
Advanced Visualization Techniques
- 11 installs
- 1.5k repo stars
- Updated June 10, 2026
- copilotkit/opengenerativeui
Produce UI mockups, dashboards, generative art, simulations, and math visualizations as sandboxed generative-UI output via the generateSandboxedUi tool.
About
Advanced techniques for emitting rich interactive UI through the generateSandboxedUi tool, including dashboards, generative art, simulations, and a shared design system. A developer uses it when building an agent that streams visual, interactive responses to users.
- Documents the generateSandboxedUi parameter order and css-first streaming reveal
- Sandbox iframe has no same-origin access; host bridge via Websandbox.connection.remote
Advanced Visualization Techniques by the numbers
- 11 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #11,769 of 16,546 AI & Agent Building skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
npx skills add https://github.com/copilotkit/opengenerativeui --skill advanced-visualization-techniquesAdd your badge
Show developers this skill is listed on Skillselion. Paste this into your README.
| Installs | 11 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 1.5k |
| Last updated | June 10, 2026 |
| Repository | copilotkit/opengenerativeui ↗ |
What it does
Produce UI mockups, dashboards, generative art, simulations, and math visualizations as sandboxed generative-UI output via the generateSandboxedUi tool.
Files
Agent Visualization Skills — Volume 2: Advanced Techniques
Prerequisite: Volume 1 (SVG diagrams, basic interactive widgets, Chart.js, Mermaid). This volume covers: UI mockups, dashboards, advanced interactivity, generative art, simulations, math visualizations, and the design system that ties everything together.
---
Part 0: The Tool Contract — generateSandboxedUi
Everything in this volume ships through the generateSandboxedUi tool. The UI streams as you generate it, so emit the parameters in this EXACT order:
1. initialHeight — estimated height of the finished UI in px. 2. placeholderMessages — 2-4 short, playful progress messages. 3. css — ALL styles, up front. The user sees a placeholder until css is complete, so keep it lean and put every style here for the css-first reveal. 4. html — clean body markup, streamed in live. No <style> blocks (the css parameter owns all styles), no monolithic inline <script> blocks. 5. jsFunctions — named function declarations: the reusable toolbox of behavior. 6. jsExpressions — small statements invoking those functions, applied one-by-one so the user watches each take effect.
Write parameterized generators in jsFunctions (drawWing(color), not drawRedWing()). A well-parameterized toolbox lets a later refinement turn — "make the wings red" — append ONE new expression to jsExpressions instead of regenerating the whole document.
The sandbox iframe has NO same-origin access: no localStorage, sessionStorage, cookies, IndexedDB, or same-origin fetch. The host bridge is await Websandbox.connection.remote.sendPrompt({ text }) and await Websandbox.connection.remote.openLink({ url }) (https only). The design system (Part 1) and an importmap for three, gsap, d3, and chart.js (Part 7) are pre-injected.
---
Part 1: The Design System
Every visual you produce should feel native to the host interface — not like an embedded iframe from somewhere else. These rules apply to ALL output types.
CSS Variables (Auto Light/Dark Mode)
/* Backgrounds */
--color-background-primary /* white in light, near-black in dark */
--color-background-secondary /* surface cards */
--color-background-tertiary /* page background */
--color-background-info /* blue tint */
--color-background-danger /* red tint */
--color-background-success /* green tint */
--color-background-warning /* amber tint */
/* Text */
--color-text-primary /* main text */
--color-text-secondary /* muted / labels */
--color-text-tertiary /* hints / placeholders */
--color-text-info / -danger / -success / -warning
/* Borders */
--color-border-tertiary /* default: 0.15 alpha */
--color-border-secondary /* hover: 0.3 alpha */
--color-border-primary /* active: 0.4 alpha */
/* Typography */
--font-sans /* default body font */
--font-serif /* editorial / blockquote only */
--font-mono /* code */
/* Layout */
--border-radius-md /* 8px - most elements */
--border-radius-lg /* 12px - cards */
--border-radius-xl /* 16px - large containers */Critical rule: Never hardcode colors like #333 or #fff in HTML. They break in the opposite mode. Always use CSS variables.
