Does HIG Doctor expose an MCP server?

Yes. The hig-mcp server exposes hig_list_skills, hig_lookup, and hig_audit so MCP-compatible coding agents can list HIG skills, fetch reference topics, and run project audits.

What frameworks can the HIG audit CLI scan?

The audit CLI scans SwiftUI, UIKit, React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Angular, React Native, Flutter, Jetpack Compose, Android XML, HTML, and CSS.

How should I design an iPad app using Apple's HIG?

Apple's HIG recommends using sidebars instead of bottom tab bars on iPadOS, supporting split views for multitasking, and adding pointer interactions. HIG Doctor provides instant, AI-ready guidance on all iPadOS conventions.

What are Apple's guidelines for adding Apple Pay?

Apple's HIG specifies exact payment button placement, flow design, error states, and UX patterns required for App Store approval. HIG Doctor gives your AI agent access to the full Apple Pay design guidelines.

How do I make my Apple app accessible?

Apple's HIG requires support for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, sufficient color contrast ratios, and motor accessibility features like Switch Control. HIG Doctor covers all accessibility foundations and requirements.

How do I design for visionOS and Apple Vision Pro?

Apple's HIG for visionOS covers ornaments, volumes, immersive spaces, eye tracking, and spatial interaction patterns. HIG Doctor includes dedicated visionOS platform guidance and spatial layout references.

What are Apple's dark mode design guidelines?

Apple's HIG specifies using system semantic colors, material backgrounds, elevated surfaces, and vibrancy for dark mode. Apps should test in both modes and avoid hard-coded color values. HIG Doctor covers the full dark mode specification.

How should I design notifications for iOS apps?

Apple's HIG covers notification grouping, Live Activities, action buttons, and respecting user attention. HIG Doctor provides guidelines for the full notification system including widgets and complications.

Top Shelf — Apple HIG Design Guidelines

Best practices

Help people jump right into your content.

Feature new content.

Personalize people’s favorite content.

Avoid showing advertisements or prices.

Showcase compelling dynamic content that can help draw people in and encourage them to view more.

If you don’t provide the recommended full-screen content, supply at least one static image as a fallback.

Avoid implying interactivity in a static image.

Dynamic layouts

A carousel of full-screen video and images that includes two buttons and optional details
A row of focusable content
A set of scrolling banners

Carousel actions

Provide a title.

Carousel details

Provide a title that identifies the currently playing content.

Sectioned content row

Provide enough content to constitute a complete row.

16:9

Be aware of additional scaling when combining image sizes.

Provide three to eight images.

If you need text, add it to your image.

For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/top-shelf

Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc. This page is a structured index of Apple’s canonical documentation (snapshot 2025-02-02), provided for quick reference and AI-agent consumption — it isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Apple. Read the original at developer.apple.com.

Top Shelf