Agent skill

windows-95-web-designer

Modern web applications with authentic Windows 95 aesthetic. Gradient title bars, Start menu paradigm, taskbar patterns, 3D beveled chrome. Extrapolates Win95 to AI chatbots, mobile UIs, responsive layouts. Activate on 'windows 95', 'win95', 'start menu', 'taskbar', 'retro desktop', '95 aesthetic', 'clippy'. NOT for Windows 3.1 (use windows-3-1-web-designer), vaporwave/synthwave, macOS, flat design.

View SKILL.md on GitHub Repository
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npx add-skill https://github.com/curiositech/some_claude_skills/tree/main/.claude/skills/windows-95-web-designer

Metadata

Additional technical details for this skill

tags
windows web designer
category
Design & Creative
pairs with 
[
    {
        "skill": "windows-3-1-web-designer",
        "reason": "Both create retro Microsoft OS-themed web apps evolving from Win31 to Win95 design language"
    },
    {
        "skill": "neobrutalist-web-designer",
        "reason": "Win95 thick borders and high-contrast colors share DNA with neobrutalist design principles"
    },
    {
        "skill": "web-design-expert",
        "reason": "Win95 aesthetic requires general web design expertise for modern responsive implementation"
    }
]

SKILL.md

Windows 95 Web Designer

Creates modern 2026 web applications with authentic Windows 95 aesthetic. Not recreating 1995—extrapolating Win95 to modern contexts: AI assistants as Clippy descendants, mobile as pocket PCs, responsive as multi-monitor.

When to Use

Use for:

  • Web apps with Win95 authenticity (windags.ai, retro dashboards)
  • AI chatbot interfaces (Clippy-style assistants, wizard dialogs)
  • Mobile-responsive Win95 UIs (pocket PC paradigm)
  • Start menu navigation patterns
  • Taskbar-based layouts
  • Desktop icon grids
  • Win95 Plus! theme variations

Do NOT use for:

  • Windows 3.1 aesthetic → use windows-3-1-web-designer (flatter, Program Manager style)
  • Vaporwave/synthwave → use vaporwave-glassomorphic-ui-designer (neons, gradients)
  • macOS/iOS styling → use native-app-designer
  • Flat/Material design → use web-design-expert

Win95 vs Win31: Critical Differences

Feature Windows 3.1 Windows 95
Title bar Solid navy (#000080) Gradient (dark→light blue)
Window controls Single menu button Three buttons (−, □, ×)
Navigation Program Manager Start Menu + Taskbar
Fonts Bitmap/System MS Sans Serif, Tahoma
Icons 32×32 flat 32×32 with drop shadow
Depth Bevels only Bevels + subtle gradients

Core Design System

Color Palette

Color Hex CSS Variable Usage
Desktop Teal #008080 --win95-desktop Desktop background
System Gray #c0c0c0 --win95-gray Window chrome, buttons
Title Blue (Dark) #000080 --win95-title-dark Title gradient start
Title Blue (Light) #1084d0 --win95-title-light Title gradient end
Button Face #dfdfdf --win95-button-face Button surface
Button Highlight #ffffff --win95-highlight Top/left bevels
Button Shadow #808080 --win95-shadow Bottom/right bevels
Button Dark Shadow #000000 --win95-dark-shadow Outer shadow edge
Window Background #ffffff --win95-window-bg Content areas
Selection Blue #000080 --win95-selection Selected items
Selection Text #ffffff --win95-selection-text Text on selection

The Win95 Title Bar Gradient

THE signature Win95 element - horizontal gradient from dark to light blue:

css
.win95-titlebar {
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #000080 0%, #1084d0 100%);
  color: white;
  font-family: 'Tahoma', 'MS Sans Serif', sans-serif;
  font-weight: bold;
  font-size: 11px;
  padding: 3px 4px;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: space-between;
}

.win95-titlebar-inactive {
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #808080 0%, #b5b5b5 100%);
}

Window Control Buttons

Win95 has THREE distinct buttons (not Win31's single menu):

css
.win95-controls {
  display: flex;
  gap: 2px;
}

.win95-control-btn {
  width: 16px;
  height: 14px;
  background: var(--win95-gray);
  border: none;
  font-size: 9px;
  font-family: 'Marlett', sans-serif; /* Win95 symbol font */

  /* 3D bevel */
  box-shadow:
    inset -1px -1px 0 var(--win95-dark-shadow),
    inset 1px 1px 0 var(--win95-highlight),
    inset -2px -2px 0 var(--win95-shadow),
    inset 2px 2px 0 var(--win95-button-face);
}

.win95-control-btn:active {
  box-shadow:
    inset 1px 1px 0 var(--win95-dark-shadow),
    inset -1px -1px 0 var(--win95-highlight);
}

