# Synthwave - Complete Design System
> Version 1.0 - Theme 18 in the catalog - slug `synthwave`

---

## Table of Contents

1. [System Overview](#1-system-overview)
2. [CSS Custom Properties - Master Token Sheet](#2-css-custom-properties--master-token-sheet)
3. [Color Palette](#3-color-palette)
4. [Typography System](#4-typography-system)
5. [Spacing System](#5-spacing-system)
6. [Border Radius System](#6-border-radius-system)
7. [Shadow & Elevation System](#7-shadow--elevation-system)
8. [Component Specifications](#8-component-specifications)
9. [Layout & Grid System](#9-layout--grid-system)
10. [Animation & Transition Tokens](#10-animation--transition-tokens)
11. [Z-Index System](#11-z-index-system)
12. [Breakpoints](#12-breakpoints)
13. [Icon System](#13-icon-system)
14. [State Definitions](#14-state-definitions)

---

## 1. System Overview

**Design Language:** Synthwave
**Mode:** Dark
**Typeface:** Orbitron
**Personality:** Night black with neon pink borders, cyan actions, glow instead of shadows and Orbitron headings.
**Best Suited For:** Music and nightlife, gaming, crypto and creative tools, event pages, retro-futuristic landing pages

**Core Principles:**
- Glow replaces drop shadows. Use a pink box-shadow with zero offset.
- Borders are pink (#ff2fd0) on important surfaces and deep purple on quiet ones.
- Cyan (#00f0ff) is the action colour. Pink is for borders, badges and highlights.
- Headings are wide, letterspaced and uppercase. Body text stays regular weight.

---

## 2. CSS Custom Properties - Master Token Sheet

All tokens are scoped under `[data-ds="synthwave"]`. Nothing is defined at `:root`. The same sheet ships as `tokens.css` in this system's folder.

```css
/*
 * Synthwave - scoped design-system tokens (Theme 18 in catalog).
 */

[data-ds="synthwave"] {
  --ds-color-bg-base: #0b0221;
  --ds-color-bg-surface: #160536;
  --ds-color-bg-sunken: #07011a;
  --ds-color-bg-secondary: #220a4d;
  --ds-color-bg-overlay: rgba(7,1,26,0.75);

  --ds-color-primary: #00f0ff;
  --ds-color-primary-hover: #1ff2ff;
  --ds-color-primary-active: #38f3ff;
  --ds-color-primary-fg: #0b0221;

  --ds-color-text-primary: #f6e9ff;
  --ds-color-text-secondary: #cfb2f5;
  --ds-color-text-tertiary: #b99ae3;
  --ds-color-text-muted: #b99ae3;
  --ds-color-text-disabled: #7d62a8;
  --ds-color-text-inverse: #0b0221;

  --ds-color-border-light: #4b1a7a;
  --ds-color-border-medium: #8b2fc9;
  --ds-color-border-strong: #ff2fd0;

  --ds-color-success: #4ade80;
  --ds-color-success-bg: #12361f;
  --ds-color-warning: #fbbf24;
  --ds-color-warning-bg: #3b2e08;
  --ds-color-error: #ff7a82;
  --ds-color-error-bg: #40141a;
  --ds-color-info: #60a5fa;
  --ds-color-info-bg: #12294a;

  --ds-font-display: "Orbitron", system-ui, sans-serif;
  --ds-font-body: "Orbitron", system-ui, sans-serif;
  --ds-font-label: "Orbitron", system-ui, sans-serif;
  --ds-label-transform: uppercase;
  --ds-label-tracking: 0.14em;
  --ds-label-weight: 600;
  --ds-heading-tracking: 0.06em;
  --ds-heading-weight: 800;

  --ds-radius-badge: 4px;
  --ds-radius-sm: 4px;
  --ds-radius-md: 6px;
  --ds-radius-lg: 10px;
  --ds-radius-xl: 14px;
  --ds-radius-full: 9999px;

  --ds-border-width: 1px;

  --ds-shadow-card: 0 0 22px rgba(255,47,208,0.45);
  --ds-shadow-dropdown: 0 0 24px rgba(255,47,208,0.5);
  --ds-shadow-modal: 0 0 40px rgba(255,47,208,0.55);
  --ds-shadow-focus: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0,240,255,0.5);
  --ds-shadow-btn-hover: 0 0 20px rgba(0,240,255,0.6);

  --ds-btn-text-transform: uppercase;
  --ds-btn-letter-spacing: 0.1em;
  --ds-btn-font-weight: 800;
  --ds-btn-active-transform: scale(0.98);
  --ds-btn-secondary-bg: #ff2fd0;
  --ds-btn-secondary-text: #0b0221;
  --ds-btn-secondary-border: #ff2fd0;
  --ds-btn-secondary-hover-bg: #ff44d5;
  --ds-btn-outline-text: #f6e9ff;
  --ds-btn-outline-border: #ff2fd0;
  --ds-btn-outline-hover-bg: #220a4d;
  --ds-btn-outline-hover-text: #f6e9ff;

  --ds-table-header-bg: #ff2fd0;
  --ds-table-header-text: #0b0221;
  --ds-table-header-border-bottom: 1px solid #8b2fc9;
  --ds-table-container-radius: 6px;
  --ds-table-container-border: 1px solid #ff2fd0;

  --ds-focus-ring: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0,240,255,0.5);

  --ds-ease-standard: cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.9, 0.3, 1);
  --ds-duration-fast: 100ms;
  --ds-duration-base: 180ms;
  --ds-duration-slow: 280ms;
}

[data-ds="synthwave"] { background: linear-gradient(#0b0221 0%, #1a0638 100%); }
```

