FURTHER READING
Further Reading for Pi
Tutorials, documentation and walkthroughs for designing with Pi, as listed in the published guide.
Pi 
OpenDesign Design With
Pi in
OpenDesign.
How to design interfaces with Pi in OpenDesign: portable skills, the model and key you choose, one plan-comparison task from brief to reviewed file, and the limits to know before you start.
From brief to interface01 / Pi
YOU BRING THE IDEA↗
“Plan comparison with one
portable skill, any model.”
THREE WAYS INTO THIS PI GUIDE
Choose Where to Start With Pi
THIS GUIDE · UI DESIGN
Build a Product Interface With Pi
This guide: brief, references, design rules and a reviewed HTML result.
Read this guide SETUPSet Up Pi From Zero
Here is the full path from a clean machine to a Pi that can build and verify UI.
Go to setup COMPARISONCompare Pi With Other Agents
How Pi differs from Codex, Claude Code, Cursor for design work, and when to choose another workflow.
See the comparisonOn This Page Example
One Complete Pi Design Task
A Pi Design Task, From Brief to Interface
A single task, shown end to end: the brief and constraints you hand over, the artifact that comes back, and the checks you still run before it is done. The interface below is an illustrative example built for this page, not a recorded Pi run.
1Design Brief and Constraints
BriefDesign a plan comparison page for a note-taking app: free, personal and team plans, a feature comparison and a short FAQ. Desktop and phone.
- Design systemOpenDesign paper canvas: Albert Sans, one green accent
- Breakpoints1440px desktop and 390px mobile, no horizontal scroll
- InteractionsBilling toggle, plan CTAs, comparison row expand
- OutputOne self-contained HTML file with stable
data-od-idhooks
2Division of Work: You, Pi and OpenDesign
- You
Write the brief, select the design system and define the acceptance criteria.
- Pi
Plans the layout, writes the HTML, CSS and JavaScript and revises it on request.
- OpenDesign
Provides the design system and skill, renders the preview and stores every version as a file in the project.
- Review
Visual hierarchy, spacing on the 8px grid, both breakpoints and every interaction are checked before handoff.
3Pi Artifact: The Plan Comparison Page at 1440px and 390px
4Review Before Handoff
Layout
Grid and Spacing
Three plans and the comparison share the 8px grid; feature rows align across columns.
Hierarchy
Visual Hierarchy
Price and plan name first; the accent marks the most-chosen badge and its button.
Responsive
Mobile Layout
Personal plan first, then free, then team; the toggle stays at the top.
Interaction
Interaction Checks
Flip the toggle, tab through CTAs, expand one comparison row.
Fit
When Pi Fits the Task, and When It Does Not
Pi Fits When
- Any model, your keys. Route to Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and more on your own keys; pick a strong multimodal model for screenshot-to-UI and switch with /model.
- Portable Skills. Encode your design conventions as Agent-Skills-standard Skills that travel across compatible agents, not just Pi.
- MCP + Extensions. Bring real design context via a Figma MCP server, and script the verification loop with TypeScript Extensions.
- Open and BYOK. MIT-licensed and local-first; you pay only for the underlying model and your credentials stay on your machine.
Choose Another Workflow When
- You need editable vector files. The artifact is HTML, not an editable design document. Check a separate vector workflow for your required asset format.
- You have no reference and no constraints. Without a design system or examples the output tends toward a generic look; write the brief first.
- You do not have the credential this agent needs. Required: Your own provider API key (bring your own key) or subscription login via /login. OpenDesign does not provide or proxy credentials.
- Your team works in Aider or OpenCode. Those agents have their own pages; the workspace is the same, the setup differs. See related agents.
Compatibility
Pi Requirements Before You Start
This guide covers Pi as connected through the OpenDesign desktop app. Published references checked on 6 September 2026.
Tool ScopePi, by community
Pi is an open-source (MIT) terminal AI coding agent from earendil-works. It reads your codebase, edits files, and runs commands from a small four-tool core — read, write, edit, bash. This page is about designing interfaces with Pi through OpenDesign, not about Pi’s own interface. OpenDesign’s setup notes list the available agents.
Accounts and AuthenticationYour own provider API key (BYOK) or
Your own provider API key (BYOK) or subscription login via /login. Authenticate with your own provider API key (BYOK) or a subscription login — credentials stay on your machine. This page does not promise a quota or price.
System and VersionsDesktop app or source
Check the download page for desktop builds. The Node.js and pnpm requirements in the source quickstart apply to running from source, not to installing a desktop package. Minimum compatible Pi version: not verified here.
Connection CheckThe success signal
Follow the connection instructions shown by your installed version, then run a small task. Confirm that Pi handled it and that the artifact opens. A download alone does not establish a working connection.
Start with the desktop app
Pi Setup in Three Steps
Download first, complete the Pi setup for your installed version, then check a small result. You do not need to build OpenDesign from source to follow this path.
- 1
Download the OpenDesign Desktop App
Choose the package for your computer, install it and open the app.
Download OpenDesignCHECKPOINTThe desktop app opens. Already installed? Move to the next step; there is no need to download again. - 2
Prepare Your Pi Connection
Follow the Pi instructions in your installed version. Authenticate with your own provider API key (BYOK) or a subscription login — credentials stay on your machine.
Pi providers & authentication docs# 1. Install the Pi coding agent CLI (Node) npm install -g --ignore-scripts @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent # 2. Authenticate with your own provider key (BYOK) export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-... # or OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... # (or run /login inside Pi for a Claude / ChatGPT / Copilot subscription)From the Pi setup notes in the published guide; check the vendor documentation for the current command.
