Public vault · the index · compare
Compare families & landscape
Put any two of the 40 populated aesthetic families side by side to inspect their typefaces, open-source font stand-ins, measured WCAG contrast pairs, and move-by-move steal-notes — then synthesize a working DESIGN.md brief or CSS :root sheet, or benchmark how Trova compares to peer platforms.
Aesthetic Differential Workbench
Select two families to compare side by side
Curated Synthesis Presets
01 · Structural & Chromatic Anatomy
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS vs. Dark Premium
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Draggable canvas desktop window manager running simulated apps, paint tools, and retro file systems in JavaScript.
Observed Typefaces (4)
- IBM Plex Mono4/4
- IBM Plex Sans3/4
- Chicago1/4
- Geneva1/4
Free Loadable Stand-Ins
- Chicago (macOS only) → ChicagoFLF (free clone, self-host)
- Geneva (macOS only) → Inter
Captured Palette Chromatography
- #151515
dark neutral - #f3f4ef
light neutral - #f54e00
chromatic - #2f80ed
chromatic - #4b5563
mid neutral
Verified WCAG Readable Pairs
- Steal this.#151515 on #f3f4ef · 16.5:1
- Steal this.#151515 on #f54e00 · 5.2:1
Anchor References
- #169 PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock★ canonical
- #170 PostHog Pricing Window — Interactive Event Volume Slider Inside OS Frame
- #171 PostHog Docs Explorer — Split-Tree File Manager & Markdown Reader Window
- #172 Poolsuite FM — Retro Macintosh Leisure Desktop & Playlist Window
Dark Premium
Near-black fields, hairline gradients, one metallic or electric accent, understated serif. Whispers expensive; the restraint is the flex.
Observed Typefaces (10)
- Inter2/8
- Berkeley Mono1/8
- Domaine1/8
- GT Walsheim1/8
- Inter Display1/8
- Inter Variable1/8
Free Loadable Stand-Ins
- Berkeley Mono (licensed) → JetBrains Mono
- Söhne (licensed) → Inter
Captured Palette Chromatography
- #08090a
dark neutral - #f7f8f8
light neutral - #e5e5e5
light neutral - #201819
dark neutral - #26283b
dark neutral
Verified WCAG Readable Pairs
- Steal this.#08090a on #f7f8f8 · 18.7:1
- Steal this.#08090a on #e5e5e5 · 15.8:1
02 · Mechanism Comparison by Move Type
Move-by-move steal-note matrix
How Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS and Dark Premium solve the same 7 structural design dimensions differently. Every observation is cited to a specific captured specimen in the vault.
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
No recorded typography notes in this slice.
Dark Premium
Tiempos Headline / Söhne pairing: old-money serif for claims, neutral grotesque for evidence. Finance gravitas without cliché.
18-endex · Endex
The upper-left brand lockup uses serif type, while each book retains its own cover typography. Keep the interface restrained when the collection already contains many visual voices.
109-stripe-press-a-catalogue-composed-from-book-spines · Stripe Press — a catalogue composed from book spines · model draft
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Replace the standard SaaS marketing hero with a full-viewport desktop surface (`100vw × 100vh`) featuring a left-hand column of 64×64px double-clickable desktop icons (`Product OS`, `Pricing.calc`, `Docs.md`) and a persistent top menu bar.
169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock · PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock
Three-pane file-explorer layout: a 220px collapsible folder tree on the left, a 65ch technical documentation viewport in the center, and an interactive 'On this page' table-of-contents inspector on the right.
171-posthog-docs-explorer-split-tree-file-manager-markdown-reader-window · PostHog Docs Explorer — Split-Tree File Manager & Markdown Reader Window
Dark Premium
Hairline borders at 8% white opacity define all structure; no shadows anywhere in dark mode.
16-linear · Linear
The captured catalogue centers a vertical stack of book spines on a dark field, with generous space around the stack. The physical objects become the organizing structure rather than sitting inside a conventional product-card grid.
109-stripe-press-a-catalogue-composed-from-book-spines · Stripe Press — a catalogue composed from book spines · model draft
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
No recorded color notes in this slice.
Dark Premium
Purple accent appears ONLY in glows and gradients, never as flat fill — light, not paint.
16-linear · Linear
Most of the visible color belongs to the book spines against the dark background. Let the objects supply variety while the surrounding interface stays quiet; this observation does not establish keyboard or motion behavior.
