LSD Framework
Common questions

Skim, don't click

No toggles. Every answer is open by default. Two columns so you can compare related questions side by side.

What does "design substrate" mean?

A layer beneath your design system. LSD produces the tokens, surfaces, and behaviours your system rests on — and lets you swap consumers without rewriting them.

Is the source code open?

The framework is MIT-licensed. The hosted builder is closed source, but the runtime it produces is yours — and exports as a portable .lsd package.

Why container queries over media queries?

A component should react to its own width, not the viewport's. Container queries let the same card adapt in a 200px sidebar and a 1200px main column without a single breakpoint elsewhere.

Do I need to learn Aurora to ship?

No. Aurora is opt-in for motion-heavy pages. Static pages render fine with zero JavaScript and the bundled CSS keyframe utilities.

How big is the runtime?

The full runtime — including Aurora, Behaviours, and the surface engine — is under 38kb gzipped. The core (tokens + surfaces) is under 9kb.

Can my agent author components?

Yes. The same MCP server the builder uses is available to any agent. Every component manifest is structured for AI consumption — labels, categories, and descriptions are prompt material.