Typography

Use Font Fallback Size
UI Labels Tahoma MS Sans Serif, Arial 11px
Title bars Tahoma Bold Arial Bold 11px
Menus Tahoma Arial 11px
Code Fixedsys Courier New 12px
Pixel headings MS Sans Serif VT323 (web) 12-14px

Web-safe approximations:

css
:root {
  --font-win95-ui: 'Tahoma', 'Segoe UI', 'Arial', sans-serif;
  --font-win95-mono: 'Fixedsys Excelsior', 'Courier New', monospace;
  --font-win95-pixel: 'VT323', 'Courier New', monospace;
}

Modern Extrapolations

AI Chatbots: The Clippy Paradigm

Win95 would present AI as a helpful assistant character in a wizard dialog:

┌─ AI Assistant ──────────────────────────[−][□][×]─┐
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │  ┌─────┐                                       ││
│ │  │ 📎  │  "It looks like you're writing a     ││
│ │  │     │   letter. Would you like help?"      ││
│ │  └─────┘                                       ││
│ │                                                ││
│ │  ○ Get help with writing                       ││
│ │  ○ Just type without help                      ││
│ │  ○ Don't show this tip again                   ││
│ │                                                ││
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│                              [  OK  ] [ Cancel ] │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key patterns:

  • Character avatar (not just chat bubbles)
  • Radio button choices (not freeform)
  • Wizard step indicators
  • "Tip of the Day" styling
  • Yellow notepad backgrounds for suggestions

Mobile: The Pocket PC Paradigm

Win95 on mobile extrapolates to pocket-sized desktop:

┌────────────────────────┐
│ Start │ 📶 🔋 3:45 PM  │  ← Status bar as taskbar
├────────────────────────┤
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐     │
│ │ 📁   │ │ 🌐   │     │  ← Desktop icon grid
│ │Files │ │Browse│     │
│ └──────┘ └──────┘     │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐     │
│ │ 💬   │ │ ⚙️   │     │
│ │Chat  │ │Setup │     │
│ └──────┘ └──────┘     │
├────────────────────────┤
│ [Start] [📧2] [💬] [📁]│  ← Taskbar with open apps
└────────────────────────┘

Key patterns:

  • Start button in bottom-left (hamburger is NOT Win95)
  • Taskbar shows open apps as buttons
  • Desktop is icon grid (not app drawer)
  • Status bar mimics system tray
  • Swipe up = Start menu (not gestures)

Responsive: Multi-Monitor as Breakpoints

Win95 mentally modeled multiple displays. Apply this:

Breakpoint Win95 Metaphor Layout
Mobile (<640px) Pocket PC Single window, taskbar bottom
Tablet (640-1024px) Laptop Cascading windows, taskbar
Desktop (>1024px) Full desktop Multiple windows, desktop icons

Dark Mode: Plus! Themes

Windows 95 Plus! had theme packs. Dark mode extrapolation:

css
/* Plus! "Mystery" theme (dark) */
[data-theme="dark"] {
  --win95-desktop: #1a1a2e;
  --win95-gray: #3d3d5c;
  --win95-title-dark: #16213e;
  --win95-title-light: #1a1a4e;
  --win95-button-face: #4a4a6a;
  --win95-highlight: #5a5a7a;
  --win95-shadow: #2a2a4a;
  --win95-window-bg: #2d2d4d;
}

/* Plus! "Golden Era" theme */
[data-theme="golden"] {
  --win95-title-dark: #8b4513;
  --win95-title-light: #daa520;
  --win95-desktop: #2e1a0d;
}

Component Patterns

Start Menu

css
.win95-start-menu {
  position: fixed;
  bottom: 28px; /* Above taskbar */
  left: 0;
  width: 200px;
  background: var(--win95-gray);
  border: 2px solid;
  border-color: var(--win95-highlight) var(--win95-dark-shadow)
               var(--win95-dark-shadow) var(--win95-highlight);
  box-shadow: 2px 2px 0 var(--win95-dark-shadow);
}

.win95-start-menu-sidebar {
  width: 24px;
  background: linear-gradient(0deg, #000080 0%, #1084d0 100%);
  writing-mode: vertical-rl;
  text-orientation: mixed;
  transform: rotate(180deg);
  color: white;
  font-weight: bold;
  padding: 4px;
}

.win95-start-menu-item {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 8px;
  padding: 4px 8px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.win95-start-menu-item:hover {
  background: var(--win95-selection);
  color: var(--win95-selection-text);
}

Taskbar

css
.win95-taskbar {
  position: fixed;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  height: 28px;
  background: var(--win95-gray);
  border-top: 2px solid var(--win95-highlight);
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  padding: 2px 4px;
  gap: 4px;
}