109-stripe-press-a-catalogue-composed-from-book-spines · Stripe Press — a catalogue composed from book spines · model draft
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Launching an app from the desktop icon grid triggers a classic zoom-rect wireframe animation before mounting the audio player or lookbook window.
172-poolsuite-fm-retro-macintosh-leisure-desktop-playlist-window · Poolsuite FM — Retro Macintosh Leisure Desktop & Playlist Window
Dark Premium
Feature cards tilt ≤2° on hover with a 400ms ease — motion you sense rather than watch.
16-linear · Linear
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Every marketing section opens inside a focusable, draggable window frame with `1px solid #151515` borders, classic `[—] [□] [×]` titlebar controls, and z-index elevation on click.
169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock · PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock
Render per-product usage sliders inside a spreadsheet-style OS window where dragging monthly event volume updates a live itemized receipt column in real time with zero hidden enterprise tiers.
170-posthog-pricing-window-interactive-event-volume-slider-inside-os-frame · PostHog Pricing Window — Interactive Event Volume Slider Inside OS Frame
Dark Premium
Pricing table where the free tier is visually equal to paid — confidence signaling that converts better than dark-patterning.
17-raycast · Raycast
There is no global monthly/yearly switch: a "Billed yearly" toggle appears only in the Basic and Business columns, while the same row reads "Free for everyone" under Free and "Annual billing only" under Enterprise. Steal the per-plan billing row, which places a toggle only where it changes a price and uses the slot to state terms everywhere else.
81-linear-pricing · Linear — pricing · model draft
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Combine a warm `#f6e6d4` dithered desktop wallpaper pattern with 1px horizontal striped classic titlebars and crisp 2px hard-offset window shadows (`2px 2px 0 #1c1917`).
172-poolsuite-fm-retro-macintosh-leisure-desktop-playlist-window · Poolsuite FM — Retro Macintosh Leisure Desktop & Playlist Window
Dark Premium
Subtle noise grain over every gradient stops the banding AND adds materiality at 2% opacity.
17-raycast · Raycast
The right half holds a single 3D cube of near-black facets in mixed finishes (matte, perforated, speckled), lit from above, with one pale light band sweeping diagonally across the lower third of the black ground. Steal one monochrome rendered object as the hero image, giving depth without adding a color.
78-resend-homepage-hero · Resend — homepage hero · model draft
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Include an explicit 'Free tier included' badge on the first notch of every slider so self-serve developers immediately see their $0/mo runway before scaling.
170-posthog-pricing-window-interactive-event-volume-slider-inside-os-frame · PostHog Pricing Window — Interactive Event Volume Slider Inside OS Frame
Dark Premium
Six words on the entire first viewport. Institutional confidence = information withheld.
18-endex · Endex
03 · Executable Output · DESIGN.md, Agent Harness Rules & CSS Tokens
Synthesize a working system brief, `.cursorrules` / `CLAUDE.md`, or CSS tokens
Moodboards stall when it is time to open an editor. Export a cited DESIGN.md brief combining Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS (80% primary architecture) with Dark Premium (20% counterpoint), drop a ready-made .cursorrules / CLAUDE.md harness file into your repository, or copy Tailwind v4 @theme and CSS :root tokens mapped to open-source stand-in fonts.
Display: IBM Plex Mono · Body: IBM Plex Sans
Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS Architecture with Dark Premium Counterpoint
Every marketing section opens inside a focusable, draggable window frame with `1px solid #151515` borders, classic `[—] [□] [×]` titlebar controls, and z-index elevation on click.
