Pixel-snapped 1px dividers in subtle off-white at low alpha
+
+## 2. Color Palette & Roles
+
+### Primary
+- **Blurple** (`#5865f2`): Brand primary, primary CTA, mention highlight.
+- **Blurple Hover** (`#4752c4`): Hover/active for blurple.
+- **Blurple Soft** (`#7289da`): Legacy blurple, secondary accent in marketing.
+
+### Surface (Dark Theme — default)
+- **Background Tertiary** (`#1e1f22`): Server list rail, deepest background.
+- **Background Secondary** (`#2b2d31`): Channel sidebar, settings sidebar.
+- **Background Primary** (`#313338`): Chat surface, message column.
+- **Background Floating** (`#111214`): Floating popovers, tooltips, autocomplete.
+- **Background Modifier Hover** (`rgba(78, 80, 88, 0.3)`): Hover overlay on rows.
+- **Background Modifier Selected** (`rgba(78, 80, 88, 0.6)`): Active row.
+
+### Surface (Light Theme)
+- **Light Bg Primary** (`#ffffff`): Chat surface in light theme.
+- **Light Bg Secondary** (`#f2f3f5`): Sidebar in light theme.
+- **Light Bg Tertiary** (`#e3e5e8`): Deepest light surface.
+
+### Text
+- **Header Primary** (`#f2f3f5`): Channel headers, modal titles in dark theme.
+- **Header Secondary** (`#b5bac1`): Muted headers.
+- **Text Normal** (`#dbdee1`): Body text in dark theme — slightly cooler than pure white.
+- **Text Muted** (`#949ba4`): Timestamps, server names, secondary metadata.
+- **Text Link** (`#00a8fc`): Hyperlinks in messages — sky blue, distinct from blurple.
+- **Channels Default** (`#80848e`): Inactive channel name in sidebar.
+
+### Status & Semantic
+- **Status Online** (`#23a55a`): Online dot, success states.
+- **Status Idle** (`#f0b232`): Idle dot, away.
+- **Status DND** (`#f23f43`): Do-not-disturb, also serves as destructive red.
+- **Status Streaming** (`#593695`): "Streaming" purple.
+- **Status Offline** (`#80848e`): Offline gray.
+- **Mention Highlight** (`rgba(88, 101, 242, 0.1)`): Soft blurple wash on @mention rows.
+
+### Border & Divider
+- **Background Modifier Accent** (`rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06)`): Standard divider in dark.
+- **Border Subtle** (`#3f4147`): Solid divider for cards.
+
+## 3. Typography Rules
+
+### Font Family
+- **Body / UI / Headings**: `gg sans`, with fallback: `"Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif`
+- **Display (legacy / Whitney)**: `Whitney`, with fallback: `gg sans`
+- **Code / Mono**: `"gg mono"`, with fallback: `Consolas, Andale Mono, Courier New, Courier, monospace`
+
+### Hierarchy
+
+| Role | Font | Size | Weight | Line Height | Letter Spacing | Notes |
+|------|------|------|--------|-------------|----------------|-------|
+| Display Hero | gg sans | 56px (3.5rem) | 800 | 1.1 | -0.02em | Marketing hero |
+| Page Heading | gg sans | 24px (1.5rem) | 700 | 1.25 | normal | Settings/profile titles |
+| Channel Name | gg sans | 16px (1rem) | 600 | 1.25 | normal | `#general`, channel header |
+| Message Body | gg sans | 16px (1rem) | 400 | 1.375 | normal | Standard chat text |
+| Username | gg sans | 16px (1rem) | 500 | 1.25 | normal | Author of a message |
+| Timestamp | gg sans | 12px (0.75rem) | 500 | 1.25 | normal | "Today at 4:32 PM" |
+| Sidebar Channel | gg sans | 16px (1rem) | 500 | 1.25 | normal | Channel list rows |
+| Server Name | gg sans | 16px (1rem) | 600 | 1.25 | normal | Server header |
+| Caption / Meta | gg sans | 12px (0.75rem) | 400 | 1.3 | 0.02em | Status text, edited tag |
+| Code Inline | gg mono | 0.875em | 400 | inherit | normal | Inline `code` |
+| Code Block | gg mono | 14px (0.875rem) | 400 | 1.5 | normal | ```triple-fenced``` block |
+
+### Principles
+- **Friendly geometry**: gg sans replaces Whitney with rounded terminals on a/g/s — the brand wants warmth without breaking legibility.
+- **Weight contrast over color contrast**: hierarchy comes from 400→500→600→700→800 weight steps; the surface stays neutral.
+- **16px body**: chat messages do not shrink below 16px. Density comes from line-height (1.375), not font size.
+
+## 4. Component Stylings
+
+### Buttons
+
+**Primary**
+- Background: `#5865f2`
+- Text: `#ffffff`
+- Padding: 8px 16px
+- Radius: 4px
+- Hover: `#4752c4`
+- Use: Primary CTAs, "Continue", "Join Server"
+
+**Secondary**
+- Background: `#4e5058`
+- Text: `#ffffff`
+- Padding: 8px 16px
+- Radius: 4px
+- Hover: `#6d6f78`
+
+**Tertiary / Subtle (Link-style)**
+- Background: transparent
+- Text: `#dbdee1`
+- Hover: text underlined, no background change
+
+**Danger**
+- Background: `#da373c`
+- Text: `#ffffff`
+- Hover: `#a12d2f`
+
+### Inputs
+- Background: `#1e1f22`
+- Text: `#dbdee1`
+- Border: 1px solid `#1e1f22`
+- Radius: 4px
+- Padding: 10px 12px
+- Focus: border `#5865f2`
+
+### Server Avatars
+- Size: 48×48px
+- Radius: 16px (rounded square) by default; transitions to 50% on hover and active.
+- Active state: 4px white pill on the left edge of the icon column.
+
+### Status Dots
+- Size: 10×10px
+- Border: 3px solid background-tertiary (creates the "notch" effect)
+- Position: bottom-right of avatar.
+
+### Cards / Embeds
+- Background: `#2b2d31` (dark) or `#f2f3f5` (light)
+- Left border: 4px solid embed accent color.
+- Radius: 4px
+- Padding: 8px 16px
+
+### Mention Pill
+- Background: `rgba(88, 101, 242, 0.3)`
+- Text: `#c9cdfb`
+- Padding: 0 2px
+- Radius: 3px
+
+## 5. Spacing & Layout
+
+- **Base unit**: 4px. Scale: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 40.
+- **Server rail**: 72px wide, fixed.
+- **Channel sidebar**: 240px wide.
+- **Member list**: 240px wide on desktop.
+- **Chat column**: fluid, min 380px.
+
+## 6. Motion
+
+- **Duration**: 200ms for hover; 350ms for the avatar circle-morph; 80ms for tooltip fade.
+- **Easing**: `cubic-bezier(0.215, 0.61, 0.355, 1)` for the avatar morph (snappy then settle).
+- **Notification pulse**: 1.4s ease-in-out infinite on unread mention indicator.