Typography Rules
- h1 = 22px, h2 = 18px, h3 = 16px — all font-weight: 500
- Body = 16px, weight 400, line-height: 1.7
- Only two weights: 400 (regular) and 500 (medium). Never 600 or 700.
- Sentence case everywhere. Never Title Case or ALL CAPS.
- No mid-sentence bolding. Use
code stylefor entity/class/function names. - No font-size below 11px anywhere.
Component Tokens
- Borders:
0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary) - Cards:
background: var(--color-background-primary),
border: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary), border-radius: var(--border-radius-lg), padding: 1rem 1.25rem
- No gradients, drop shadows, blur, glow, or neon effects
- No emoji — use CSS shapes or SVG paths for icons
- Background of outer container is always transparent
Number Formatting
Always round displayed numbers. JavaScript float math leaks artifacts: 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.30000000000000004. Every number on screen must go through Math.round(), .toFixed(n), or Intl.NumberFormat.
---
Part 2: UI Mockups
For when the user asks you to design or prototype a UI.
When to Use
- "Design a settings page for..."
- "Mock up a dashboard"
- "What should this form look like?"
- "Show me a card layout for..."
- Prototyping before building
Presentation Rules
Contained mockups (mobile screens, modals, chat threads, single cards): Wrap in a background surface so they don't float naked:
<div style="background: var(--color-background-secondary);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-lg);
padding: 2rem; display: flex; justify-content: center;">
<!-- Your mockup inside -->
</div>Full-width mockups (dashboards, settings pages, data tables): No wrapper needed — they naturally fill the viewport.
Where the styles go: repeated patterns become classes in the css parameter; the html parameter stays clean markup. The metric cards below model the translation — the remaining patterns in this part are shown with inline style attributes for compactness, and you should lift them into css-parameter classes the same way.
Metric Cards (for dashboards)
css parameter:
.metric-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(160px, 1fr));
gap: 12px;
margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
}
.metric-card {
background: var(--color-background-secondary);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-md);
padding: 1rem;
}
.metric-label {
font-size: 13px;
color: var(--color-text-secondary);
margin-bottom: 4px;
}
.metric-value { font-size: 24px; font-weight: 500; }html parameter:
<div class="metric-grid">
<div class="metric-card">
<div class="metric-label">Total revenue</div>
<div class="metric-value">$142,800</div>
</div>
<div class="metric-card">
<div class="metric-label">Active users</div>
<div class="metric-value">8,421</div>
</div>
</div>Contact / Data Record Card
<div style="background: var(--color-background-primary);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-lg);
border: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary);
padding: 1rem 1.25rem;">
<div style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px;
margin-bottom: 16px;">
<!-- Avatar circle with initials -->
<div style="width: 44px; height: 44px; border-radius: 50%;
background: var(--color-background-info);
display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
font-weight: 500; font-size: 14px;
color: var(--color-text-info);">JD</div>
<div>
<p style="font-weight: 500; font-size: 15px; margin: 0;">Jane Doe</p>
<p style="font-size: 13px; color: var(--color-text-secondary);
margin: 0;">Lead Engineer</p>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-top: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary);
padding-top: 12px;">
<table style="width: 100%; font-size: 13px;">
<tr>
<td style="color: var(--color-text-secondary); padding: 4px 0;">
Email</td>
<td style="text-align: right; padding: 4px 0;
color: var(--color-text-info);">jane@company.com</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>Badges and Status Pills
<!-- Status badge -->
<span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 12px; padding: 4px 12px;
border-radius: var(--border-radius-md);
background: var(--color-background-success);
color: var(--color-text-success);">Active</span>
<!-- Featured accent (the ONLY case where 2px border is allowed) -->
<div style="border: 2px solid var(--color-border-info);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-lg);
padding: 1rem 1.25rem;">
<span style="font-size: 12px; padding: 4px 12px;
border-radius: var(--border-radius-md);
background: var(--color-background-info);
color: var(--color-text-info);">Most popular</span>
</div>Form Elements
Inputs, selects, textareas, buttons, and range sliders are pre-styled in the host environment. Write bare tags — they inherit correct styling:
- Text inputs: 36px height, hover/focus states built in
- Range sliders: 4px track + 18px thumb
- Buttons: transparent bg, 0.5px border, hover/active states
Never use `<form>` tags. Use onClick / onChange handlers directly.