CHECKPOINTConfirm the intended agent and account. If it is unavailable, check compatibility before trying a larger task. - 3
Run One Small Pi Task
Use a small brief so you can judge the whole loop, including one revision.
Starter briefBuild a settings screen with a profile form and a save confirmation. Use my design rules. Check it at desktop and mobile widths.
CHECKPOINTOpen the result, test the save state and request one specific change. A generated file is the beginning of review, not the end.
To run OpenDesign from source, follow the technical quickstart instead.
The Pi design workflow
The Pi Design Workflow in Five Steps
The same plan comparison page task, followed from brief to verified file. Each step lists what you provide, what Pi does, what OpenDesign contributes and what you check.
- 1
Design Brief
Plain language, three to six lines. Name the audience, the job of the screen and the platforms.
- YouWrite the brief; attach a reference screenshot if you have one.
- PiReads the brief and the project’s instruction file; asks when something is ambiguous.
- OpenDesignProvides the project, the prompt surface and the skill for the artifact type.
- CheckConfirm the brief states the acceptance criteria. Adding them now is cheaper than after generation.
- 2
Design Constraints
A design system and a few hard rules. This is what separates on-brand output from a generic look.
- YouPick a design system; state breakpoints and any must-use components.
- PiLoads the DESIGN.md tokens and posture rules into context before writing a line.
- OpenDesignShips the design-system library and binds the chosen one into the skill template.
- CheckThe tokens match your brand. One accent, the right fonts, the right radius.
- 3
Generate the Interface
Pi writes a self-contained HTML file: layout, styles, interactions and stable hooks.
- YouWait, or answer a clarifying question. Nothing to configure.
- PiPlans the sections, writes the HTML, CSS and JavaScript, runs the file and fixes what fails.
- OpenDesignSaves the artifact into the project folder and indexes it for preview.
- CheckNothing yet. Judge the file after it is rendered, not from the source.
- 4
Preview
The file renders inside OpenDesign at the widths you asked for. This is where the design is judged.
- YouSwitch widths, click through the interactions, leave comments on elements.
- PiReads your comments on the preview and prepares the next revision.
- OpenDesignRenders the preview, exposes
data-od-idtargets for comments and edits. - CheckHierarchy, contrast, overflow at 390px, focus states, and whether the accent is used sparingly.
- 5
Revise and Verify
Request changes by pointing at elements in the preview. Every revision is a new file; nothing is overwritten silently.
- YouTurn comments into requests; decide when the task is done.
- PiApplies the changes in place and re-runs the file.
- OpenDesignKeeps versions side by side; exports an image or the HTML when you are done.
- CheckRe-check only the area that changed, then the whole page once at each breakpoint.
Resources
Pi Design Resources
Skills Browse skills Design systems Browse systems Templates Browse templates
Design Skills
The artifact types Pi can produce in OpenDesign, one skill per type.
Design Systems
Brand tokens and components to bind before Pi generates anything.
Templates
Starting points for decks, landing pages and product screens.
Limitations
Pi Limitations, Manual Checks and Fallbacks
- ScopeIt is provider-agnostic: it normalizes across Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and 20+ providers, so you bring your own keys and switch models mid-session. This page covers Pi as an agent connected to OpenDesign, not every Pi feature.
- Usage LimitsUsage limits and cost follow the credential you use (Your own provider API key or subscription login via /login). This page makes no claim about free quotas.
- NetworkLocal project files do not mean offline inference. Review your agent’s provider settings and data policies before sharing sensitive inputs.
- Output Is HTMLArtifacts are HTML files, not vector design files.
- Manual ReviewAccessibility, real content, brand fit and interaction correctness are reviewed by you in the preview. Treat any self-check by the agent as a first pass.
- FallbackIf the agent is unavailable or a task fails, check the installed version’s connection instructions and authentication. Preserve the error and the last working artifact before changing configuration.
FAQ
Common Questions About Pi and OpenDesign
Can Pi Really Do Design Work?
Yes — with an aesthetic skill, a design system, and real reference images in context, Pi produces production-quality, responsive UI, and you can route it to a strong multimodal model to verify output against references. Without that context it tends to default to a generic look, which is the gap OpenDesign fills.
Do I Need to Pay to Design With Pi?
Pi itself is free and open source (MIT). You pay only for the underlying model — bring your own provider API key (BYOK), or use a Claude Pro/Max, ChatGPT Plus/Pro, or GitHub Copilot subscription via /login. OpenDesign never proxies your credentials either way.
What Makes Pi Good for Design Specifically?
It is provider-agnostic: you bring your own keys and route to any of 20+ providers, picking the model whose strengths fit the task and switching mid-session. But taste still comes from the design system, skill, and references you supply, not from the model.
Which Model Should I Use With Pi for Frontend Design?
Pi routes to many providers, so choose per task — a strong multimodal model reads reference screenshots well, while others may suit refactoring. The advantage of Pi is that you can switch without changing your workflow. OpenDesign lets you keep the same design context across whichever model you pick.
How Do I Connect Pi to Figma?
Pi supports MCP servers, so you can add a Figma MCP server and pull real design context — components, variables, layout data — so the generated code matches the source instead of approximating it.
Start a First Design Task With Pi
Start with a small task, judge the round trip, then bring the real brief. Choose the option that matches your setup; the page does not detect it.