---
version: alpha
name: Clerk
description: "Light monochrome interface measured from clerk.com: geistNumbers type with system-ui, tonal surfaces and 12.5px corners."
colors:
  background: "#FFFFFF"
  surface: "#FFFFFF"
  on-surface: "#131316"
  on-background: "#131316"
  on-surface-strong: "#000000"
  on-surface-variant: "#5E5F6E"
  on-surface-muted: "#747686"
  surface-container-low: "#F7F7F8"
  surface-container: "#EEEEF0"
  overlay: "#F7F7F8D9"
  overlay-strong: "#1313160D"
  outline: "#00000033"
  primary: "#42434D"
  on-primary: "#FFFFFF"
  secondary: "#6C47FF"
  tertiary: "#9785FF"
  warning: "#FFC107"
  error: "#FF3D00"
typography:
  headline-display:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 56px
    fontWeight: 700
    lineHeight: 1.14
    letterSpacing: -0.035em
  headline-lg:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 32px
    fontWeight: 600
    lineHeight: 1.25
    letterSpacing: -0.015em
  headline-md:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 24px
    fontWeight: 500
    lineHeight: 1.33
    letterSpacing: -0.01em
  body-md:
    fontFamily: system-ui
    fontSize: 17px
    fontWeight: 700
    lineHeight: 1.41
    letterSpacing: -0.01em
  body-sm:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 13px
    fontWeight: 400
    lineHeight: 1.54
  caption:
    fontFamily: system-ui
    fontSize: 11px
    fontWeight: 400
    lineHeight: 1.27
  label-lg:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 16px
    fontWeight: 400
    lineHeight: 1.5
  label-md:
    fontFamily: system-ui
    fontSize: 14px
    fontWeight: 700
    lineHeight: 1.43
    letterSpacing: -0.01em
  label-sm:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 13px
    fontWeight: 500
    lineHeight: 1.85
  headline-display-mobile:
    fontFamily: geistNumbers
    fontSize: 32px
    fontWeight: 600
    lineHeight: 1.12
    letterSpacing: -0.015em
rounded:
  sm: 6px
  md: 12.5px
  lg: 22px
spacing:
  xs: 4px
  sm: 8px
  md: 12px
  lg: 32px
  xl: 40px
  gutter: 8px
  section: 164px
components:
  button-primary:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.primary}"
    textColor: "{colors.on-primary}"
    typography: "{typography.label-sm}"
    rounded: "{rounded.sm}"
    padding: 0px 12px
    height: 30px
  button-secondary:
    backgroundColor: "#212126"
    textColor: "{colors.on-surface-strong}"
    typography: "{typography.label-lg}"
    padding: 0px
    height: 40px
  button-ghost:
    textColor: "{colors.on-surface}"
    typography: "{typography.label-lg}"
    rounded: 0px
    padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px
  link:
    textColor: "{colors.on-surface}"
---

# Clerk Design System

## Overview

Clerk describes itself as: “The easiest way to add authentication and user management to your application. Purpose-built for React, Next.js, Remix, and “The Modern Web”.” The interface is light, built on **White (#FFFFFF)** with **Charcoal (#131316)** text and almost no color: actions are carried by contrast, not hue.

Type is set in **geistNumbers** and **system-ui**. Headlines run large with tight negative tracking; body text is 17px. Depth comes from hairline borders and inset highlights rather than drop shadows. Corners are mostly 12.5px.

Measured from [clerk.com](https://clerk.com/) on October 21, 2026 at 1440×900 and 390×844 from 385 rendered elements. Values are computed styles from the live page, not the original source files.

## Colors

The palette has 16 roles, plus gradient stops #E0876A, #D97757.

- **White (#FFFFFF):** Page background, seen 1 time. Token `background`, CSS `--color-white`.
- **Charcoal (#131316):** Primary text and headings, seen 51 times. Token `on-surface`, CSS `--typography-link`.
- **Near Black (#000000):** Headings and emphasis, seen 8 times. Token `on-surface-strong`.
- **Cool Slate (#5E5F6E):** Secondary text, seen 6 times. Token `on-surface-variant`.
- **Cool Slate (#747686):** Muted text and metadata, seen 9 times. Token `on-surface-muted`, CSS `--color-gray-500`.
- **Snow (#F7F7F8):** Raised areas one step from the page, seen 2 times. Token `surface-container-low`.
- **Mist (#EEEEF0):** Cards and panels, seen 1 time. Token `surface-container`, CSS `--color-gray-100`.
- **Snow 85% (#F7F7F8D9):** Translucent fill for cards and controls, seen 1 time. Token `overlay`.
- **Charcoal 5% (#1313160D):** Stronger translucent fill, seen 1 time. Token `overlay-strong`.
- **Near Black 20% (#00000033):** Borders and dividers, seen 10 times. Token `outline`.
- **Cool Graphite (#42434D):** Primary buttons and calls to action, seen 3 times. Token `primary`.
- **White (#FFFFFF):** Text and icons on primary. Token `on-primary`.
- **Violet (#6C47FF):** Most used accent color, seen 8 times. Token `secondary`.
- **Light Indigo (#9785FF):** Most used accent color, seen 3 times. Token `tertiary`.
- **Vivid Amber (#FFC107):** Warnings and highlights, seen 1 time. Token `warning`.
- **Vivid Red (#FF3D00):** Errors and destructive states, seen 1 time. Token `error`.

