Canonical Google Labs DESIGN.md format adopted across the frontend stack (2026-05-14). New invocatio
What
Canonical Google Labs DESIGN.md format adopted across the frontend stack (2026-05-14). New invocation pattern for ALL design-token work: npx -y @google/design.md@latest lint|diff|export|spec (no global install, alpha v0.1.1). Format = 8-section markdown + YAML frontmatter with typed tokens (colors/typography/spacing/rounded/components + {path.to.token} refs). 9 SKILL/doc files refactored: stitch (custom 7-section retired), design-library (getdesign=canonical, open-design=9-section prose-only input), frontend-intelligence (MASTER.md retired → canonical DESIGN.md with frontmatter-only page overrides), frontend-minimalist (section heading drift fixed), runwal-brand (illustrative-output-only demotion). New references/canonical-design-md-example.md (lint-clean 0/0/0). New PreToolUse hook stitch-design-md-lint.py on mcp__stitch__create_design_system|mcp__stitch__update_design_system matcher — auto-lints design_md payload, BLOCKS on errors. Vault decision f9a3291e-8309-444d-b2a3-75fc5fbfab32 (confidence 0.88, premortem-backed, reversible).
Why
Routing for any new frontend project, multi-page design system, or Stitch agent-automation must use canonical CLI + format. Bespoke 4-format export patterns (CSS vars + Tailwind + JSON + custom) are now demoted to “illustrative output shape” not source of truth — one canonical DESIGN.md exports all 3 formats via --format json-tailwind|css-tailwind|dtcg. WCAG contrast + broken-ref + orphan-token checks now run at lint layer, not agent-diligence.
Action Required
Update routing decisions for any task involving (a) Stitch design systems, (b) frontend-intelligence multi-page projects, (c) runwal-brand surfaces, (d) design-token export to Tailwind/CSS/DTCG. Use canonical DESIGN.md + npx @google/design.md instead of bespoke MASTER.md/format-specific blocks. Backlog: runwal-brand 4-preset migration from inline triple-format to canonical files at design-systems/<preset>.md is ⏳ pending in evolution-backlog.md.