OPEN DESIGN · MODULE 01

Open Design: from idea
to artifact, on your own machine.

In this module you'll set up Open Design — the open-source, local, agent-driven design platform — and go from a one-sentence idea to prototypes, web pages, slides, and HTML video, without your data ever leaving your machine.

~ 45 min hands-on prereq · a coding agent CLI license · Apache-2.0
github.com/nexu-io/open-design

OBJECTIVES

By the end, you will be able to…

① Explain why Open Design exists.

In April 2026, Claude Design proved an LLM can truly design — but closed-source, paid, cloud-only. Open Design sets that capability free.

② Connect a coding agent you already have.

Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor are auto-detected from your PATH — 21 coding agents, zero config.

③ Generate your first real artifact.

The agent reads full context and produces real runnable files, previewed and edited in a sandbox.

④ Ship it to engineering, or film it.

Hand off the files, or turn them into a marketing video with HyperFrames.

CORE CONCEPT

Two parts, always.

Open Design has exactly two moving parts: the agents already on your machine, and the workflow that wires them into design — full context in, real runnable files out.

Rule of thumb. Don't rebuild agents — plug them in. Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor on your machine are already powerful; Open Design wires them into a complete design workflow.

Your agent

Any of 21 coding agents, auto-detected from PATH — full terminal power, zero config.

e.g. claude · codex · cursor

The workflow

Design systems, memory, and a sandboxed preview turn agent output into design artifacts.

e.g. idea → artifact

WORKED EXAMPLE

First run, 4 commands.

# Open Design runs locally — BYOK, no sign-up
git clone https://github.com/nexu-io/open-design
cd open-design
pnpm install
pnpm tools-dev   # starts the daemon + web UI
What just happened. The daemon detected the coding agents on your PATH, the web UI opened locally, and everything from here on is stored on your own machine — under .od/, never in the cloud.

EXERCISE 1.1

Generate your first artifact.

From one sentence to a real, runnable file — in five steps, no design tools required.

Your task

  1. Pick a starting point — describe your goal in one sentence, or start from a template or plugin.
  2. Set the visual direction — palette, type, and spacing flow into generation automatically.
  3. Generate — the agent produces real runnable files, previewed and edited in a sandbox.
  4. Bonus: turn the result into a marketing short with HyperFrames (HTML → MP4).

Stuck? Remember: every choice you make becomes context for the next run — memory compounds.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Which statement about Open Design is true?

A
It is locked to a single model from a single vendor

No — full-stack BYOK: Anthropic, OpenAI, Azure, Google, plus 14 media providers.

B
It plugs into the coding agents already on your machine

✓ Correct. 21 coding agents auto-detected from PATH — zero config.

C
You need a paid cloud account and a sign-up to start

No — Apache-2.0, runs locally, BYOK, no sign-up required.

SUMMARY · MODULE 01

Frontier AI design, back on your desk.

✓ Explain why Open Design

Open-source, local, agent-driven — Apache-2.0, BYOK, no sign-up.

✓ Connect your agents

21 coding agents, auto-detected from PATH, zero config.

✓ Generate real artifacts

Prototypes, slides, posters, dashboards — runnable files, not mockups.

✓ Let memory compound

Every choice becomes context for the next run.

Up next. Open · Local · Agent-native — download Open Design (macOS / Windows) and join 60K+ stars & 300+ contributors: github.com/nexu-io/open-design · discord.gg/mHAjSMV6gz · x.com/nexudotio