20% Counterpoint Telemetry (JetBrains Mono)
- --surface-ground
- #f3f4ef
- --text-primary
- #151515
- --accent-primary
- #f54e00
- --accent-counter
- #08090a
# DESIGN.md — Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS × Dark Premium Synthesis > **80% Primary Architecture:** Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS (`virtual-desktop-web`, 4 refs) > **20% Counterpoint / Accent:** Dark Premium (`dark-premium`, 8 refs) ## 1. Visual Direction & Thesis - **Primary Foundation (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** Draggable canvas desktop window manager running simulated apps, paint tools, and retro file systems in JavaScript. - **Secondary Counterpoint (Dark Premium):** Borrow selective tension from Dark Premium — Near-black fields, hairline gradients, one metallic or electric accent, understated serif. Whispers expensive; the restraint is the flex. ## 2. Typography & Loadable Stand-Ins - **Primary Display & Body (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** IBM Plex Mono (4/4), IBM Plex Sans (3/4), Chicago (1/4), Geneva (1/4) - **Counterpoint / Accent Face (Dark Premium):** Inter (2/8), Berkeley Mono (1/8), Domaine (1/8) - **Free Loadable Stand-Ins:** - Chicago (macOS only) → ChicagoFLF (free clone, self-host) - Geneva (macOS only) → Inter - Berkeley Mono (licensed) → JetBrains Mono - Söhne (licensed) → Inter ## 3. Chromatic Polarity & Verified Contrast - **Primary Surface Pair (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** `#151515` on `#f3f4ef` (16.5:1 WCAG contrast) - **Counterpoint Signal Color (Dark Premium):** `#08090a` (reserve for active state, focus ring, or single focal callout) ## 4. Structural Moves to Steal - **[Primary · component pattern]** Every marketing section opens inside a focusable, draggable window frame with `1px solid #151515` borders, classic `[—] [□] [×]` titlebar controls, and z-index elevation on click. _(169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock)_ - **[Primary · grid/layout]** Replace the standard SaaS marketing hero with a full-viewport desktop surface (`100vw × 100vh`) featuring a left-hand column of 64×64px double-clickable desktop icons (`Product OS`, `Pricing.calc`, `Docs.md`) and a persistent top menu bar. _(169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock)_ - **[Primary · copywriting]** Include an explicit 'Free tier included' badge on the first notch of every slider so self-serve developers immediately see their $0/mo runway before scaling. _(170-posthog-pricing-window-interactive-event-volume-slider-inside-os-frame PostHog Pricing Window — Interactive Event Volume Slider Inside OS Frame)_ - **[Primary · texture/material]** Combine a warm `#f6e6d4` dithered desktop wallpaper pattern with 1px horizontal striped classic titlebars and crisp 2px hard-offset window shadows (`2px 2px 0 #1c1917`). _(172-poolsuite-fm-retro-macintosh-leisure-desktop-playlist-window Poolsuite FM — Retro Macintosh Leisure Desktop & Playlist Window)_ - **[Counterpoint · grid/layout]** Hairline borders at 8% white opacity define all structure; no shadows anywhere in dark mode. _(16-linear Linear)_ - **[Counterpoint · component pattern]** Pricing table where the free tier is visually equal to paid — confidence signaling that converts better than dark-patterning. _(17-raycast Raycast)_ - **[Counterpoint · color]** Purple accent appears ONLY in glows and gradients, never as flat fill — light, not paint. _(16-linear Linear)_ ## 5. Cited Reference Anchors - **Primary (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock PostHog Website OS — Draggable Multi-Window Product Workspace & Dock ★ canonical - **Primary (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** 170-posthog-pricing-window-interactive-event-volume-slider-inside-os-frame PostHog Pricing Window — Interactive Event Volume Slider Inside OS Frame - **Primary (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS):** 171-posthog-docs-explorer-split-tree-file-manager-markdown-reader-window PostHog Docs Explorer — Split-Tree File Manager & Markdown Reader Window - **Counterpoint (Dark Premium):** 16-linear Linear ★ canonical - **Counterpoint (Dark Premium):** 109-stripe-press-a-catalogue-composed-from-book-spines Stripe Press — a catalogue composed from book spines
Automate in CI & Your Repo · Full-Depth CLI + Headless Chromium Audit
Get a full-corpus key (27 families · 500 calls/day) →The browser workbench above synthesizes a starter preview from the top notes in each move. With a Trova access key, drop the complete 4-reference Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS Trovafileinto your repository and run a real headless Chromium DOM & WCAG contrast audit against your local dev server:
npx trova init --family virtual-desktop-web --token $TROVA_TOKEN npx trova audit http://localhost:3000 --family virtual-desktop-web
04 · Pre-Flight Verification · UI Code & Anti-Slop Auditor
Audit JSX / Tailwind / CSS against Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS
Paste any React, HTML, Tailwind, or CSS component snippet below (or load a sample) to verify its geometry, chromatic tokens, type scale, tabular numerals, and hit targets against Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS. Copy the generated refactor prompt at the bottom to hand directly to Claude Code or Cursor.
Diagnostic Findings (6)
- ✗ Violation · Structural GeometryRef #169 ↗
Detected oversized border-radius (`rounded-xl`/`2xl`/`3xl` or >=12px radius) that softens structural grid cells into generic SaaS bubbles.
→ Replace rounded card wrappers with `rounded-none` (`0px`) and exposed `1px solid` hairline borders aligned to Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS.
