Vercel — Template directory

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A facet-filtered directory where the sidebar is plain checkboxes and the entire visual identity of the grid comes from one rule: every template's screenshot is forced dark, no matter what the product itself looks like.

Vercel — Template directory — captured interface — Page excerpt · scroll inside to explore

Source capture · 2026-08-01Open full image ↗

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Why this pattern works

Forcing every card's preview thumbnail into the same dark-mode frame — regardless of the linked template's actual UI or branding — is what makes a directory of unrelated, community-submitted projects look like one coherent product. Pair it with a plain checkbox-list filter sidebar under a collapsible category header (no icons, no counts, just text) to keep browsing fast rather than decorative.

Design notes

Surface: Vercel Templates directory, 'Find your Template' landing view
Navigation: Two tiers. A slim global top bar (logo, Products/Resources dropdowns, Enterprise, Pricing, then Contact/Log In/Sign Up on the right) and a page-level filter sidebar (Filter Templates heading, a collapsible 'Use Case' section with a plain checkbox list) running the full height of the content area beside the grid.
Layout: Fixed-width left sidebar (~220px), fluid 3-column card grid filling the rest. The search bar sits full-width above the grid only, not spanning the sidebar.
Density: Roomy. Cards are tall (title, 2-line description, then a large thumbnail); sidebar rows are compact single-line checkboxes with tight vertical rhythm so a long facet list doesn't dominate the page.
Color: Almost entirely monochrome — white page, black text, grey secondary text, black-only primary buttons. The one deliberate colour move is forcing every card's screenshot into a near-black frame, so the grid reads as light chrome around dark windows rather than a busy multicolour mess.
Type: One sans throughout. The page title 'Find your Template' is the largest, boldest text on the page; card titles are bold black at body size; descriptions drop to grey regular weight and truncate at two lines — hierarchy is entirely title-bold versus body-grey, no size ladder beyond that.
Pattern: The forced-dark thumbnail: whatever the template actually looks like, its preview is cropped or framed into a dark card-within-a-card, so unrelated community submissions (a chat UI, a voice waveform, a docs site, a logo mashup) all read as one consistent product family.
States: Checkboxes sit unchecked by default with a plain black outline; no counts, no disabled states, no empty-result state visible in this view — the directory shows the full unfiltered set until a facet is applied.
Don't: Don't let each template's own brand colours leak into the card chrome. If the thumbnail frame stays light or matches the product's real background, the grid loses its uniformity and starts looking like a random link dump instead of a curated directory.

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Prompt text

# My project
[Describe the product, audience, and screen you want to improve]

Stack: Use the existing project stack
Task: Implement the interface and verify the result in the existing project.

## Tool guidance (Any AI tool)
Use available project tools to inspect, implement, and test. State any unavailable capabilities.

# Design reference: Vercel — Template directory
Source: https://vercel.com/templates
Swipefile reference: https://swipefile.design/ref/vercel-templates/
Captured: 2026-08-01. This is a dated reference, not a claim about the current live product.
Capture scope: a page excerpt. Do not infer unseen sections or interactions.

## Objective
Adapt the interaction and layout patterns below to my project. Use my own content and identity. Do not reproduce logos, proprietary copy, or brand assets.

## Reference notes
- surface: Vercel Templates directory, 'Find your Template' landing view
- nav: Two tiers. A slim global top bar (logo, Products/Resources dropdowns, Enterprise, Pricing, then Contact/Log In/Sign Up on the right) and a page-level filter sidebar (Filter Templates heading, a collapsible 'Use Case' section with a plain checkbox list) running the full height of the content area beside the grid.
- layout: Fixed-width left sidebar (~220px), fluid 3-column card grid filling the rest. The search bar sits full-width above the grid only, not spanning the sidebar.
- density: Roomy. Cards are tall (title, 2-line description, then a large thumbnail); sidebar rows are compact single-line checkboxes with tight vertical rhythm so a long facet list doesn't dominate the page.
- color: Almost entirely monochrome — white page, black text, grey secondary text, black-only primary buttons. The one deliberate colour move is forcing every card's screenshot into a near-black frame, so the grid reads as light chrome around dark windows rather than a busy multicolour mess.
- typography: One sans throughout. The page title 'Find your Template' is the largest, boldest text on the page; card titles are bold black at body size; descriptions drop to grey regular weight and truncate at two lines — hierarchy is entirely title-bold versus body-grey, no size ladder beyond that.
- pattern: The forced-dark thumbnail: whatever the template actually looks like, its preview is cropped or framed into a dark card-within-a-card, so unrelated community submissions (a chat UI, a voice waveform, a docs site, a logo mashup) all read as one consistent product family.
- states: Checkboxes sit unchecked by default with a plain black outline; no counts, no disabled states, no empty-result state visible in this view — the directory shows the full unfiltered set until a facet is applied.
- dont: Don't let each template's own brand colours leak into the card chrome. If the thumbnail frame stays light or matches the product's real background, the grid loses its uniformity and starts looking like a random link dump instead of a curated directory.

Useful for: Forcing every card's preview thumbnail into the same dark-mode frame — regardless of the linked template's actual UI or branding — is what makes a directory of unrelated, community-submitted projects look like one coherent product. Pair it with a plain checkbox-list filter sidebar under a collapsible category header (no icons, no counts, just text) to keep browsing fast rather than decorative.

## Acceptance criteria
- Existing project conventions, design tokens, working functionality, and unrelated changes are preserved.
- Two or three reference principles clearly support the user's task; conflicts are resolved in favor of usability and the existing product.
- Reusable components and semantic HTML express the interface. Available licensed assets are used; important UI text is never rendered as a bitmap.
- Every visible control has a defined behavior. Loading, empty, error, success, disabled, and long-content states are specified where relevant. Demo data is clearly labeled.
- Navigation and content adapt at 375px, 768px, and 1440px without horizontal page overflow. Keyboard use, visible focus, labeled inputs, at least 44px touch targets, readable contrast, and reduced motion are supported.
- Verification distinguishes rendered behavior from proposals and identifies anything still requiring a backend or external service.

## Quality bar
Clear hierarchy, consistent spacing, restrained surfaces, and purposeful motion. Avoid decorative gradients, excessive cards, placeholder buttons, and invented metrics unless the project calls for them. Do not claim a feature is connected or tested without evidence.

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## Objective
Adapt the interaction and layout patterns below to my project. Use my own content and identity. Do not reproduce logos, proprietary copy, or brand assets.

Vercel — Template directory

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