Comparison Cards
For "help me choose between X and Y":
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns:
repeat(auto-fit, minmax(160px, 1fr)); gap: 12px;">
<div style="background: var(--color-background-primary);
border: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-lg);
padding: 1rem 1.25rem;">
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 500; margin: 0 0 8px;">
Option A</h3>
<p style="font-size: 13px; color: var(--color-text-secondary);
margin: 0;">Description here</p>
</div>
<!-- Repeat for Option B, C... -->
</div>---
Part 3: Advanced Interactive Widgets
Simulations and Physics
For teaching physics, algorithms, or systems behavior with real-time updates.
Pattern: Animation Loop with Controls
css parameter:
.sim-controls {
display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 16px;
margin: 12px 0; font-size: 13px;
color: var(--color-text-secondary);
}
#sim {
width: 100%; height: 300px;
border-radius: var(--border-radius-md);
background: var(--color-background-secondary);
}html parameter:
<canvas id="sim"></canvas>
<div class="sim-controls">
<button onclick="toggleSim()">Play / Pause</button>
<label>Speed
<input type="range" min="1" max="10" value="5" id="speed"
oninput="setSimSpeed(+this.value)">
</label>
<button onclick="resetSim()">Reset</button>
</div>jsFunctions parameter:
function initSim(count) {
const canvas = document.getElementById('sim');
canvas.width = canvas.offsetWidth;
canvas.height = canvas.offsetHeight;
window.sim = {
canvas,
ctx: canvas.getContext('2d'),
running: true,
speed: 5,
particles: Array.from({ length: count }, () => ({
x: Math.random() * canvas.width,
y: Math.random() * canvas.height,
vx: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 2,
vy: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 2
}))
};
}
function stepSim() {
const { canvas, ctx, particles, speed, running } = window.sim;
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (const p of particles) {
p.x += p.vx * speed * 0.2;
p.y += p.vy * speed * 0.2;
if (p.x < 0 || p.x > canvas.width) p.vx *= -1;
if (p.y < 0 || p.y > canvas.height) p.vy *= -1;
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(p.x, p.y, 4, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fillStyle = '#534AB7';
ctx.fill();
}
if (running) requestAnimationFrame(stepSim);
}
function setSimSpeed(value) { window.sim.speed = value; }
function toggleSim() {
window.sim.running = !window.sim.running;
if (window.sim.running) stepSim();
}
function resetSim() {
const wasRunning = window.sim.running;
initSim(window.sim.particles.length);
if (!wasRunning) stepSim();
}jsExpressions parameter:
initSim(50);
stepSim();Math Visualizations
For plotting functions, showing geometric relationships, or exploring equations.
Pattern: Function Plotter with SVG
css parameter:
.plot-controls {
display: flex; gap: 16px; align-items: center;
margin: 12px 0; font-size: 13px;
color: var(--color-text-secondary);
}
.plot-controls input[type="number"] { width: 60px; }
.plot-controls input[type="range"] { flex: 1; }html parameter:
<svg id="plot" width="100%" viewBox="0 0 680 400">
<!-- Grid -->
<line x1="60" y1="200" x2="640" y2="200"
stroke="var(--color-border-tertiary)" stroke-width="0.5"/>
<line x1="340" y1="20" x2="340" y2="380"
stroke="var(--color-border-tertiary)" stroke-width="0.5"/>
<!-- Axes labels -->
<text x="645" y="196" font-size="12"
fill="var(--color-text-tertiary)">x</text>
<text x="345" y="16" font-size="12"
fill="var(--color-text-tertiary)">y</text>
<!-- Function path drawn by JS -->
<path id="fn-path" fill="none" stroke="#534AB7" stroke-width="2"/>
</svg>
<div class="plot-controls">
<label>f(x) = sin(
<input type="number" id="freq" value="1" min="0.1" max="10" step="0.1"
oninput="plotFn()">x)