---

## 3. Color Palette

### 3.1 Core Colors

| Role | Value |
|---|---|
| Page background | `#0b0221` |
| Surface | `#160536` |
| Sunken | `#07011a` |
| Secondary surface | `#220a4d` |
| Primary action | `#00f0ff` |
| Primary text on action | `#0b0221` |
| Accent / secondary button | `#ff2fd0` |
| Accent text | `#0b0221` |
| Text primary | `#f6e9ff` |
| Text secondary | `#cfb2f5` |
| Text muted | `#b99ae3` |
| Border light | `#4b1a7a` |
| Border strong | `#ff2fd0` |

### 3.2 Semantic Colors

| Status | Foreground | Background | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Success | `#4ade80` | `#12361f` | 7.7:1 |
| Warning | `#fbbf24` | `#3b2e08` | 8.0:1 |
| Error | `#ff7a82` | `#40141a` | 6.3:1 |
| Info | `#60a5fa` | `#12294a` | 5.7:1 |

### 3.3 Contrast Checks

All pairs below meet WCAG AA (4.5:1) for normal text.

| Pair | Colors | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Body text | `#f6e9ff` on `#0b0221` | 17.2:1 |
| Secondary text | `#cfb2f5` on `#0b0221` | 10.9:1 |
| Muted text | `#b99ae3` on `#0b0221` | 8.4:1 |
| Primary button label | `#0b0221` on `#00f0ff` | 14.3:1 |
| Accent button label | `#0b0221` on `#ff2fd0` | 6.3:1 |
| Table header | `#0b0221` on `#ff2fd0` | 6.3:1 |

---

## 4. Typography System

### 4.1 Font Families

| Role | Family | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Orbitron | Headings, hero titles, buttons |
| Body | Orbitron | Body copy, form fields |
| Label | Orbitron | Uppercase labels, badges |

### 4.2 Type Scale

| Token | Size | Weight | Tracking | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 48-64px | 800 | 0.06em | Hero title |
| H1 | 36px | 800 | 0.06em | Page title |
| H2 | 28px | 800 | 0.06em | Section title |
| H3 | 20px | 800 | 0.06em | Card title |
| Body | 16px | 400 | 0 | Paragraphs |
| Label | 12px | 600 | 0.14em | Eyebrows, badges (uppercase) |

### 4.3 Google Fonts Import Block

```css
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Orbitron:wght@400;600;800&display=swap");
```

The same URL is loaded by `app/design-systems/fonts.ts`.

