Using Skafold

Skafold projects are edited in Structure Studio, a set of focused visual canvases for different parts of the plan. You can begin with a blank project, a built-in preset, a saved preset, or an AI-generated project seed.

Create a project

From the dashboard, choose New Project and enter:

• Project Name: the site, product, or client project name.
• Context: an optional short description such as the product type, launch, or planning goal.

The new project opens in Structure Studio. On an empty canvas, Skafold offers built-in presets or a blank canvas.

Choose Import AI Plan instead when you already have a skafold-project-seed JSON file. That workflow creates a new project from the confirmed AI plan.

Archive and restore projects

Archive completed or paused projects to keep your dashboard focused. Archiving preserves the project's content and keeps it in the same workspace.

1. Find the project on the dashboard.
2. Open its three-dot menu in the Actions column.
3. Choose Archive. The project disappears from the default list after the change is saved.

Turn on Show archived beside the search field to include archived projects alongside active ones. Archived rows display an Archived pill, and search includes them while the toggle is on. You can still choose Open to access an archived project with your existing permissions.

To restore a project to the default list, turn on Show archived, open its three-dot menu, and choose Unarchive.

Archiving and unarchiving require project edit access. Viewers can show and open archived projects but cannot change their archive status. The archive status is shared across the workspace; the toggle only changes which projects you see in your list.

Choose a starting point

Use a built-in preset when the project resembles a common pattern:

• Marketing Website
• Ecommerce Store
• Web App / SaaS

A preset gives you an initial brief, pages, page sections, design direction, architecture, and direct relationships. It is a starting structure, not a locked template.

Choose a blank canvas when the project has an unusual information architecture or you want to build the plan incrementally.

Applying a structure preset replaces the current Structure canvas. Save the current canvas as a saved preset or export the project first when you need to retain it.

Navigate Structure Studio

Use the left navigation rail to move through the main planning sequence:

1. Project
2. Structure
3. User Journeys
4. Sections
5. Pages
6. Design
7. Technical Architecture
8. Pre-flight
9. Export

Each planning step opens as its own full canvas. The Project workspace holds the brief, project-level notes, and curated resource links. Pre-flight holds explicit delivery and launch checks.

Choose All Frames at the top of the rail to see the complete project. Each preview uses the project's real content and connections, but remains read-only. Pan or zoom previews independently, use Fit to restore a useful overview, or open a workspace directly.

The floating quick bar shows only the tools relevant to the current workspace. Number keys use those visible tools, so adding a node never sends it to a different canvas. New nodes are placed around the current pointer position where possible.

Useful canvas controls include:

• Drag empty canvas space, use the hand tool, or hold Space while dragging to pan.
• Use Control or Command with + and - to zoom the canvas instead of the browser.
• Drag the minimap viewport to move quickly across a larger plan.
• Use Shift-click to build a multi-selection, or drag a marquee around several nodes.
• Press G, then the number shown beside a workspace, to switch without returning to the rail.
• Press Escape from a workspace to return to All Frames.

Open Sections to manage reusable definitions and Pages to compose pages from them. These are separate workspaces in the navigation rail, sharing the same Section library. Page cards and reusable definitions can be positioned freely, while every reusable definition and page placement can track its own workflow status.

Open a section's editor to manage its content fields, layout, and settings. Both workspaces offer status filters and bulk status changes: update selected reusable definitions in Sections, or all sections on selected page cards in Pages. See Page hierarchy and sections for selection and filtering details.

The floating quick bar also provides Import AI update for the current workspace and Copy frame screenshot. The same import workflow remains available from Project Tools when an update covers several workspaces.

Add and edit nodes

Select a quick-bar action such as Page, Constraint, Direction, or Service to add that node to the current workspace. Edit the title and body directly inside the node, then drag it into position. The dotted background provides a subtle shared grid for alignment.

Connections should communicate a useful relationship:

• In Structure, connect only direct parent and child pages.
• In User Journeys, connect the actor and significant steps in order.
• In Technical Architecture, connect direct dependencies, data, API, authentication, or event relationships.

Avoid connecting every node merely because navigation or implementation could eventually link them.

Saving

Structure Studio autosaves changes. The toolbar reports:

• Saving... while remote persistence is in progress.
• Saved when the current draft is synchronized.
• Draft when a newer local draft exists.
• Save failed or Session expired when synchronization needs attention.

Finishing a text edit, clicking empty canvas space, or switching workspaces submits pending edits for saving. Clicking the canvas does not mean the save has completed: wait for Saved before closing the project.

The reusable section editor keeps a separate draft. Choose Save changes to apply it before project autosave runs, or Cancel to discard it.

If saving fails, Skafold keeps pending edits and can prevent workspace or dashboard navigation until they are saved. Keep the project open, restore the connection or follow the session warning, then check for Saved before continuing. This is not a substitute for saving before refreshing or closing the browser.

If the project has an AI Context link, saved semantic changes display Update AI Context beside the save indicator. Choose it when the latest plan should become available to AI chats and IDE tools. The shared URL remains unchanged.

Undo and redo

Use Control or Command with Z to undo and Control or Command with Shift and Z to redo. These controls cover project editing actions such as text changes, checklist updates, and card movement. After undoing or redoing, check the result and wait for Saved, just as you would after a new edit.

A bulk status update across selected sections or pages is a single undoable action.

Capture a frame or project

Use Copy frame screenshot for the current workspace, or open Export for a full-project image. While a screenshot is being generated, use the cancel control to stop it. You can continue editing after the capture finishes or is cancelled; refreshing the project is not required.

Run Pre-flight checks

Use one or more Pre-flight checklists to make delivery requirements explicit. Typical checks include:

• Production configuration and environment variables.
• Responsive, accessibility, SEO, and broken-link audits.
• Forms, error states, analytics, redirects, and metadata.
• Backup, rollback, privacy, and launch requirements.

Checklist state and notes are included in AI Context, allowing an AI tool to audit selected items against a repository and report its findings.

Next steps

• Follow the complete project lifecycle.
• Share a project for client review.
• Learn how frames and nodes are intended to be used.
• Build page hierarchy with section context.
• Create and manage the project’s AI Context.