</label>
<label>Amplitude
<input type="range" id="amp" min="0.1" max="3" value="1" step="0.1"
oninput="plotFn()">
</label>
</div>jsFunctions parameter:
function plotFn() {
const freq = +document.getElementById('freq').value;
const amp = +document.getElementById('amp').value;
const xMin = -5, xMax = 5, yMin = -3, yMax = 3;
const toSvgX = x => 60 + (x - xMin) / (xMax - xMin) * 580;
const toSvgY = y => 20 + (yMax - y) / (yMax - yMin) * 360;
let d = '';
for (let px = 0; px <= 580; px++) {
const x = xMin + px / 580 * (xMax - xMin);
const y = amp * Math.sin(freq * x);
d += (px === 0 ? 'M' : 'L') + toSvgX(x).toFixed(1)
+ ' ' + toSvgY(y).toFixed(1);
}
document.getElementById('fn-path').setAttribute('d', d);
}jsExpressions parameter:
plotFn();Sortable / Filterable Data Tables
css parameter:
.data-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; }
.data-table th {
text-align: left; padding: 8px 12px; font-weight: 500;
border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-secondary);
color: var(--color-text-secondary); cursor: pointer;
user-select: none; font-size: 12px;
}
.data-table th:hover { color: var(--color-text-primary); }
.data-table td {
padding: 8px 12px;
border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--color-border-tertiary);
}
.table-filter { width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; }
.status-pill {
font-size: 12px; padding: 2px 10px;
border-radius: var(--border-radius-md);
}
.status-pill.active {
background: var(--color-background-success);
color: var(--color-text-success);
}
.status-pill.paused {
background: var(--color-background-warning);
color: var(--color-text-warning);
}html parameter:
<input type="text" class="table-filter" placeholder="Filter..."
oninput="filterTable(this.value)">
<table class="data-table" id="table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th onclick="sortTable(0)">Name</th>
<th onclick="sortTable(1)">Value</th>
<th onclick="sortTable(2)">Status</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody id="tbody">
<!-- Rows populated by JS -->
</tbody>
</table>jsFunctions parameter:
function initTable(rows) {
window.tableData = rows;
window.sortCol = -1;
window.sortAsc = true;
renderRows(rows);
}
function renderRows(rows) {
document.getElementById('tbody').innerHTML = rows.map(r =>
`<tr><td>${r[0]}</td><td>${r[1]}</td>
<td><span class="status-pill ${r[2] === 'Active' ? 'active' : 'paused'}">${r[2]}</span>
</td></tr>`
).join('');
}
function sortTable(col) {
window.sortAsc = window.sortCol === col ? !window.sortAsc : true;
window.sortCol = col;
const asc = window.sortAsc;
window.tableData.sort((a, b) => {
if (a[col] < b[col]) return asc ? -1 : 1;
if (a[col] > b[col]) return asc ? 1 : -1;
return 0;
});
renderRows(window.tableData);
}
function filterTable(q) {
const low = q.toLowerCase();
renderRows(window.tableData.filter(r =>
r.some(c => String(c).toLowerCase().includes(low))));
}jsExpressions parameter:
initTable([
['Alpha', 42, 'Active'],
['Beta', 18, 'Paused'],
['Gamma', 91, 'Active'],
]);---
Part 4: Chart.js — Advanced Patterns
Dark Mode Awareness
const isDark = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches;
const textColor = isDark ? '#c2c0b6' : '#3d3d3a';
const gridColor = isDark ? 'rgba(255,255,255,0.08)' : 'rgba(0,0,0,0.06)';
const tooltipBg = isDark ? '#2C2C2A' : '#fff';Canvas cannot read CSS variables — always detect dark mode and use hardcoded hex values.
Wrapper Pattern (Critical for Sizing)
<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 300px;">
<canvas id="chart"></canvas>
</div>- Height goes on the wrapper div ONLY, never on canvas.
- Always set
responsive: true, maintainAspectRatio: false. - For horizontal bar charts: height = (bars x 40) + 80 pixels.