- ✗ Violation · Surface ElevationRef #169 ↗
Detected heavy drop-shadow (`shadow-lg`/`xl`/`2xl` or blurred `box-shadow`) simulating floating cards instead of tonal surface steps.
→ Remove drop shadows (`shadow-none`) and separate elevation through `--surface-ground` vs. `--surface-elevated` plus `1px` borders.
- ✗ Violation · Chromatic PolarityRef #169 ↗
Detected generic AI-slop indigo/purple/pink gradient classes unrelated to the family's captured chromatography.
→ Strip synthetic gradients and bind surfaces to Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS verified tokens (`#151515` on `#f3f4ef` (16.5:1)).
- ✗ Violation · Typographic HierarchyRef #169 ↗
Detected sub-13px micro-copy (`text-xs` or `10px–12px`), which degrades legibility and breaks archival hierarchy.
→ Raise small metadata to `text-[0.8125rem]` (13px) and differentiate with `font-mono uppercase tracking-[0.12em]`.
- △ Warning · Numeric DisciplineRef #169 ↗
Detected numeric figures, prices, or metrics without `tabular-nums` (`font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums`).
→ Add `tabular-nums` (or `.tnum`) so numerals align vertically across rows and live updates.
- △ Warning · Interactive ErgonomicsRef #169 ↗
Interactive element (`<button>`, `<a>`, `<select>`) lacks an explicit >=44px (`min-h-11`) touch/click target.
→ Add `min-h-11 inline-flex items-center` to interactive controls.
Ready-to-Paste Agent Refactor Prompt (Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS × Dark Premium)
Refactor the following UI component to strictly adhere to the Trova Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS × Dark Premium design system (Score: 0/100 · AI Slop Detected).
### Required Aesthetic Corrections
1. [Structural Geometry] Detected oversized border-radius (`rounded-xl`/`2xl`/`3xl` or >=12px radius) that softens structural grid cells into generic SaaS bubbles.
→ Fix: Replace rounded card wrappers with `rounded-none` (`0px`) and exposed `1px solid` hairline borders aligned to Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS. (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
2. [Surface Elevation] Detected heavy drop-shadow (`shadow-lg`/`xl`/`2xl` or blurred `box-shadow`) simulating floating cards instead of tonal surface steps.
→ Fix: Remove drop shadows (`shadow-none`) and separate elevation through `--surface-ground` vs. `--surface-elevated` plus `1px` borders. (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
3. [Chromatic Polarity] Detected generic AI-slop indigo/purple/pink gradient classes unrelated to the family's captured chromatography.
→ Fix: Strip synthetic gradients and bind surfaces to Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS verified tokens (`#151515` on `#f3f4ef` (16.5:1)). (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
4. [Typographic Hierarchy] Detected sub-13px micro-copy (`text-xs` or `10px–12px`), which degrades legibility and breaks archival hierarchy.
→ Fix: Raise small metadata to `text-[0.8125rem]` (13px) and differentiate with `font-mono uppercase tracking-[0.12em]`. (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
5. [Numeric Discipline] Detected numeric figures, prices, or metrics without `tabular-nums` (`font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums`).
→ Fix: Add `tabular-nums` (or `.tnum`) so numerals align vertically across rows and live updates. (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
6. [Interactive Ergonomics] Interactive element (`<button>`, `<a>`, `<select>`) lacks an explicit >=44px (`min-h-11`) touch/click target.
