How to Turn a Design Mockup into Code with AI

Start by deciding what the design represents: a single static page, a reusable component, or a flow with interactive states. Give the model the relevant frame, dimensions, target framework, existing component conventions, and any design tokens. If the source is a Figma frame, include the intended responsive behavior and which elements should become reusable components. A screenshot alone cannot communicate hidden hover states, validation rules, semantic meaning, or how content changes at different widths. Ask for a small first pass. A card, navigation bar, or form is easier to inspect than an entire application generated at once. Keep the output in the project's existing framework and request a short explanation of the component boundaries and assumptions. Reuse existing assets and styles where possible. Generated code often approximates icons, font weights, spacing, and image crops; compare the result with the reference and correct these details deliberately. Visual similarity is only one measure of quality. A page can resemble a mockup while using nonsemantic elements, inaccessible contrast, missing keyboard focus, or controls that do nothing. Check headings, labels, alt text, focus order, responsive reflow, and error states. The W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide testable criteria; visual inspection alone cannot establish conformance. Test with keyboard navigation and a screen reader for important flows. Use real content early because long labels and translated strings change layout. Compare at the mockup's exact viewport, then inspect narrower and wider widths. Watch for fixed pixel dimensions that cause overflow, text that overlaps, and controls that become difficult to use on touch screens. Ask AI to explain a mismatch and propose a targeted change instead of regenerating the whole page, which can discard correct details. Finally, run the project's formatter, type checks, and existing tests where available.