Custom Legend (Always Use This)
Disable Chart.js default legend and build HTML:
plugins: { legend: { display: false } }<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 16px;
margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12px;
color: var(--color-text-secondary);">
<span style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px;">
<span style="width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 2px;
background: #534AB7;"></span>Series A — 65%
</span>
<span style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px;">
<span style="width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 2px;
background: #0F6E56;"></span>Series B — 35%
</span>
</div>Dashboard Layout
Metric cards on top -> chart below -> drill-down buttons wired to the sendPrompt bridge (Part 6):
<!-- Metric cards grid -->
<div style="display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(160px, 1fr));
gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;">
<!-- cards here -->
</div>
<!-- Chart (no card wrapper) -->
<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 300px;">
<canvas id="chart"></canvas>
</div>Chart Type Selection Guide
| Data pattern | Chart type |
|---|---|
| Trend over time | Line |
| Category comparison | Vertical bar |
| Ranking (few items) | Horizontal bar |
| Part of whole | Doughnut |
| Distribution | Histogram (bar) |
| Correlation (2 variables) | Scatter |
| Multi-variable comparison | Radar |
| Range / uncertainty | Line with fill area |
---
Part 5: Generative Art and Illustration
For when the user asks for something creative, decorative, or aesthetic.
When to Use
- "Draw me a sunset" / "Create a pattern"
- Decorative headers or visual breaks
- Mood illustrations for creative writing
- Abstract visualizations of data or music
Rules (Different from Diagrams)
- Fill the canvas — art should feel rich, not sparse
- Bold colors are encouraged. You can use custom hex freely.
- Layered overlapping shapes create depth
- Organic forms with
<path>curves,<ellipse>,<circle> - Texture via repetition (hatching, dots, parallel lines)
- Geometric patterns with
<g transform="rotate()"> - NO gradients, shadows, blur, or glow (still flat aesthetic)
Pattern: Geometric Art
<svg width="100%" viewBox="0 0 680 400">
<!-- Background shapes -->
<circle cx="200" cy="200" r="150" fill="#EEEDFE" opacity="0.8"/>
<circle cx="480" cy="180" r="120" fill="#E1F5EE" opacity="0.8"/>
<!-- Overlapping geometric forms -->
<rect x="150" y="100" width="200" height="200" rx="8"
fill="#CECBF6" opacity="0.6"
transform="rotate(15 250 200)"/>
<rect x="320" y="80" width="180" height="180" rx="8"
fill="#9FE1CB" opacity="0.6"
transform="rotate(-10 410 170)"/>
<!-- Detail lines -->
<line x1="100" y1="300" x2="580" y2="300"
stroke="#534AB7" stroke-width="0.5" opacity="0.3"/>
<line x1="100" y1="310" x2="580" y2="310"
stroke="#534AB7" stroke-width="0.5" opacity="0.2"/>
</svg>Pattern: Radial Symmetry
<svg width="100%" viewBox="0 0 680 680">
<g transform="translate(340 340)">
<!-- Repeat a shape at angular intervals -->
<g transform="rotate(0)">
<ellipse cx="0" cy="-120" rx="30" ry="80"
fill="#FAECE7" stroke="#993C1D" stroke-width="0.5"/>
</g>
<g transform="rotate(45)">
<ellipse cx="0" cy="-120" rx="30" ry="80"
fill="#FBEAF0" stroke="#993556" stroke-width="0.5"/>
</g>
<!-- ... repeat for 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315 -->
</g>
</svg>Pattern: Landscape with Layered Shapes
For physical scenes, use ALL hardcoded hex (no theme classes):
<svg width="100%" viewBox="0 0 680 400">
<!-- Sky -->
<rect x="0" y="0" width="680" height="250" fill="#E6F1FB"/>
<!-- Mountains -->
<polygon points="0,250 150,100 300,250" fill="#B4B2A9"/>
<polygon points="200,250 400,60 600,250" fill="#888780"/>
<!-- Ground -->
<rect x="0" y="250" width="680" height="150" fill="#C0DD97"/>
<!-- Sun -->
<circle cx="550" cy="80" r="40" fill="#FAC775"/>
</svg>---
Part 6: Advanced Patterns
Tabbed / Multi-View Interfaces
Since html streams top-down, don't use display: none during streaming. Instead, render all content stacked, then let a jsExpression create the tabs once the document is complete:
css parameter:
#tabs { display: flex; gap: 4px; margin-bottom: 16px; }html parameter:
<div id="tabs">
<button onclick="showTab(0)">Overview</button>
<button onclick="showTab(1)">Details</button>
<button onclick="showTab(2)">Code</button>
</div>
<div id="panel-0"><!-- Overview content --></div>
<div id="panel-1"><!-- Details content --></div>
<div id="panel-2"><!-- Code content --></div>jsFunctions parameter:
