# Hallmark's Four Core Verbs: default, audit, redesign, and study Explained

> Understand Hallmark's four core verbs: default, audit, redesign, and study. Learn how these actions streamline UI development and analysis for your projects.

- Repository: [Hassan El Mghari/hallmark](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark)
- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-08-13

---

**Hallmark's four core verbs are `default` (generate new UI from scratch), `audit` (report anti-patterns without modifying code), `redesign` (restructure existing pages preserving structure), and `study` (extract design DNA from screenshots or URLs).**

Hallmark is a **design skill** that guides AI assistants to produce UI code that looks handcrafted rather than templated. Its behavior is driven by these four verbs, each with distinct purposes, input handling, and workflows defined in the [Nutlope/hallmark](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark) repository.

---

## Overview of the Four Core Verbs

| Verb | Purpose | Invocation | Key File |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| `default` | Generate brand-new pages with genre, macrostructure, theme, and enrichment | Implicit when designing without verb | [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/SKILL.md) |
| `audit` | Extract design elements and return ranked anti-pattern punch list | `hallmark audit <target>` | [`references/verbs/audit.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/audit.md) |
| `redesign` | Re-structure visual layers while preserving routes and information architecture | `hallmark redesign <target> [--mood <name>]` | [`references/verbs/redesign.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/redesign.md) |
| `study` | Extract design DNA from screenshots or live URLs | `hallmark study <screenshot\|URL>` | [`references/verbs/study.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/study.md) |

---

## default: The "Design" Verb for New Pages

The `default` verb is Hallmark's implicit mode when users ask to *design* or *build* something without specifying a verb. In [[`skills/hallmark/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/skills/hallmark/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/skills/hallmark/SKILL.md), this flow is documented as "Design flow (default)" and follows a strict seven-step protocol.

**Core execution steps:**

1. **Pre-flight scan** — Detect existing fonts, palette, motion libraries, and framework
2. **Genre detection** — Select from *editorial*, *modern-minimal*, *atmospheric*, or *playful*
3. **Macrostructure pick** — Choose from named macrostructures in [`macrostructures.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/macrostructures.md) (e.g., *Marquee Hero*, *Bento Grid*)
4. **Theme route** — Default to the **catalog** of 20 named themes (e.g., *Bloom*, *Coral*); custom themes only on explicit brief
5. **Enrichment decision** — Typically typographic-only; richer hero enrichment requires explicit call
6. **Preview block** — Markdown summary of macrostructure, theme, enrichment, sections, motion, slop-test status, and diversification
7. **Slop-test** — Run **58 gate checks**; failures are fixed before code emission

The `default` verb **never deletes files** and respects existing [`design.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/design.md) or [`site/css/tokens.css`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/site/css/tokens.css) as authoritative sources.

```bash

# Implicit default invocation

hallmark design "Create a landing page for a SaaS analytics tool"

```

Typical preview output:

```markdown
**Hallmark · v1.1.0**

- Macrostructure · Stat-Led
- Theme · Paper: light, Accent: cool-blue
- Enrichment · none (typography only)
- Sections · Hero · Stats · Features · CTA · Footer
- Motion · fade-up · scale-pulse
- Diversification · differs from previous on accent hue

```

---

## audit: The "Lint" Verb for Quality Control

The `audit` verb, implemented in [[`references/verbs/audit.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/audit.md)](https://github.com/Nutlop/hallmark/blob/main/skills/hallmark/references/verbs/audit.md), **reads target files without modification** and produces a ranked punch-list of anti-patterns.

**Input:** One or more file paths (pages, components, CSS)

**Output structure:**
- **Tell** — Named anti-pattern (e.g., *Eyebrow-left header-right*)
- **Where** — File path and line range
- **Severity** — `critical`, `major`, or `minor`
- **Fix** — One-line concrete correction

The `audit` verb performs **stamp-vs-page consistency checks** — a file stamped with `macrostructure: Bento Grid` must actually follow that shape — and respects genre-specific overrides.

```bash

# Audit a single page

hallmark audit ./app/page.tsx

# Audit multiple components

hallmark audit ./components/

```

Example audit output:

```markdown

## Critical (2)

- Eyebrow-left header-right on ./app/page.tsx L42-L45
- Default three-equal-card grid on ./components/Features.tsx L12-L20

## Major (1)

- Italic header on ./components/Header.tsx L3

## Minor (0)

```

---

## redesign: The "Refactor" Verb for Existing Pages

The `redesign` verb, defined in [[`references/verbs/redesign.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/redesign.md)](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/skills/hallmark/references/verbs/redesign.md`), **re-structures visual and interaction layers** while preserving core structure. It operates in two modes based on scope detection.

**Non-destructive rule:** Never deletes routes or component directories without explicit user authorization.

### Single-Page Redesign

Replaces the **visual fingerprint** (macrostructure, component voice, reveal pattern, visual rhythm) while preserving:
- Copy intent, product names, primary action
- Information architecture (section order)
- Brand colours and fonts from existing project tokens

### Multi-Page Redesign

Creates or updates a **system-wide [`design.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/design.md)** that becomes the canonical design guide; subsequent pages share theme, accent, and typographic pairings, differing only in macrostructure within their families.

```bash

# Redesign single page with mood override

hallmark redesign ./app/about/page.tsx --mood luxurious

# Redesign entire application

hallmark redesign ./app

```

The `redesign` verb integrates with `audit` results — pages that drift from their own stamp are flagged as critical findings before restructuring begins.

