Apple Bento Grid
Problem
Creating visually polished presentation graphics typically requires design tools like Figma or Keynote. This skill generates Apple-quality bento grid layouts as self-contained HTML files that screenshot into pixel-perfect images — no design tool needed.
Overview
Generate self-contained HTML files that render Apple-inspired bento card grids. Each output is a single HTML file with inline CSS — no dependencies except Google Fonts. Cards fill a tight CSS grid with minimal gaps, ready for Playwright screenshot export at 2x resolution. Both light and dark themes are available.
Workflow
- Read the design system selectively: Reference
design-system.md as needed:
- Always read: Section 2 (Zero-Gap Grid) + Section 3 (Layout Templates) — the grid foundation
- Read per card type: Section 5.1–5.7 as needed for the cards you're using
- Read for theme: Section 1 (light tokens) or Section 9 (dark tokens)
- Read once for first generation: Section 8 (HTML Skeleton) as a structural starting point
- Gather the user's content — what stats, milestones, categories, and quotes to showcase
- Choose a theme — suggest light, dark, or both based on the context (see Theme Selection below)
- Choose a layout — pick from the 3 layout templates based on card count and orientation
- Compose cards — select card types and fill with the user's content; prioritize density (no empty-feeling cards)
- Ask about logos/images — if the user has a logo or images, incorporate them (see Logos & Images below)
- Generate the HTML — produce a single self-contained HTML file
- Visual review — open the HTML in a browser and screenshot it to check for issues (see Visual Review below)
- Offer a vertical version — after generating a landscape grid, ask: "Want a vertical (portrait) version for social media?" and generate a Template C adaptation if yes
- Screenshot (optional) — use the Playwright script to capture PNGs at 2x
Visual Review
After generating the HTML, always view the output to catch visual issues before presenting to the user. Use Playwright, browser MCP tools, or open to render the file, then check for:
Orphan lines — A single pill tag or word wrapping alone to a new row. Fix by removing one pill so the remaining pills fill evenly, or add enough pills to fill two full rows.
Empty space — Cards that look sparse with too much whitespace. Fix by adding a subtitle, badge, or extra description text to fill the card.
Text overflow — Numbers or labels that are too long for their card width. Fix by reducing font-size or abbreviating (e.g., "$2.4M" not "$2,400,000").
Broken grid — Visible row gaps or misaligned cards. Check: no align-items: start, gap is exactly 6px, all grid cells are occupied.
Font fallback — Text rendering in system fonts instead of Sora/DM Sans. Ensure Google Fonts link is present and page has network access.
Screenshot clipping — Right or bottom edges of cards cut off in the exported PNG. Fix by ensuring viewport width matches the grid CSS width exactly and the clip uses box.x/box.y from boundingBox(), not x: 0, y: 0.
If any issues are found, fix the HTML and re-check. Do not present to the user until the output passes visual review.
Theme Selection
Suggest a theme based on context. When unsure, generate both.
| Context | Suggested Theme |
|---|
| Slide deck / presentation | Dark — higher visual impact on projectors |
| Social media / portfolio | Dark — stands out in feeds |
| Report / document embed | Light — matches white page backgrounds |
| Print / PDF | Light — saves ink, better legibility |
| User says "Apple style" | Light — Apple's signature look |
| User says "modern" or "sleek" | Dark — contemporary feel |
| No preference stated | Both — generate two files, let user choose |
See design-system.md Section 9 for complete dark theme tokens, or Section 1 for light theme tokens.
Output Format
Always produce a single self-contained HTML file with:
<!DOCTYPE html> + <html lang="en">- Google Fonts
<link> tags in <head>
- All CSS in a single
<style> block
- All content in
<body> — no JavaScript needed
Card Types Available
| Card | Use For | Key Feature |
|---|
| Hero | Taglines, headlines | Gradient top-border, spans 2 rows |
| Stat | Numbers + labels | Color-coded accent per category |
| Category | Grouped items (phases, teams, quarters) | Color label + subtitle + pill tags |
| Bar Chart | Growth / comparison over time | Gradient bars, header badge |
| Badge | Tool attribution, featured callout | Icon pill + stat number |
| Quote | Mission statement, testimonial | Dark bg, white text, green <em> |
| Highlight | Hero number (3x, 10x, 100%) | Full-gradient background |
Layout Templates
| Template | Columns | Width | Aspect Ratio | Best For |
|---|
| A: Horizontal | 4-col | 1200px | 52/25 | 12-16 cards, slides |
| B: Horizontal | 3-col | 1100px | 52/22 | 8-10 cards, focused |
| C: Vertical | 2-col | 600px | none (content) | 8-14 cards, social |
Critical: Zero-Gap Grid Rules
These 5 rules are mandatory for Apple-like appearance. See design-system.md Section 2 for details.
