Google has open-sourced the DESIGN.md format, originating from its AI design tool Stitch. This format is designed to store design rules in a machine-readable file, ensuring consistency across various projects and platforms. Each DESIGN.md file pairs design tokens—precise values like colors or font sizes defined in YAML—with plain-text notes that explain the rationale behind these values.
AI agents can leverage this format to generate interface designs that adhere to a brand's visual identity and to validate their output against WCAG accessibility guidelines. Google has also released a command-line interface (CLI) tool, which includes commands for validating, comparing, and exporting design files to formats such as Tailwind or W3C DTCG.
The project is available on GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license and is currently in its alpha stage. Users can also generate custom DESIGN.md files for free directly within Stitch, Google's AI design tool launched in mid-March, with the full specification documented on the Stitch website. In a related development, Anthropic recently ventured into the design space by rolling out Claude Design, an AI agent focused on front-end design, slides, and more.