---

## study: The "DNA Extraction" Verb

The `study` verb, documented in [[`references/verbs/study.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/study.md)](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/skills/hallmark/references/verbs/study.md)`, extracts design **DNA** from external sources through two input modes.

### Input Modes

| Mode | Source | Font Accuracy | Rhythm Data |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Image mode** | Screenshot file | Approximate (no exact names) | Available |
| **URL mode** | Live `https://` URL | Exact faces from loaded CSS | Unknown (HTML limitation) |

### Five-Step Protocol

1. **Surface** — Paper lightness, hue, accent footprint, distinctive treatments
2. **Type** — Roles (display, body, label) and exact faces (URL mode only)
3. **Structure** — Named macrostructure match + archetype selection for hero, nav, footer
4. **Motion** — Motion libraries, reveal patterns, anti-patterns discovered
5. **Rhythm** — Density, asymmetry, spacing (screenshot only)

**Diagnosis report** presents three user options:
1. **Build** — Hand off extracted DNA to `default` verb
2. **Lock** — Write portable [`design.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/design.md) for reuse
3. **Stop** — End after diagnosis review

```bash

# Study from screenshot

hallmark study ./screenshots/competitor.png

# Study live URL

hallmark study https://example.com/product

```

Example URL mode diagnosis:

```markdown
I read https://example.com/product.

The page is a **Marquee Hero**. The hero is an **H1-Marquee** with ratio=7/5.
Nav is **N5 Floating-pill**; footer is **Ft5 Statement**.

The page loads **Inter** for display and **Geist** for body. Roles: display = neutral grotesque, body = neutral grotesque.

The paper is `oklch(96% 0.01 90)` – a light warm band. The accent is `#c0392b` – warm-red, small ≤ 5 % footprint.

Motion: the page uses **framer-motion**; reveal pattern is **fade-up**.

Rhythm — density and asymmetry — I can't judge from the HTML alone. If those matter, send a screenshot as well.

Want me to build with this DNA, or change one axis first?

```

**Safety guardrails:** `study` refuses paid-template marketplaces and validates that URLs are public web pages (no IP literals, no private hosts, no disallowed schemes).

---

## How the Verbs Share Reference Architecture

All four core verbs draw from a common reference layer in `skills/hallmark/references/`:

| File | Purpose | Verb Usage |
|:---|:---|:---|
| [`macrostructures.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/macrostructures.md) | 21 named layout templates (Marquee Hero, Bento Grid, Stat-Led) | `default`, `redesign`, `study` |
| [`component-cookbook.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/component-cookbook.md) | Navigation, footer, hero archetypes (N5 Floating-pill, Ft5 Statement) | All verbs |
| [`tokens.css`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/tokens.css) | Central color, font, spacing tokens | `default` reads; `redesign` writes; `study` extracts |
| Genre/theme catalogs | 20 named themes (Bloom, Coral) and 4 genres | `default`, `redesign` |

---

## Summary

- **`default`** generates new UI through seven disciplined steps with 58-point slop testing, implicitly invoked for design requests
- **`audit`** reports anti-patterns by severity without code modification, enforcing stamp-vs-page consistency
- **`redesign`** restructures existing pages non-destructively, preserving information architecture while updating visual fingerprint
- **`study`** extracts design DNA from screenshots or URLs via five-step protocol, outputting portable diagnoses with three action paths

Understanding Hallmark's four core verbs provides complete visibility into how the skill decides what to build, validates quality against anti-patterns, preserves or reshapes existing assets, and learns from external design sources.

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the difference between `default` and `redesign` in Hallmark?

The `default` verb creates **new pages from scratch** using genre detection and theme selection, while `redesign` **restructures existing pages** keeping routes, copy intent, and information architecture intact. According to [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/SKILL.md), `default` never deletes files; [`redesign.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/redesign.md) specifies that deletions require explicit user authorization.

### Can `audit` fix the anti-patterns it discovers?

No — the `audit` verb is **read-only**. As implemented in [`references/verbs/audit.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/audit.md), it returns a ranked punch-list with severity classifications and one-line fixes, but never modifies source files. Users must apply fixes manually or invoke `redesign` for automated restructuring.

### How does `study` handle font detection differently between image and URL modes?

In **image mode**, `study` approximates type roles without exact font names. In **URL mode**, it extracts precise font faces from loaded CSS (`Inter`, `Geist`) as documented in [`references/verbs/study.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/references/verbs/study.md). However, rhythm analysis (density, asymmetry) is **only reliable from screenshots**; URL mode marks this as `unknown`.

### Which verb should I use to apply a competitor's design style to my project?

Use **`study`** to extract the competitor's DNA, then choose **build** to hand off to `default` or **lock** to create a reusable [`design.md`](https://github.com/Nutlope/hallmark/blob/main/design.md). The `study` verb's five-step protocol captures macrostructure, archetypes, type roles, colour anchor, and motion — sufficient to replicate the visual fingerprint while adapting to your content.