lean-text-scaffolding

Lean text scaffolding

Keep newly scaffolded web pages from filling up with verbose filler, generic placeholder words, decorative labels, and repeated eyebrow text.

Decision tree

What are you building or editing?

• A new web page, landing page, product page, dashboard, or section with generated copy Apply the lean baseline in this file, then read references/rules.md for detailed budgets.

• An existing page feels wordy, generic, or crowded with labels Read references/rules.md, remove low-value text, then run scripts/audit_lean_text.ts on changed HTML/JSX/TSX files when Bun is available.

• A page contains forms, filters, search, settings, or other inputs Preserve visible or accessible labels, legends, helper text, and error instructions. Read references/research.md if tempted to replace labels with placeholders.

• The user explicitly asks for detailed copy, labelled sections, content placeholders, a copy deck, SEO text, legal copy, or client-provided wording Follow the request. Keep the content organized, but do not enforce the lean default against explicit requirements.

• The task is prose-only, documentation-only, or non-web copy Do not trigger this skill. Use a writing or documentation skill instead.

Quick reference

Situation	Default action	Read / run
New scaffolded page	Start with fewer words, fewer sections, and no decorative labels	references/rules.md
Hero copy	One clear H1 plus one support sentence unless asked for more	references/rules.md
Feature cards	Use concrete short headings; omit generic card descriptions	references/rules.md
Eyebrows, badges, chips	Omit by default unless they disambiguate state, category, or navigation	references/rules.md
Forms and inputs	Keep labels, legends, helper text, errors, and accessible names	references/research.md
Auditing source files	Flag filler phrases, label spam, long paragraphs, and placeholder-only inputs	scripts/audit_lean_text.ts

Lean baseline

Use these defaults when the user has not explicitly asked for fuller copy:

1. Write only the text needed to understand or operate the page.
2. Prefer one strong heading over an eyebrow plus heading plus subtitle stack.
3. Avoid generic section labels such as "Features", "Benefits", "Solutions", "Testimonials", "New", or "Trusted by" unless the label changes user understanding.
4. Avoid filler placeholders: lorem ipsum, "Feature one", "Powerful insights", "Everything you need", "All-in-one platform", "Seamless workflows", and similar stock phrases.
5. Do not invent stats, logos, testimonials, names, quotes, badges, or social proof to make a scaffold feel full.
6. Keep essential UI text: navigation labels, button text, table headers, form labels, helper text, validation errors, empty states, and screen-reader names.
7. If a page needs realistic sample data to render a state, use the smallest representative set.

Default copy budgets

Element	Default budget
H1	Brand/product name or 3-8 clear words
Hero support	1 sentence, usually 12-24 words
Section heading	2-7 words, no separate label unless needed
Feature card title	2-5 words
Feature card body	0-14 words; omit if it repeats the title
CTA	1-3 action words
Empty state	1 heading plus 1 short recovery action
Form helper text	Only when format, consequence, or requirement is not obvious

Required preservation

Lean text does not mean unlabeled UI. Preserve or add:

• <label> and <legend> text for form controls
• aria-label, aria-labelledby, and aria-describedby when visible text is absent or insufficient
• visible helper text for uncommon formats, required/optional distinctions, destructive actions, and errors
• link and button text that makes sense out of context
• regulatory, pricing, contract, consent, or safety wording supplied by the user

Workflow

1. Before scaffolding, infer the page job and the user-supplied content.
2. Build the smallest credible page that satisfies the request.
3. Remove decorative labels, repeated subtitles, generic cards, invented social proof, and filler sections.
4. Preserve accessibility and operational text.
5. If source files exist and Bun is available, run:

bun scripts/audit_lean_text.ts path/to/page.tsx

6. Fix every issue that is not explicitly justified by the user's request.

Reading guide

Need	Read
Detailed keep/cut rules, copy budgets, and audit heuristics	references/rules.md
Source-backed rationale and accessibility boundary	references/research.md
Deterministic file audit for HTML/JSX/TSX	scripts/audit_lean_text.ts

Gotchas

1. Do not remove real labels to make a page look cleaner. Decorative badges are optional; input labels and accessible names are not.
2. Do not replace real content with vagueness. "Concise" means specific in fewer words, not generic.
3. Do not add fullness theater. Extra testimonials, stats, badges, FAQs, logos, and comparison blocks make a scaffold look busier but less trustworthy when unsupported.
4. Do not fight explicit copy requests. If the user asks for detailed marketing copy, labelled sections, or placeholder content, satisfy that requirement and keep structure clean.
5. Do not hide necessary instruction inside placeholders. Placeholder text disappears and is a poor substitute for labels or persistent hints.