name: 'step-08d-add-variant' description: 'Add a new variant to an existing component in the design system'

File References

nextStepFile: './step-08e-generate-catalog.md'

Step 8d: Add Variant

STEP GOAL:

Add a new variant to an existing component: extract variant-specific info, determine name, update component file, track usage, validate addition.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

✅ You are the Design System Architect guiding design system creation and maintenance
✅ If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
✅ You bring design system expertise and component analysis, user brings design knowledge and project context
✅ Maintain systematic and analytical tone throughout

Step-Specific Rules:

🎯 Focus ONLY on this step's specific goal — do not skip ahead
🚫 FORBIDDEN to jump to later steps before this step is complete
💬 Approach: Systematic execution with clear reporting
📋 All outputs must be documented and presented to user

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

🎯 Execute each instruction in the sequence below
💾 Document all findings and decisions
📖 Present results to user before proceeding
🚫 FORBIDDEN to skip instructions or optimize the sequence

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

Available context: Previous step outputs and project configuration
Focus: This step's specific goal only
Limits: Do not perform actions belonging to subsequent steps
Dependencies: Requires all previous steps to be completed

Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)

Step 1: Load Existing Component

Read existing component file:

Component ID
Current variants
Shared attributes
Variant-specific attributes

Example:

Component: Button [btn-001]
Current Variants:
  - primary (submit actions)
  - secondary (cancel actions)

``` 📖 Loaded Button [btn-001] Current variants: 2 (primary, secondary) Adding new variant: navigation ````

Step 2: Extract Variant-Specific Information

From new component specification, extract:

What's different from existing variants?
What's shared with existing variants?
Variant-specific styling
Variant-specific behaviors
Variant-specific states (if any)

Example:

Shared with existing:
  - Size: medium
  - Shape: rounded
  - Base states: default, hover, active, disabled

Different from existing:
  - Has icon (arrow-right)
  - Has loading state
  - Icon animation on hover
  - Purpose: navigation vs submission
````

---

## Step 3: Determine Variant Name

<action>
Generate descriptive variant name:
- Based on purpose or visual distinction
- Consistent with existing variant naming
- Clear and semantic
</action>

**Examples:**

Purpose-based:

navigation (for navigation actions)
destructive (for delete/remove actions)
success (for positive confirmations)

Visual-based:

outlined (border, no fill)
ghost (transparent background)
large (bigger size)

Context-based:

header (used in headers)
footer (used in footers)
inline (used inline with text)
```
<ask>
```

Suggested variant name: "navigation"

This variant is for navigation actions (continue, next, proceed).

Is this name clear and appropriate? (y/n) Or suggest alternative name:

</ask>

---

## Step 4: Update Component File

<action>
Add variant to component definition:
</action>

### Update Variants Section

**Before:**
```markdown
## Variants

- **primary** - Main call-to-action (submit, save, continue)
- **secondary** - Secondary actions (cancel, back)

After:

## Variants

- **primary** - Main call-to-action (submit, save, continue)
- **secondary** - Secondary actions (cancel, back)
- **navigation** - Navigation actions (next, proceed, continue) ← Added

Add Variant-Specific Styling

Add section:

### Variant-Specific Styling

**Primary:**

- Background: blue-600
- Icon: none
- Loading: spinner only

**Secondary:**

- Background: gray-200
- Text: gray-900
- Icon: none

**Navigation:** ← Added

- Background: blue-600
- Icon: arrow-right
- Loading: spinner + icon
- Hover: icon shifts right

Update States (if variant has unique states)

If navigation variant has loading state but others don't:

## States

**Shared States (all variants):**

- default
- hover
- active
- disabled

**Variant-Specific States:**

**Navigation:**

- loading (shows spinner, disables interaction)

Step 5: Update Usage Tracking

Track new variant usage:

Add to component file:

## Variant Usage

**Primary:** 5 pages
**Secondary:** 3 pages
**Navigation:** 1 page ← Added

**Navigation variant used in:**

- Onboarding page (continue button)

Step 6: Update Component Complexity Note

Add note about variant count:

If this is 3rd+ variant:

## Notes

This component now has 3 variants. Consider:

- Are all variants necessary?
- Should any variants be separate components?
- Is the component becoming too complex?

Review component organization when reaching 5+ variants.

Step 7: Validate Variant Addition

Check for potential issues:

Variant Explosion Check:

⚠️ Variant Count: 3

This is manageable. Monitor for variant explosion as more are added.

Recommended maximum: 5 variants per component

Consistency Check:

✓ New variant consistent with existing variants
✓ Naming convention followed
✓ Shared attributes maintained

Complexity Check:

⚠️ Navigation variant adds loading state not present in other variants.

This increases component complexity. Consider:
- Should loading state be shared across all variants?
- Or is it truly navigation-specific?

Current approach: Variant-specific (acceptable)

Step 8: Update Component Version

Track component changes:

Update version history:

## Version History

**Created:** 2024-12-01
**Last Updated:** 2024-12-09

**Changes:**

- 2024-12-01: Created component with primary and secondary variants
- 2024-12-09: Added navigation variant ← Added

Step 9: Create Component Reference

Generate reference for page spec:

Output:

component_reference:
  id: btn-001
  name: Button
  variant: navigation  ← New variant
  file: D-Design-System/components/button.md

Step 10: Complete

