Frontend Textbooks skill
A skill that turns a manuscript into a designed HTML book and a print-ready Letter PDF, checking every rendered page.
- 108 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The skill runs Node.js scripts and a Playwright browser on the local machine.
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add skills/frontend-textbooksDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The skill runs Node.js scripts and a Playwright browser on the local machine.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Frontend Textbooks takes an agent from a manuscript or notes to a book. It first builds an editable `index.html` that opens in a browser, and only after layout checks exports a PDF from it. It suits textbooks, manuals, field guides and executive briefings. The skill picks colors and typography for the topic and waits for the user to choose, then adds a cover, table of contents, part dividers, diagrams and chapter closers. Theme fonts ship inside the package with their licenses, so the book builds without network access. Playwright scripts check source coverage (below 90% the build fails), overflow on desktop and mobile, and then the PDF structure.
Who it is for. Authors of handbooks, courses and internal manuals who need a laid-out book rather than a page of text.
Good fit when
- A course manuscript must come out as a print PDF with a cover and contents.
- A field guide is assembled from notes and no text may be lost in layout.
- A team document should look the same in the browser and on paper.
- The book topic calls for its own palette and typography rather than a template.
Not a fit when
- You need a quick note or one-page report: building a book is heavier than the task.
- Playwright and browsers cannot be installed.
- A4 is required: the PDF is exported in Letter.
Example request
Use the frontend-textbooks skill to build a book and PDF from this manuscript, and propose three design options first.Limitations
The skill needs Node.js and browsers installed with `npm run setup:browsers`. The final PDF is US Letter. Every book requires an original cover as a local bitmap tied to the manuscript: without it the build fails rather than falling back to a typographic cover. The agent agrees colors and typefaces with the user before layout, so a fully unattended run is not possible.
How to disable. Delete the `frontend-textbooks` folder from `~/.codex/skills/` or `~/.claude/skills/`. Finished books live in your working folder and are removed separately.
FAQ
Where does the PDF come from?
From the same HTML that was checked in a browser. Pages come out as US Letter with backgrounds printed.
What happens if the text does not fit?
Overflow checks on desktop and mobile find those spots, and source block coverage below 90% stops the build.
Is internet needed for fonts?
No. Theme fonts ship with the skill along with licenses and are copied into the book.
How many design themes are there?
The `examples/theme-gallery` folder holds ready themes with examples. The agent recommends a theme for the material plus two alternatives.
Does it work in Claude Code?
Yes. The README covers manual install into `~/.claude/skills/` and the Codex skills folder.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The main path is manuscript, HTML book, rendered-page checks, PDF export. Scripts handle parsing and assembly while the model decides the design.