→ Fix: Add `min-h-11 inline-flex items-center` to interactive controls. (Trova ref: 169-posthog-website-os-draggable-multi-window-product-workspace-dock)
### Target CSS Custom Properties
/* Synthesized from Trova family: Virtual Desktop / In-Browser OS (virtual-desktop-web) */
/* Evidence base: 4 curated reference(s) · Primary contrast 16.5:1 */
:root {
/* Surface & Polarity (Daylight-paper dominant) */
--surface-ground: #f3f4ef;
--surface-elevated: #2f80ed;
--text-primary: #151515;
--accent-primary: #f54e00;
--border-hairline: color-mix(in srgb, #151515 16%, transparent);
/* Typography (Loadable open-source stack mapped from observed specimens) */
--font-display: "IBM Plex Mono", system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-body: "IBM Plex Sans", system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-mono: "IBM Plex Mono", ui-monospace, monospace;
/* Structural Geometry */
--radius-surface: 0px;
--measure-body: 62ch;
}
### Component Code to Refactor
```tsx
<div className="rounded-3xl shadow-2xl bg-gradient-to-br from-indigo-500 via-purple-500 to-pink-500 p-6">
<span className="text-[10px] uppercase text-white/70">Pro Plan</span>
<h3 className="text-2xl font-bold text-white">$49/mo</h3>
<p className="text-xs text-white/80">99.98% uptime across 12,450 nodes</p>
<button className="rounded-full bg-white px-3 py-1 text-xs text-indigo-600">
Upgrade Now
</button>
</div>
```05 · Category Benchmark · Design Reference Landscape
How Trova compares to other design reference platforms
Visual galleries (Godly, SiteInspire, Refero), product screen trees (Mobbin, Page Flows), typographic archives (Fonts In Use), and associative graphs (Are.na) each solve one slice of research. Trova is built around the missing link between seeing a reference and shipping an interface: named, testable steal-notes (447 notes across 201 references and 12 multi-step flows), verified open-source font stand-ins, measured WCAG contrast pairs, and a 6-tool MCP server for AI coding agents.
| Platform | Unit of Curation | Why-It-Works Notes | Multi-Step Flows | Type & Contrast Verification | Agent MCP & Plain-Text Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrovaAnnotated Design Library & Agent MCP | Named steal-note (201 references, 447 concrete mechanism notes across 40 populated families in a 1,000-family taxonomy) | Mandatory: every reference carries 1–3 typed steal-notes (typography, grid/layout, color, motion, component pattern, texture, copywriting) | 12 step-ordered public product flows (Stripe, Linear, Raycast, Vercel, Cal.com, Plausible, Excalidraw, Squoosh, Stripe Press, iOS Dynamic Island, PostHog OS, SSENSE) | Observed typefaces + free Google Font stand-ins (`fontStandIns`) + live WCAG contrast pairs (`readablePalettePairs`) | Native 6-tool MCP server (`trova-mcp` stdio + `/api/mcp` HTTP) with surface-ranked briefsExport: `Trovafile.md`, per-family `DESIGN.md` sheets, dual-family synthesis briefs, `.cursorrules` / `CLAUDE.md`, Tailwind v4 `@theme`, and CSS `:root` tokens |
| MobbinMobile & Web Product Screen Archive | Authenticated mobile & web app screenshot trees | None — tags and screen categories without explanatory prose | Deep authenticated onboarding, checkout & settings trees | Visual inspection only; no extracted contrast pairs or font fallback mapping | None (Figma plugin & web search only)Export: None (image/Figma copy only) |
| Godly.websiteMotion-First Web Design Gallery | Short looping viewport video capture of marketing sites | None — visual browsing and tag pills only | Single marketing page scroll captures only | Lists font names and framework tags; no contrast or open-source stand-ins | NoneExport: None |
| SiteInspireEditorial Web Design Directory | Desktop landing page screenshot indexed by style/subject | None — taxonomy tags without mechanism notes | Single-screen index only | Subject/style tags only; no font or hex extraction | NoneExport: None |
| Refero.designWeb Page & UI Component Search | Full-page web screenshots and isolated UI section crops | None — visual search and bookmarking | Page collections by product, minimal step annotation | Color filter search; no computed WCAG readable pairs | NoneExport: None |
| Fonts In UseArchival Typographic Specimen Index | Print, identity, and web artifacts indexed by typeface family | Contributor commentary on historical & typographic context | Not applicable (static artifacts & specimens) | Gold-standard typeface identification; no web CSS tokens or color contrast pairs | NoneExport: None |
| Page FlowsRecorded User Flow Video Library | Screen-recorded walkthrough videos with step markers | Timestamped step labels without typographic/CSS analysis | High (video recordings of SaaS onboarding, upgrade, and churn flows) | None | NoneExport: None |
| Are.na / CosmosAssociative Cultural Research Graph | User-curated blocks connected across open-ended channels | Optional user block descriptions; unstructured | None | None | Public REST API (Are.na); no design-brief MCPExport: Channel JSON/Markdown export |
| Curated.designCraft-Focused Web Inspiration Catalog | Full-bleed landing page captures with category pills | None — visual bookmarking only | Single-page marketing captures only | Category tags only; no font or WCAG extraction | NoneExport: None |
| Lapa Ninja / Land-bookFull-Height SaaS Landing Page Directory | Full-height vertical desktop landing page screenshots | None | Single landing page only | Coarse color filter buckets only | NoneExport: None |