Developer docs

Overview#

Every design in the catalog has a stable address and a complete, machine-readable spec — color, typography, spacing, shapes, motion. Point your AI at one and it reads the spec, then applies that look to whatever you are building.

There are three ways to hand a style to an agent, in the order most people should try them:

1. Copy a share link — nothing to install, works in any AI that can open a link: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, WorkBuddy, Qoder, DeepSeek, Kimi. Start here.
2. Connect over MCP — a one-time setup for clients that support it; your agent then searches and applies styles without leaving the chat.
3. Download — grab a style's DESIGN.md from its page and hand it over as a file.

Quick start#

The fastest path: open any style's page, choose Hand off to my AI → Copy share link, and paste it into your agent with what you want restyled.

Restyle this slide deck with the Curio design at:
https://designbycurio.com/i/<token>

Your agent fetches the spec behind the link and rebuilds the work in that style. The same link works in Claude, Cursor, Codex, Gemini, ChatGPT, or any MCP-aware tool. Prefer a permanent connection? Connect over MCP instead.

Share linkStart here#

Each style has a unique share link of the form designbycurio.com/i/<token>, minted from its page. Paste it into your agent and it retrieves the full spec and applies the style. Nothing to install and nothing to configure — if your AI can open a link, this works. Links stay live for 15 minutes — generate a fresh one per session.

Step by step

1. Pick a style

   Browse the gallery and open the style you want. Every style has its own page with the full preview.

   

2. Click “Hand off to My AI”, then pick your AI

   The button opens a panel of AI clients. Choose the one you are using — Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, WorkBuddy, Qoder, DeepSeek, Kimi, and more. Picking one is what arms the copy button below it.

   

3. Copy the link and paste it to your AI

   Click Copy share link. Curio mints the link and copies it together with a ready-made prompt, so you can paste the whole thing straight into the chat and add what you want restyled.

   

Fetch over HTTP

Prefer plain HTTP? A share link responds to the Accept header — curl it for the raw DESIGN.md, or request JSON for an agent-ready manifest.

curl https://designbycurio.com/i/<token>          # → DESIGN.md (markdown)
curl -H "Accept: application/json" \
     https://designbycurio.com/i/<token>          # → agent manifest

Over MCP#

A share link carries one style. MCP wires in the whole library: your agent searches it, reads it and applies styles without leaving the conversation. It costs a one-time setup and only works in clients that support MCP — if pasting a link each time suits you, the section above is all you need.

One server URL, sign in once with OAuth, no API keys.

https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp

Add that URL in your client and complete the OAuth sign-in. Per-client steps are in Connect your client below.

Download#

Every style exports from its page's Download ▾ menu as a DESIGN.md spec, written for both humans and agents.

The DESIGN.md file

A single Markdown file: YAML front-matter, then a section per design aspect. The exact token values live in the body — the structure looks like this. New to the format? Read What is a DESIGN.md? for the full background.

---
name: <style name>
origin: <place, year>
era: <era bucket>
---

# <Style name>
A short description of the look and the rules behind it.

## Colors       # palette + roles
## Typography   # families, scale, tracking
## Spacing      # the spacing rhythm
## Shapes · Shadows · Motion · Composition

Claude#

Claude Desktop & claude.ai: open Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector, paste the server URL, and sign in when the OAuth window opens. (Free accounts can add one custom connector.)

Claude Code: add the server from the CLI, then run /mcp in a session to finish the OAuth sign-in.

claude mcp add --transport http curio https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp

Cursor#

Add Curio to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or via Settings → MCP). Cursor opens a browser to sign in on first use.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "curio": { "url": "https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp" }
  }
}

VS Code (Copilot)#

In Copilot agent mode, add Curio to .vscode/mcp.json (or your user MCP config). VS Code opens a browser to authorize on first connect.

{
  "servers": {
    "curio": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp" }
  }
}

Codex#

The Codex CLI and IDE extension share ~/.codex/config.toml — add the server with one command:

codex mcp add curio --url https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp

In the Codex desktop app, connect it from the Plugins panel instead — add the same server URL there.

ChatGPT#

Custom MCP connectors need Developer Mode (Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise — not Free). Turn it on, then go to Settings → Connectors → Create and enter the server URL https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp.

WorkBuddy#

WorkBuddy (Tencent) reads a share link straight out of the chat — paste it with what you want restyled and you are done, no setup. That is the recommended route. See the share-link walkthrough

Over MCP Experimental

Open 插件 (Plugins) in the sidebar, click MCP 服务器 (MCP Servers) at the top right, then 配置 MCP (Configure MCP) and add the server. Save, then enable it in the connector list to authorize.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "curio": { "url": "https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp" }
  }
}

WorkBuddy's own MCP examples are local command servers, and Curio is a remote OAuth server that issues no token to paste — so whether the handshake completes depends on your version. If it asks for a token, use the share link instead.

Qoder#

Qoder (Alibaba) also takes a share link pasted into the chat — the fastest way to try a style. See the share-link walkthrough

Over MCP

Click the user icon at the top right, open Qoder 设置 (Settings), choose MCP in the left pane, then 我的服务 (My Services) → + 添加 (Add) and paste the config. Qoder detects streamable HTTP from the URL, so no type field is needed.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "curio": { "url": "https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp" }
  }
}

Once the link icon shows the service is ready, expand it to see Curio's tools. If your version cannot complete the OAuth sign-in, fall back to the share link.

Other clients#

Any client that supports a remote streamable-HTTP MCP server with OAuth works — point it at https://mcp.designbycurio.com/mcp and sign in.

Antigravity Experimental

Antigravity leans on header / bearer-token auth for remote MCP, while Curio is pure OAuth (no token to paste). The OAuth handshake may not complete in every version — if it connects, add the server via Manage MCP Servers → View raw config; otherwise use one of the OAuth-native clients above.

Manus Experimental

Manus connectors typically expect a bearer token in the Authorization header, while Curio uses pure OAuth and issues no token. If your version supports a standard OAuth MCP connection, add the server URL in its connector settings; otherwise Curio can't be connected from Manus yet.

MCP tools#

Once connected, your agent has these tools. Browsing and search are free; only fetching a full spec draws a credit.

Just ask in plain language, e.g. “Find a Bauhaus style and apply it to my slides.” Your agent searches, fetches the spec, and applies it.

Sign-in & permissions#

OAuth, no API keys. Connecting means signing in. Curio uses standard OAuth with Dynamic Client Registration, so there's no key or token to create, paste, or rotate.

Read-only. The connection only reads the design library. It never touches your files, your repository, or your data.

Revoke anytime. Manage connected apps on the connected apps page in your account; revoking immediately invalidates that client's access.

Billing & quota#

Share links, MCP fetches and downloads all use the same credits and the same gate. For plans and prices, see pricing.

What costs a credit?

A credit is spent when a style's full spec is unlocked — get_style_spec over MCP, a download, or a generated share link. Searching, listing, reading metadata and get_quota are free. Unlocking the same style again within 15 minutes reuses the same credit.

Can a free account use it?

Yes — connect, search and browse the whole library, and unlock free styles within your quota. Paid styles require Pro or Max; unlocking one without a plan returns a tier_denied error.

What happens when quota runs out?

Unlocking returns quota_exhausted. On Pro and Max your allowance refills on a rolling 7-day window; the Free tier's credits are a one-time lifetime allowance, so you'd upgrade to unlock more. Browsing, searching and reading metadata keep working.