Pencil.dev might be the biggest upgrade to design and development workflows I’ve ever seen.
It’s the first tool that lives inside your code editor and turns your designs into real, production-ready code instantly.
Pencil.dev bridges design and development completely — and it’s so good that it just replaced half my tool stack.
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What Makes Pencil.dev Different
Most design tools sit outside your workflow.
You design in one app, export everything, and send it to a developer who rebuilds it from scratch.
That’s slow.
Pencil.dev flips this model.
It installs directly into VS Code or Cursor, so you design and code in the same place.
As you draw on its infinite canvas, it generates clean, semantic HTML, CSS, and React code in real time.
No “AI-generated garbage code.”
Actual code that compiles, ships, and looks identical to your design.
Even better — you can import directly from Figma.
When you paste a design, vectors stay sharp, text stays editable, and styles stay intact.
No more pixel-by-pixel rebuilding.
You get working React components that match the original Figma design 1:1.
That’s the dream every designer-developer duo has wanted for years — and it finally works.
How I Build Landing Pages with Pencil.dev
Every business needs landing pages.
For years, that process was painful.
You’d design in Figma, send it to a developer, wait for revisions, and lose days in handoffs.
Now, I do everything inside Pencil.dev.
Let’s take a real example — a new landing page for my community, AI Profit Boardroom.
I open Pencil inside Cursor.
I sketch a hero section with a headline: Transform Your Business with AI Automation.
Add a subheading about entrepreneurs crushing it with AI.
Then a call-to-action button that says Join the Boardroom.
A few colors, some spacing, and I’m done with the layout.
Now the magic part — I ask Claude Code to generate the React component for this section.
Because Pencil connects directly through Model Context Protocol, Claude sees the design and writes clean, responsive code instantly.
The layout updates live as I tweak colors and spacing.
No exporting, no file juggling, no rebuilds.
I keep adding sections — testimonials, benefits, pricing, footer — each generated as a separate component.
In 20 minutes, I’ve got a complete landing page ready to deploy.
No developer needed.
Real Code, Not Mockups
Most “AI design tools” generate static images or half-finished HTML.
Pencil.dev outputs real, deployable code.
That’s a huge difference.
You can commit your design files to Git, branch them, merge them, and track version history like any code project.
Designers and developers can now work in the same repo — in real time.
It’s not just faster.
It’s smarter.
Everything stays in one environment, with zero translation errors between design and build.
How to Set It Up
Here’s how to get started with Pencil.dev.
Go to the Pencil website and request early access.
It’s currently free while in beta.
Then install Cursor (recommended) or VS Code.
Cursor works best because it already integrates AI agents natively.
From there, install the Pencil extension from the marketplace.
You’ll need to configure a small file called MCP.json in your settings — it takes five minutes, and their docs walk you through it.
Once setup is done, create a new .pen file — that’s Pencil’s design file format.
You’ll see an infinite canvas inside your editor where you can design directly.
You can generate components using your favorite AI model, like Claude or Gemini.
The moment you draw something, it’s real code.
No more waiting for exports.
No more back-and-forth between design and dev tools.
Using AI Agents Inside Pencil.dev
The best part?
You can use multiple AI agents to work on different screens at once.
Need a homepage, an about page, and a pricing page?
Just tell your AI to generate all three in parallel.
The code appears instantly — all connected, all responsive.
If you run an agency, this is next-level productivity.
You can sit with a client, sketch a page live, generate code in front of them, and deliver a working prototype before the meeting ends.
If you’re a solo creator, this is even better.
You can test ideas visually, generate landing pages, and iterate fast — without any coding knowledge.
It’s design-to-deployment in a single session.
Why This Saves Me 10 Hours a Week
I used to spend hours switching between Figma, ChatGPT, and my code editor.
Now, Pencil.dev handles everything in one place.
It cuts repetitive steps, reduces revisions, and eliminates “handoff lag.”
When your design changes, your code changes.
When your code updates, your design stays synced.
It’s a closed loop.
That’s easily 10 hours a week saved — and even more when you’re managing multiple projects.
If you want the templates and AI workflows, check out Julian Goldie’s FREE AI Success Lab Community here: https://aisuccesslabjuliangoldie.com/
Inside, you’ll see exactly how creators and founders are using Pencil.dev to build landing pages, product sites, and interactive demos with AI.
Pro Tips for Best Results
After using Pencil.dev for weeks, here’s what I’ve learned.
Use Figma imports for complex layouts — don’t redraw everything.
Build your base components early — buttons, cards, modals — and reuse them.
Be specific with prompts when asking AI to generate code.
Example: “Create a blue gradient button with white text that says Get Started.”
Commit your design files to Git regularly.
Expect to refine the final layout — Pencil’s code is great, but not perfect.
These small steps help you get professional results faster.
Limitations
It’s still early access.
There might be small bugs, especially on Windows.
You’ll need to understand basic concepts like Model Context Protocol and how your AI agent communicates with Pencil.
But even with those learning curves, this tool already outperforms anything else I’ve tried.
The Future of Design and Development
Design and code are finally merging.
Pencil.dev proves that the wall between designers and developers is disappearing.
Soon, every creator will design visually and deploy instantly — no translation, no delay.
This is the start of that shift.
If you learn it now, you’ll be ahead of the curve when everyone else catches on.
FAQs
Is Pencil.dev free?
Yes, during early access. Paid tiers may come later.
Does it generate production-ready code?
Yes. It outputs clean HTML, CSS, and React components that you can deploy.
Can it import from Figma?
Yes. It preserves vectors, text, and styles perfectly.
Where can I get templates to automate this?
You can access templates and workflows inside the AI Profit Boardroom, plus free guides inside the AI Success Lab.
Final Thoughts
Pencil.dev is what design-to-code tools were always meant to be.
It saves hours of back-and-forth, keeps everything in sync, and gives creators a direct path from idea to product.
If you design, build, or automate anything online, this tool will instantly make you faster.
Try it now while it’s free, and you’ll never go back to the old way again.