.win95-start-button {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 4px;
  padding: 2px 6px;
  font-weight: bold;
  font-size: 11px;
  /* 3D button styling */
}

.win95-taskbar-button {
  min-width: 140px;
  max-width: 160px;
  height: 22px;
  font-size: 11px;
  text-align: left;
  padding: 0 8px;
  /* Pressed = active window */
}

.win95-system-tray {
  margin-left: auto;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 8px;
  border-left: 2px solid var(--win95-shadow);
  padding-left: 8px;
}

Dialog Boxes (for AI)

css
.win95-dialog {
  min-width: 340px;
  background: var(--win95-gray);
  border: 2px solid;
  border-color: var(--win95-highlight) var(--win95-dark-shadow)
               var(--win95-dark-shadow) var(--win95-highlight);
}

.win95-dialog-content {
  padding: 16px;
  display: flex;
  gap: 16px;
}

.win95-dialog-icon {
  width: 32px;
  height: 32px;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}

.win95-dialog-buttons {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-end;
  gap: 8px;
  padding: 8px 16px 16px;
}

.win95-button-primary {
  min-width: 75px;
  padding: 4px 12px;
  /* Add dotted focus ring for default button */
  outline: 1px dotted var(--win95-dark-shadow);
  outline-offset: -4px;
}

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern: Hamburger Menus

Novice thinking: "Three lines for mobile navigation" Reality: Win95 never had hamburgers—it has the Start button Instead: Use Start menu pattern with labeled button

Anti-Pattern: Floating Action Buttons

Novice thinking: "FAB for primary action" Reality: Win95 actions are in toolbars and menus Instead: Toolbar buttons or context menus

Anti-Pattern: Card-Based Layouts

Novice thinking: "Cards with rounded corners and shadows" Reality: Win95 uses windows and list views Instead: List View, Details View, or Tiled Icons

Anti-Pattern: Gradient Backgrounds Everywhere

Novice thinking: "Win95 has gradients so I'll use them on everything" Reality: ONLY title bars have gradients. Everything else is solid. Instead: Gradient only on active title bars; solid colors elsewhere

Anti-Pattern: Soft Shadows

Novice thinking: box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) Reality: Win95 has HARD pixel shadows only Instead: box-shadow: 2px 2px 0 #000000 (no blur)

Quick Decision Tree

Is it a window chrome element?
├── Title bar? → Gradient (dark→light blue)
├── Button? → 3D bevel (white TL, black BR)
├── Input? → Inset bevel (dark TL, white BR)
└── Content area? → White or gray, flat

Is it navigation?
├── Primary nav? → Start Menu pattern
├── Section nav? → Tab control
├── Page nav? → Tree view or list
└── Actions? → Toolbar buttons

Is it a notification?
├── Important? → Modal dialog with icon
├── Informational? → Balloon tooltip (system tray)
├── Progress? → Progress bar in status bar
└── Success? → Sound + brief dialog

CSS Variables Template

css
:root {
  /* Core palette */
  --win95-desktop: #008080;
  --win95-gray: #c0c0c0;
  --win95-title-dark: #000080;
  --win95-title-light: #1084d0;
  --win95-button-face: #dfdfdf;
  --win95-highlight: #ffffff;
  --win95-shadow: #808080;
  --win95-dark-shadow: #000000;
  --win95-window-bg: #ffffff;
  --win95-selection: #000080;
  --win95-selection-text: #ffffff;

  /* Semantic */
  --win95-error: #ff0000;
  --win95-warning: #ffff00;
  --win95-success: #00ff00;
  --win95-info: #0000ff;

  /* Typography */
  --font-win95-ui: 'Tahoma', 'Segoe UI', 'Arial', sans-serif;
  --font-win95-mono: 'Fixedsys Excelsior', 'Courier New', monospace;

  /* Spacing (4px grid) */
  --win95-spacing-xs: 2px;
  --win95-spacing-sm: 4px;
  --win95-spacing-md: 8px;
  --win95-spacing-lg: 16px;
  --win95-spacing-xl: 24px;
}

References

  • /references/component-library.md - Full CSS for all Win95 components
  • /references/ai-assistant-patterns.md - Clippy-style AI UX patterns
  • /references/mobile-pocket-pc.md - Responsive Win95 for mobile
  • /references/plus-themes.md - Dark mode and theme variations
  • /references/icon-system.md - Win95 icon design and sizing

Pairs With

  • windows-3-1-web-designer - For older, flatter Win31 aesthetic
  • web-design-expert - For brand direction alongside retro style
  • design-system-creator - For generating full design token systems
  • frontend-architect - For Cloudflare deployment of Win95 apps

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