What is Subform?
Subform is a visual design tool specifically developed for creating dynamic user interface layouts. It addresses the common disconnect between design exploration and production implementation by allowing designers to work directly with layout systems rather than just drawing static pictures of screens. The tool provides immediate visual feedback during the editing process, eliminating the traditional tweak-reload-tweak cycle that slows down UI development.
The platform features powerful layout capabilities including stacks, grids, percentage-based sizing, aspect ratios, and flexible element sizing based on children or available whitespace. Subform enables designers to formalize visual elements into structured layouts while maintaining the ability to manipulate components directly. The tool also offers export functionality that generates version-control-ready HTML/CSS with layout rules, providing a practical bridge between design concepts and production implementation.
Features
- Dynamic Layout Systems: Create stacks, grids, percentage-based sizing, aspect ratios, and flexible element sizing
- Direct Manipulation: Rearrange stacks, move within grids, and change element hierarchy with immediate visual feedback
- Export Functionality: Generate version-control-ready HTML/CSS with layout rules for production implementation
- Runtime Layout Engine: Performance-optimized, GC-free layout engine available for integration into various platforms
Use Cases
- Designing responsive web interfaces with dynamic layouts
- Creating UI components with flexible sizing and positioning
- Prototyping interactive interfaces with production-ready constraints
- Developing cross-platform applications requiring consistent layout systems