---

## 5. Spacing System

Base unit: 4px. Use only these steps.

| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| space-1 | 4px |
| space-2 | 8px |
| space-3 | 12px |
| space-4 | 16px |
| space-6 | 24px |
| space-8 | 32px |
| space-12 | 48px |
| space-16 | 64px |

Component padding: card 20px, button 10px 20px (md), input 10px 14px, badge 2px 10px.

---

## 6. Border Radius System

| Element | Radius |
|---|---|
| Badge | 4px |
| Small controls (checkbox) | 4px |
| Buttons, inputs | 6px |
| Cards, modals | 10px |
| Large panels | 14px |
| Avatars, switches | 9999px |

Border width: 1px.

---

## 7. Shadow & Elevation System

| Level | Value |
|---|---|
| Card | `0 0 22px rgba(255,47,208,0.45)` |
| Dropdown | `0 0 24px rgba(255,47,208,0.5)` |
| Modal | `0 0 40px rgba(255,47,208,0.55)` |
| Focus | `0 0 0 3px rgba(0,240,255,0.5)` |
| Button hover | `0 0 20px rgba(0,240,255,0.6)` |

---

## 8. Component Specifications

### 8.1 Buttons
- Primary: background `--ds-color-primary`, label `--ds-color-primary-fg`. Hover `#1ff2ff`, active `#38f3ff`.
- Secondary: background `#ff2fd0`, label `#0b0221`.
- Outline: transparent, border `#ff2fd0`, label `#f6e9ff`.
- Label style: `uppercase` text, weight 800, tracking 0.1em.
- Active (pressed): `transform: scale(0.98)`.

### 8.2 Form Inputs
Surface background, 1px border `#8b2fc9`, radius 6px. Focus uses the focus shadow. Error border `#ff7a82`.

### 8.3 Labels
Font Orbitron, uppercase, weight 600, tracking 0.14em, colour `#b99ae3`.

### 8.4 Card / Surface
Background `#160536`, border 1px `#4b1a7a`, radius 10px, shadow card.

### 8.5 Badge
Pill or 4px radius, label style, semantic backgrounds from section 3.2.

### 8.6 Checkbox, Radio and Switch
Checked fill `#00f0ff`, mark `#0b0221`. Switch track uses border strong when off.

### 8.7 Table
Header background `#ff2fd0`, header text `#0b0221`. Container border `1px solid #ff2fd0`, radius 6px.

### 8.8 Dropdown Panel
Surface background, border 1px `#8b2fc9`, dropdown shadow, item hover uses `#220a4d`.

---

## 9. Layout & Grid System

| Container | Max width |
|---|---|
| Narrow (forms, articles) | 640px |
| Default | 1040px |
| Wide (dashboards) | 1280px |

12-column grid, 24px gutters on desktop, 16px on mobile.

---

## 10. Animation & Transition Tokens

| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| Easing | `cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.9, 0.3, 1)` |
| Fast | 100ms |
| Base | 180ms |
| Slow | 280ms |

Animate colour, transform, opacity and shadow only. Never animate layout properties.

---

## 11. Z-Index System

| Layer | Value |
|---|---|
| Base | 0 |
| Sticky header | 10 |
| Dropdown | 20 |
| Modal backdrop | 40 |
| Modal | 50 |
| Toast | 60 |

---

## 12. Breakpoints

| Name | Min width |
|---|---|
| sm | 640px |
| md | 768px |
| lg | 1024px |
| xl | 1280px |

Page padding: 16px below md, 24px at md, 32px at lg and up.

---

## 13. Icon System

Use Lucide icons at 16, 20 or 24px, stroke 2px (1.5px for Synthwave if the type is light). Icon colour follows text colour. Never use filled multi-colour icons.

---

## 14. State Definitions

| State | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Hover | Darker or lighter primary (see 8.1), shadow `0 0 20px rgba(0,240,255,0.6)` |
| Active | `scale(0.98)` |
| Focus | `0 0 0 3px rgba(0,240,255,0.5)` |
| Disabled | Text `#7d62a8`, no shadow, cursor not-allowed |
| Error | Border `#ff7a82`, message in the same colour |
| Success | Border `#4ade80` |