- NEVER set
align-items: start — default stretch fills cells
- Use
aspect-ratio on horizontal layouts to lock container shape
- Rows:
1fr for horizontal, auto for vertical
- Gap:
6px (not 8px)
- Every grid cell must be occupied — no empty cells
Screenshot Export
Use the Playwright script at scripts/screenshot.mjs to capture pixel-perfect PNGs.
cd scripts
npm install
npx playwright install chromium
node screenshot.mjs
Edit the pages array in screenshot.mjs to point to your HTML files. Each entry needs: file (HTML path), output (PNG path), viewportWidth (match grid width).
Critical: Viewport must match grid width. If the viewport is wider than the grid, the grid gets centered and the clip can cut off the right edge. Always set viewportWidth to the exact grid CSS width (1200 for 4-col, 1100 for 3-col, 600 for 2-col).
Critical: Clip must use element position. When clipping to the grid element, use box.x and box.y from boundingBox(), not x: 0, y: 0. If the grid is centered in a wider viewport, x: 0 will start the clip before the grid and cut off the right side.
After screenshotting, always view the output image to verify no edges are clipped. Check that the rightmost and bottommost cards are fully visible with their border-radius intact.
Logos & Images
Users can add their own logos or images to bento grid cards. Ask the user if they have any logos or images they'd like included.
Placement options:
| Location | How | Best For |
|---|
| Hero card corner | <img> with position: absolute; top: 20px; right: 20px; width: 40px; | Company logo |
| Badge card icon | Replace the SVG in .badge-pill with an <img> tag (width: 16px; height: 16px; border-radius: 4px;) | Tool/framework logo |
| Full card background | background-image: url(...) with overlay gradient for text readability | Feature screenshots |
| Standalone image card | <img> filling the card with object-fit: cover; border-radius: 18px; | Product photos |
Guidelines:
- Use
<img src="path/to/file.png"> with a local file path — the HTML is for screenshot export, not hosting
- Keep logos small (24–48px) so they don't dominate the card
- For dark theme, ensure logos work on dark backgrounds (use white/light versions)
- Always add
alt text for accessibility
Content Adaptation
| User's Data | Recommended Template | Card Mix |
|---|
| 3–5 stats, no categories | C (2-col vertical) | 1 Hero + 3–5 Stats + 1 Quote |
| 6–8 stats, 1–2 categories | B (3-col horizontal) | 1 Hero + 4–6 Stats + 1–2 Categories + 1 Chart |
| 8–12 stats, 3+ categories | A (4-col horizontal) | Full mix: Hero, Stats, Categories, Chart, Badge, Quote, Highlight |
| Social / portrait format | C (2-col vertical) | Any mix, smaller fonts |
Density rule: Every card should feel full. If a card looks sparse, add a subtitle, badge, or pill tags. If the grid has visible empty space, either span a card across cells or add a supporting card.
Customization Checklist
- Gather content — stats, categories, milestones, quotes
- Choose theme — light, dark, or both
- Choose layout — 4-col, 3-col, or 2-col
- Name grid areas — readable names matching content
- Select card types — Hero, Stat, Category, Chart, Badge, Quote, Highlight
- Assign accent colors — one per category, max 3–4 accents
- Set dimensions — viewport width matches grid width
- Lock aspect ratio — horizontal only; omit for vertical
- Verify density — no empty-feeling cards, no unused grid cells, gap 6px
- Scale for orientation — vertical gets smaller fonts, padding, radius
- Screenshot — Playwright at 2x, viewport matches grid width
Verification
After generating a bento grid HTML file:
- Open in Chrome or Safari — verify all grid cells are filled with no visible row gaps
- Check font loading — Sora and DM Sans should render (not system fallback)
- For dark theme — verify card backgrounds are #1a1a1a, not #fff
- Screenshot at the correct viewport width (1200/1100/600) at 2x resolution
- Confirm density — no card should have excessive whitespace
Notes
- Google Fonts requires internet access; grids fall back to system fonts offline
- Playwright screenshot is optional; users can take manual browser screenshots
aspect-ratio is only for horizontal layouts; vertical layouts flow from content height- Maximum 3–4 accent colors per grid to maintain Apple-like restraint
- This skill produces static HTML for screenshot export, not interactive dashboards
- For grids with fewer than 6 data points, Template C (2-col vertical) usually works best
Reference Files
design-system.md — Complete design tokens (light + dark), card CSS/HTML, layout templates, and skeletonscripts/screenshot.mjs — Playwright screenshot capture script