Hex DESIGN.md

Collaborative data notebook and analytics platform with a clean modern aesthetic — white surfaces, vivid amber accents, and notebook-cell-first UI patterns.

1. Visual Theme & Atmosphere

Hex reimagines the data notebook for modern teams. The interface combines the structured familiarity of a notebook with the collaboration features of a modern SaaS app. Light, clean surfaces prioritize readability of code and outputs; amber-gold accents mark active cells, interactive elements, and the brand itself. The aesthetic is modern and approachable — the kind of analytics tool a designer would actually enjoy using.

2. Color Palette & Roles

3. Typography Rules

css--font-sans: 'Inter', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;
--font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', 'Fira Code', monospace;
--font-size-xs: 11px;
--font-size-sm: 13px;
--font-size-base: 14px;
--font-size-md: 15px;
--font-size-lg: 18px;
--font-size-xl: 24px;
--font-weight-regular: 400;
--font-weight-medium: 500;
--font-weight-semibold: 600;
--font-weight-bold: 700;
--line-height-tight: 1.25;
--line-height-base: 1.6;
--line-height-code: 1.7;

4. Component Stylings

css/* Primary Button */
.button-primary {
  background: #F59E0B;
  color: #FFFFFF;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 6px;
  padding: 8px 16px;
  font-size: 14px;
  font-weight: 600;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: background 0.12s;
}
.button-primary:hover { background: #D97706; }

/* Notebook Cell */
.cell {
  border: 1px solid #E5E7EB;
  border-left: 3px solid transparent;
  border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0;
  margin-bottom: 8px;
  position: relative;
  transition: border-left-color 0.1s;
}
.cell--active { border-left-color: #F59E0B; }
.cell--running { border-left-color: #6366F1; }
.cell--error { border-left-color: #EF4444; }

/* Code Cell */
.code-cell {
  background: #F8F9FA;
  border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0;
  padding: 12px 16px;
  font-family: var(--font-mono);
  font-size: 13px;
  line-height: 1.7;
  color: #111827;
  min-height: 48px;
}

/* Cell Output */
.cell-output {
  border-top: 1px solid #E5E7EB;
  padding: 12px 16px;
  background: #FFFFFF;
}
.cell-output--error {
  background: rgba(239,68,68,0.04);
  border-top-color: #FCA5A5;
  color: #EF4444;
  font-family: var(--font-mono);
  font-size: 12px;
}

/* Run Button (cell gutter) */
.run-button {
  width: 24px;
  height: 24px;
  border-radius: 4px;
  border: none;
  background: transparent;
  color: #9CA3AF;
  cursor: pointer;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  transition: background 0.1s, color 0.1s;
}
.run-button:hover {
  background: #FEF3C7;
  color: #F59E0B;
}

/* Input */
.input {
  border: 1.5px solid #E5E7EB;
  border-radius: 6px;
  padding: 8px 12px;
  font-size: 14px;
  color: #111827;
  background: #FFFFFF;
  transition: border-color 0.12s;
}
.input:focus {
  outline: none;
  border-color: #F59E0B;
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(245,158,11,0.12);
}

5. Layout Principles

6. Depth & Elevation

css.shadow-cell { box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.04); }
.shadow-card { box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.06); }
.shadow-modal { box-shadow: 0 16px 48px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); }

7. Do's and Don'ts

Do:

• Highlight the active cell with an amber left border — it's the key spatial indicator
• Code cells use a slightly off-white (#F8F9FA) background to distinguish from output
• Run buttons in the gutter are icon-only, revealed on hover
• Table of contents in the sidebar auto-generates from markdown headers

Don't:

• Don't use full-width cells — the 860px max-width makes the notebook scannable
• Don't add heavy decorative borders around cells — 1px subtle is enough
• Don't truncate code output — let it scroll within the cell

8. Responsive Behavior

9. Agent Prompt Guide

You are designing for Hex — a collaborative data notebook.
Use a white background with cells displayed in a centered column (max 860px).
The active cell has a 3px amber (#F59E0B) left border as its primary focus indicator.
Code cells have a slightly off-white (#F8F9FA) background; output cells are pure white.
Run buttons live in a left gutter, icon-only, revealed on hover with amber background.
Typography: Inter for UI and markdown, JetBrains Mono for code at 13px line-height 1.7.
Tone is clean, analytical, and collaboration-forward.