function showTab(n) {
for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
document.getElementById('panel-' + i).style.display =
i === n ? 'block' : 'none';
}
document.querySelectorAll('#tabs button').forEach((b, i) => {
b.style.fontWeight = i === n ? '500' : '400';
b.style.color = i === n
? 'var(--color-text-primary)' : 'var(--color-text-tertiary)';
});
}jsExpressions parameter:
showTab(0);sendPrompt — Chat-Driven Interactivity
The host bridge exposes await Websandbox.connection.remote.sendPrompt({ text }), which sends a message as if the user typed it. Use it when the user's next action benefits from AI thinking. Wire it through a named jsFunction:
jsFunctions parameter:
function drillDown(text) {
Websandbox.connection.remote.sendPrompt({ text });
}html parameter:
<button onclick="drillDown('Break down Q4 revenue by region')">
Drill into Q4 ↗
</button>
<button onclick="drillDown('Explain what shear force is')">
Learn about shear ↗
</button>Use for: drill-downs, follow-up questions, "explain this part". Don't use for: filtering, sorting, toggling — handle those in JS. Append ↗ to button text when it triggers the bridge. For external links use await Websandbox.connection.remote.openLink({ url }) (https only — anything else is rejected).
Responsive Grid Pattern
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(160px, 1fr));
gap: 12px;Use minmax(0, 1fr) if children have large min-content that could overflow.
CSS Animations (Subtle and Purposeful)
/* Only animate transform and opacity for performance */
@keyframes fadeSlideIn {
from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(8px); }
to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}
/* Always respect user preferences */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
*, *::before, *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
}
}
/* Flowing particles / convection currents */
@keyframes flow { to { stroke-dashoffset: -20; } }
.flowing {
stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
animation: flow 1.6s linear infinite;
}
/* Pulsing for active elements */
@keyframes pulse {
0%, 100% { opacity: 0.3; }
50% { opacity: 0.7; }
}---
Part 7: External Libraries
Importmap Libraries (Pre-Injected)
An importmap for three, gsap, d3, and chart.js (served via esm.sh) is pre-injected into every sandbox. jsFunctions and jsExpressions execute as classic scripts, where top-level await is a SyntaxError that fails silently — so PREFER loading libraries with dynamic imports INSIDE an async function declared in jsFunctions, and keep jsExpressions synchronous invocations of those functions:
async function setupScene() {
const THREE = await import('three');
const { OrbitControls } =
await import('three/examples/jsm/controls/OrbitControls.js');
// ... build the scene with real geometry and PBR materials.
// NEVER fake 3D with CSS transforms or Canvas 2D projection.
}async function setupLibraries() {
const { default: gsap } = await import('gsap');
const d3 = await import('d3');
const { default: Chart } = await import('chart.js/auto');
// ... use the libraries here.
}Where a module script genuinely belongs in the html parameter, <script type="module"> with bare specifiers also resolves through the importmap:
<script type="module">
import * as THREE from 'three';
import { OrbitControls } from 'three/examples/jsm/controls/OrbitControls.js';
// ... your Three.js code here
</script>Critical: Regular <script> tags cannot use import statements — use <script type="module"> in html. In jsFunctions/jsExpressions (classic-script semantics) dynamic await import(...) works only inside an async function body, never at top level.
CDN Allowlist (For Everything Else)
Only these CDN origins work (CSP-enforced):
cdnjs.cloudflare.comesm.shcdn.jsdelivr.netunpkg.com
<script src> / <link> CDN tags still work in the html head for libraries outside the importmap:
Mermaid (ERDs, sequence diagrams, class diagrams):
<script type="module">
import mermaid from 'https://esm.sh/mermaid@11/dist/mermaid.esm.min.mjs';
</script>Tone.js (audio synthesis):
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/tone/14.8.49/Tone.min.js"></script>Three.js Coordinate Conventions
Three.js uses a right-handed Y-up coordinate system:
- X = right (positive) / left (negative)
- Y = up (positive) / down (negative)
- Z = toward the viewer (positive) / away from the viewer (negative)
Critical for vehicles and aircraft: The fuselage/body extends along Z (nose at -Z, tail at +Z). Wings extend along X (left/right). The vertical stabilizer extends along Y.
