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raintree-technologyraintree-technology/hig-doctor/skills/hig-components-menus/SKILL.md

hig-components-menus

Skill153 starsChanged 9 months agoMITView on GitHub

Apple HIG guidance for menu and button components including menus, context menus, dock menus, edit menus, the menu bar, toolbars, action buttons, pop-up buttons, pull-down buttons, disclosure controls, and standard buttons. Use this skill when the user says "how should my buttons look," "what goes in the menu bar," "should I use a context menu or action sheet," "how do I design a toolbar," or asks about button design, menu design, context menu, toolbar, menu bar, action button, pop-up button, pull-down button, disclosure control, dock menu, edit menu, or any menu/button component layout and behavior. Cross-references: hig-components-search, hig-components-controls, hig-components-dialogs.

1 other project uses a version of this.

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We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

3 rules. About 0 are common, 2 are distinctive, and 1 is very specific to this project.

  • ≈0

    Common · estimate

    Many files like this have a rule of this kind.

  • ≈2

    Distinctive · estimate

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 1

    Very specific

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  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Very specific:

    Check for .claude/apple-design-context.md before asking questions.

    line 18
  2. Distinctive:

    Menu bar is the primary command interface on macOS: Every command reachable from the menu bar.

    line 28
  3. Distinctive:

    Pull-down buttons for action lists: No current selection; they offer a set of commands.

    line 34

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

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Files
SKILL.md

Apple HIG: Menus and Buttons

Check for .claude/apple-design-context.md before asking questions. Use existing context and only ask for information not already covered.

Key Principles

  1. Menus should be contextual and predictable. Standard items in standard locations. Follow platform conventions for ordering and grouping.
  2. Use standard button styles. System-defined styles communicate affordance and maintain visual consistency. Prefer them over custom designs.
  3. Toolbars for frequent actions. Most commonly used commands in the toolbar. Rarely used actions belong in menus.
  4. Menu bar is the primary command interface on macOS. Every command reachable from the menu bar. Toolbars and context menus supplement, not replace.
  5. Context menus for secondary actions. Right-click or long-press, relevant to the item under the pointer. Never put a command only in a context menu.
  6. Pop-up buttons for mutually exclusive choices. Select exactly one option from a set.
  7. Pull-down buttons for action lists. No current selection; they offer a set of commands.
  8. Action buttons consolidate related actions behind a single icon in toolbars or title bars.
  9. Disclosure controls for progressive disclosure. Show or hide additional content.
  10. Dock menus: short and focused on the most useful actions when the app is running.

Reference Index

ReferenceTopicKey content
menus.mdGeneral menu designItem ordering, grouping, shortcuts
context-menus.mdContext menusRight-click, long press, secondary actions
dock-menus.mdDock menusmacOS app-level actions, running state
edit-menus.mdEdit menusUndo, copy, paste, standard items
the-menu-bar.mdMenu barmacOS primary command interface, structure
toolbars.mdToolbarsFrequent actions, customization, placement
buttons.mdButtonsSystem styles, sizing, affordance
action-button.mdAction buttonGrouped secondary actions, toolbar use
pop-up-buttons.mdPop-up buttonsMutually exclusive choice selection
pull-down-buttons.mdPull-down buttonsAction lists, no current selection
disclosure-controls.mdDisclosure controlsProgressive disclosure, show/hide

Output Format

  1. Component recommendation -- which menu or button type and why.
  2. Visual hierarchy -- placement, sizing, grouping within the interface.
  3. Platform-specific behavior across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
  4. Keyboard shortcuts (macOS) -- standard and custom shortcuts for menu items and toolbar actions.

Questions to Ask

  1. Which platforms?
  2. Primary or secondary action?
  3. How many actions need to be available?
  4. macOS menu bar app?

Related Skills

  • hig-components-search -- Search fields, page controls alongside toolbars and menus
  • hig-components-controls -- Toggles, pickers, segmented controls complementing buttons
  • hig-components-dialogs -- Alerts, sheets, popovers triggered by menu items or buttons
  • hig-inputs -- Keyboard shortcuts and pointer interactions with menus and toolbars

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