``` ✅ Variant Added: Button.navigation [btn-001] Component: Button [btn-001] New Variant: navigation Total Variants: 3 (primary, secondary, navigation) Component file updated: - Variant added to list - Variant-specific styling documented - Usage tracking added - Version history updated Reference ready for page spec. Next: Return to Phase 4 to complete page specification ```

Designer Guidance

``` 💡 Variant Management Tips: **Current Status:** - Component: Button [btn-001] - Variants: 3 - Status: Healthy **Watch for:** - 5+ variants → Consider splitting component - Variants with very different purposes → Might need separate components - Variants rarely used together → Might indicate separate components **Best Practices:** - Keep variants related (same base purpose) - Use clear, semantic variant names - Document when to use each variant - Review variant list periodically You can always refactor later if needed! ```

Validation

Validate variant addition:

✓ Variant added to component file
✓ Variant-specific attributes documented
✓ Usage tracking updated
✓ Version history updated
✓ Reference generated
✓ Complexity checked

Error Handling

If variant name conflicts:


⚠️ Variant "navigation" already exists in Button [btn-001].

This might mean:

1. You're trying to add a duplicate
2. The existing variant should be updated
3. A different variant name is needed

Current navigation variant:
[Show existing variant details]

Options:

1. Update existing variant
2. Choose different name
3. Cancel

Your choice:

If component file not found:


❌ Error: Component file not found.

Component ID: btn-001
Expected file: D-Design-System/components/button.md

This shouldn't happen. Possible causes:

- File was deleted
- Component ID is incorrect
- Design system structure corrupted

Would you like to:

1. Create component as new
2. Specify correct component ID
3. Cancel

Your choice:

If variant too different:


⚠️ Warning: High Divergence Detected

The new variant is very different from existing variants:

- Different core purpose
- Different visual structure
- Different behavioral patterns

Similarity to existing variants: 35%

This might be better as a separate component.

Options:

1. Add as variant anyway
2. Create as new component instead
3. Review differences in detail

Your choice:

Post-Addition Review

After adding variant, check component health:

Component Health Check:


📊 Component Health: Button [btn-001]

Variants: 3
Complexity: Medium
Consistency: High
Usage: 9 pages

Health Status: ✅ Healthy

Recommendations:

- Document variant selection guidelines
- Consider adding variant usage examples
- Monitor for variant explosion

This operation adds a variant. Return to Phase 4 with component reference. ```

11. Present MENU OPTIONS

Display: "Select an Option: [C] Continue to Generate Catalog or [M] Return to Activity Menu"

Menu Handling Logic:

IF C: Update design log, then load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then Redisplay Menu Options

EXECUTION RULES:

ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
ONLY proceed to next step when user selects the appropriate option
User can chat or ask questions — always respond and then redisplay menu options

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN [variant is added, component file updated, and usage tracked], will you then load and read fully {nextStepFile} to execute the next step.

🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

✅ SUCCESS:

Step goal achieved completely
All instructions executed in sequence
Results documented and presented to user
User confirmed before proceeding
Design log updated

❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

Skipping any instruction in the sequence
Generating content without user input
Jumping ahead to later steps
Not presenting results to user
Proceeding without user confirmation

Master Rule: Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.

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