## Typography

**geistNumbers** and **system-ui** share the interface. Fallback stack: `geistNumbers, suisse, suisse Fallback`. Other loaded fonts: suisse, suisse Fallback, soehneMono, Inter.

- **headline-display:** geistNumbers 56px at weight 700, line height 1.14, tracking -0.035em (32px on mobile). Page title (h1).
- **headline-lg:** geistNumbers 32px at weight 600, line height 1.25, tracking -0.015em. Section headings (h2).
- **headline-md:** geistNumbers 24px at weight 500, line height 1.33, tracking -0.01em. Sub-section headings.
- **body-md:** system-ui 17px at weight 700, line height 1.41, tracking -0.01em. Body text.
- **body-sm:** geistNumbers 13px at weight 400, line height 1.54. Secondary and small text.
- **caption:** system-ui 11px at weight 400, line height 1.27. Captions and fine print.
- **label-lg:** geistNumbers 16px at weight 400, line height 1.5. Large buttons and tabs.
- **label-md:** system-ui 14px at weight 700, line height 1.43, tracking -0.01em. Buttons, navigation and labels.
- **label-sm:** geistNumbers 13px at weight 500, line height 1.85. Small labels and badges.

## Layout

Spacing is mostly on a 4px grid (88% of measured values), with some off-grid steps. Match the measured scale rather than rounding everything.

- **Scale:** xs 4px, sm 8px, md 12px, lg 32px, xl 40px.
- **Sections:** 164px vertical padding between major sections.
- **Gaps:** 8px is the most common gap in flex and grid layouts.

## Elevation & Depth

Depth comes mostly from hairline rings and inset highlights on tonal surfaces (#F7F7F8 → #EEEEF0):

- `rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, oklab(0.999994 0.0000455678 0.0000200868 / 0.05) 0px 0px 0px 1px inset, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px`
- `rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, lab(84.5189 -31.4667 -23.9754 / 0.08) 0px 0px 0px 1px inset, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px`

A few raised panels add a soft drop shadow: `rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7) 0px 0.5px 0px 0px inset, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22) 0px 0px 0px 0.5px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45) 0px 1px 2px -1px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06) 0px 8px 16px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08) 0px 2px 4px -1px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16) 0px 1px 1px -0.5px`.

## Shapes

Most elements use 12.5px corners. Measured radii, most used first:

- **md (12.5px):** 20 elements.
- **lg (22px):** 14 elements.
- **sm (6px):** 12 elements.

## Components

Measured from the rendered page. Token values reference the tokens above.

- **button-primary (“Skip to main content”):** #42434D fill, #FFFFFF text, 13px/500, 6px radius, padding 0px 12px, shadow `rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgb(66, 67, 77) 0px 0px 0px 0.5px, oklab(0.999994 0.0000455678 0.0000200868 / 0.07) 0px 1px 0px 0px inset, oklab(0.249859 0.00254738 -0.00901626 / 0.2) 0px 1px 3px 0px`.
- **button-secondary (“Support”):** #212126 fill, #000000 text, 16px/400, 3.35544e+07px radius, padding 0px, shadow `rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 0px 0px, oklab(0 0 0 / 0.075) 0px 0px 0px 6px, oklab(0.999994 0.0000455678 0.0000200868 / 0.075) 0px 1px 0px 0px inset, oklab(0.249859 0.00254738 -0.00901626 / 0.2) 0px 1px 3px 0px, rgb(33, 33, 38) 0px 0px 0px 1px`.
- **button-ghost (“Products”):** transparent fill, #131316 text, 16px/400, padding 0px 8px 0px 0px.
- **link:** transparent fill, #131316 text, padding 0px.

## Do's and Don'ts

- Do use #FFFFFF for the page and lift surfaces in small steps: #F7F7F8, #EEEEF0.
- Do keep text in 4 levels: #131316, #000000, #5E5F6E, #747686.
- Do let contrast carry emphasis; primary actions use #42434D on #FFFFFF.
- Do set headlines in geistNumbers with tight tracking (-0.035em).
- Do reuse the measured spacing steps (8px, 12px, 32px).
- Do use 12.5px corners on most elements; larger surfaces also use 22px and 6px.
- Don't use #747686 for body text; it reaches 4.5:1 on #FFFFFF. Keep it for large text or metadata.
- Don't use heavy drop shadows; keep depth to hairline rings and tonal surfaces.
- Don't introduce new font families beyond geistNumbers and system-ui.
- Don't add saturated accent colors; the measured palette is almost entirely neutral.
- Don't make interface transitions slower than 0.45s.

## Motion

Interface transitions are quick: 0.15s, 0.45s, 0.35s, 0.3s.

- **Easing:** `cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1)`, `cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1)`, `linear(0 0%, 0.1812 9.09091%, 0.4669 18.1818%, 0.6943 27.2727%, 0.8403 36.3636%, 0.9233 45.4545%, 0.9664 54.5455%, 0.9869 63.6364%, 0.9958 72.7273%, 0.9992 81.8182%, 1.0003 90.9091%, 1 100%)`.
- **Reduced motion:** the page responds to `prefers-reduced-motion`.

Generated by [Sitepeel](https://sitepeel.dev/design-md/clerk.com/), the free DESIGN.md generator.