When building an aircraft from primitives:
- Fuselage = cylinder or box, long axis along Z (use
geometrydefault or rotate 90° around X) - Wings = flat box, wide along X, thin along Y, short along Z
- Tail fin = flat box, tall along Y, thin along X, short along Z
// Correct aircraft orientation example:
// Fuselage along Z
const fuselage = new THREE.Mesh(
new THREE.CylinderGeometry(0.15, 0.08, 2.0, 12),
material
);
fuselage.rotation.x = Math.PI / 2; // CylinderGeometry default is Y-up, rotate to Z-forward
// Wings along X
const wing = new THREE.Mesh(
new THREE.BoxGeometry(2.5, 0.03, 0.4), // wide X, thin Y, short Z
material
);
// Vertical stabilizer along Y
const tailFin = new THREE.Mesh(
new THREE.BoxGeometry(0.03, 0.4, 0.3), // thin X, tall Y, short Z
material
);
tailFin.position.set(0, 0.2, 0.9); // above and behindRotation axes for flight dynamics:
- Pitch = rotation around X (nose up/down)
- Roll = rotation around Z (wings tilt)
- Yaw = rotation around Y (nose left/right)
Common mistake: Using the wing box as the fuselage (wide along X instead of Z). Always verify: the longest dimension of the fuselage should be along Z.
---
Part 8: Quality Checklist
Before producing any visual, run through this:
Functional
- [ ] Does it work without JavaScript during streaming? (Content visible)
- [ ] All styles live in the css parameter (no
<style>blocks in html) - [ ] Behavior is split into jsFunctions (parameterized toolbox) +
jsExpressions (one invocation per statement)
- [ ] Do all interactive controls have event handlers?
- [ ] Are all displayed numbers rounded properly?
- [ ] Does the canvas/SVG fit within the container width?
Visual
- [ ] Dark mode test: would every element be readable on near-black?
- [ ] No hardcoded text colors in HTML (use CSS variables)
- [ ] No gradients, shadows, blur, or glow
- [ ] Borders are 0.5px (except 2px for featured item accent)
- [ ] Font weights are only 400 or 500
- [ ] All text is sentence case
Content
- [ ] Explanatory text is in the response, not inside the widget
- [ ] No titles or headings embedded in the HTML output
- [ ] Visual is self-explanatory without reading the narration
- [ ] Narration adds value beyond what the visual shows
- [ ] Offered a clear "go deeper" path
Accessibility
- [ ]
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)for all animations - [ ] Text contrast is sufficient (dark text on light fills, vice versa)
- [ ] Interactive elements are large enough to click (min 44px touch target)
- [ ] No information conveyed by color alone
---
Part 9: Decision Matrix — Picking the Right Visual
| User asks about... | Output type | Technology |
|---|---|---|
| How X works (physical) | Illustrative diagram | SVG |
| How X works (abstract) | Interactive explainer | HTML + inline SVG |
| Process / steps | Flowchart | SVG |
| Architecture / containment | Structural diagram | SVG |
| Database schema / ERD | Relationship diagram | Mermaid |
| Trends over time | Line chart | Chart.js |
| Category comparison | Bar chart | Chart.js |
| Part of whole | Doughnut chart | Chart.js |
| KPIs / metrics | Dashboard | HTML metric cards |
| Design a UI | Mockup | HTML |
| Choose between options | Comparison cards | HTML grid |
| Cyclic process | Step-through | HTML stepper |
| Physics / math | Simulation | Canvas + JS |
| Function / equation | Plotter | SVG + JS |
| Data exploration | Sortable table | HTML + JS |
| Creative / decorative | Art / illustration | SVG |
| 3D visualization | 3D scene | Three.js |
| Music / audio | Synthesizer | Tone.js |
| Network / graph | Force layout | D3.js |
| Quick factual answer | Plain text | None |
| Code solution | Code block | None |
| Emotional support | Warm text | None |