Getting Started with HandoffPro

If you've ever struggled with translating a design into code—or worse, handed off a design to a developer only to get back something that doesn't quite match—you already know the problem. Designers and developers speak different languages. Designers think in visual systems: colors, spacing, typography, and layout. Developers think in code: components, props, data structures, and logic.

HandoffPro bridges that gap by turning your UI screenshots into structured, machine-readable design briefs that AI coding assistants like Cursor and Claude Code can directly implement. For a comprehensive guide to the entire design handoff process, including tool comparisons and best practices, see our complete guide. No more ambiguous descriptions, no more "make it look like the mockup" requests. Just clear, actionable specifications.

What HandoffPro Does

HandoffPro analyzes your UI screenshots using advanced vision AI and generates two key outputs:

1. A JSONC design brief – A structured JSON file (with comments) that contains extracted color tokens, typography specifications, spacing values, and component breakdowns. This is the "source of truth" for your design system.

2. An implementation prompt – A plain-English Markdown file that accompanies the brief, giving context and implementation guidance to AI coding assistants.

Together, these outputs give you a copy-paste-ready handoff that removes all guesswork from the design-to-code process.

Step 1: Navigate to HandoffPro

Head over to handoffpro.dev and click the "Start Analyzing" button in the hero section (or navigate directly to /analyze). You don't need to sign in to try it out—HandoffPro supports anonymous usage for quick tests.

Step 2: Upload Your Screenshot(s)

HandoffPro supports drag-and-drop or manual file selection. You can upload:

• Single screenshots (great for individual components like buttons, cards, or forms)
• Multiple images at once (useful for capturing different states: default, hover, active, error)
• Full-page designs (ideal for layout analysis)

Pro tip: The better your screenshots, the better the output. Check out our screenshot best practices guide for tips on capturing high-quality images that give the AI everything it needs. If you're working from Figma, our Figma developer handoff guide covers export best practices and collaboration workflows.

Once uploaded, HandoffPro will begin analyzing your design. The process typically takes 10-30 seconds depending on the complexity of your UI.

Step 3: Review Your Results

After analysis completes, you'll see two output blocks:

JSONC Design Brief

This is the structured specification of your design. It includes:

• Metadata: Component name, description, and viewport assumptions
• Color tokens: A semantic color palette extracted from the design. These extracted values follow the design tokens pattern used across the industry.
• Typography: Font families, sizes, weights, and line-heights
• Spacing: Padding, margins, and gaps used throughout the component
• Components: A breakdown of individual UI elements with their properties

Here's a quick example of what the JSONC output might look like:

{
  // Component metadata
  "metadata": {
    "componentName": "LoginForm",
    "description": "User authentication form with email and password inputs",
    "viewport": "desktop"
  },
 
  // Extracted color palette
  "colorTokens": {
    "primary": "#3b82f6",
    "primaryHover": "#2563eb",
    "background": "#ffffff",
    "textPrimary": "#0f172a",
    "textSecondary": "#64748b",
    "border": "#e2e8f0"
  },
 
  // Typography specifications
  "typography": {
    "headingLarge": {
      "fontSize": "32px",
      "fontWeight": 600,
      "lineHeight": "40px"
    },
    "bodyMedium": {
      "fontSize": "16px",
      "fontWeight": 400,
      "lineHeight": "24px"
    }
  }
 
  // ... additional sections
}

Implementation Prompt

The second output block is a Markdown prompt that provides context for the AI coding assistant. It explains:

• What the component does
• Key interaction patterns (e.g., form validation, hover states)
• Accessibility considerations
• Suggested tech stack (React, Tailwind, etc.)

This prompt is designed to be pasted directly into Cursor or Claude Code alongside the JSONC brief.

Step 4: Copy or Download

HandoffPro provides one-click copy buttons for both outputs. You can also download them as files:

• design-brief.jsonc – The structured specification
• implementation-prompt.md – The context prompt

Using the Output with AI Coding Assistants

This is where HandoffPro really shines. Instead of describing your design in vague terms ("make a blue button that looks modern"), you can paste the JSONC brief directly into your AI assistant and say:

"Implement this component using React and Tailwind CSS. Follow the exact color tokens and spacing defined in the brief."

The AI will generate code that matches the design pixel-perfect—no back-and-forth, no guesswork. For a deep dive into how to use the JSONC brief with Cursor and Claude Code, check out our JSONC brief guide.

Free vs Pro Tier

HandoffPro offers two tiers:

Free tier is perfect for occasional use or testing the tool. Pro tier is designed for teams and agencies that need unlimited analyses and want to keep a permanent history of all handoffs.

Next Steps

Now that you know how to use HandoffPro, level up your results with these guides:

1. How to Take Better Screenshots for AI Analysis – Learn how to capture screenshots that maximize the quality of HandoffPro's output.

2. Understanding Your JSONC Design Brief – A deep dive into the structure of the JSONC brief and how to get the most out of it with AI coding assistants.

Ready to eliminate design handoff confusion? Start analyzing your first screenshot today.