Tangent

Measured conclusion: Deep-tested. L2 outcome: tools_ok.

Hand-picked design references, UI patterns and the people behind them, each with why it fits.

Add to your agent

Copy this into your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Tangent": {
      "url": "https://tangent.directory/api/mcp",
      "transport": "streamable-http"
    }
  }
}

Measured tools (10)

• find_inspiration read-only

  Turns a design brief into a short list of references (default 8, at most 10), each with `why` it fits: the pattern, style, category, technology or platform it shares with the brief, or how search matched it (e.g. "similar meaning"). It reads the brief against Tangent's taxonomy and synonyms and combines that with search; no AI calls. Use it when someone describes a screen or product they are about to design. `interpreted_as` shows how the brief was read. Example: {"brief": "onboarding for a fintech app, playful but clean", "platform": "mobile"}

  Parameters:

  • brief (required) — string — What you are designing, in plain words, e.g. "onboarding for a fintech app, playful but clean".
  • limit — integer — How many picks (1 to 10, default 8).
  • platform — string — Prefer resources for this platform: "web", "mobile" or "desktop".

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• search_resources read-only

  Ranked search over Tangent's catalogue of design and design-engineering resources (sites, products, component libraries, tools, articles). Use it when you know roughly what you want; narrow with vertical, category, technology, type, pricing or open_source, and page with cursor. For a whole brief, use find_inspiration. Example: {"query": "command menu", "technology": "react", "limit": 5}

  Parameters:

  • query (required) — string — What to look for, e.g. "command menu" or "dark dashboard".
  • type — string — Resource type, e.g. "website", "product", "library", "tool", "gallery", "article".
  • limit — integer — Results per page (1 to 50, default 10).
  • cursor — string — next_cursor from the previous call, with the same query and filters. Omit for the first page.
  • pricing — string — Pricing model.
  • category — string — Category slug or name, e.g. "finance", "component-libraries", "typography".
  • vertical — string — Section: "inspiration", "components", "motion", "build", "visuals", "tools" or "learn".
  • technology — string — Technology slug or name, e.g. "react", "tailwind-css", "three-js".
  • open_source — boolean — true: only open-source resources; false: only ones known not to be.

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• browse_vertical read-only

  The newest resources in one section: inspiration, components, motion, build, visuals, tools or learn. Use it to browse without a query, with the same filters as search_resources and cursor paging. Example: {"vertical": "components", "technology": "react", "limit": 20}

  Parameters:

  • vertical (required) — string — Section: "inspiration", "components", "motion", "build", "visuals", "tools" or "learn".
  • type — string — Resource type, e.g. "website", "product", "library", "tool", "gallery", "article".
  • limit — integer — Results per page (1 to 50, default 20).
  • cursor — string — next_cursor from the previous call, with the same query and filters. Omit for the first page.
  • pricing — string — Pricing model.
  • category — string — Category slug or name, e.g. "finance", "component-libraries", "typography".
  • technology — string — Technology slug or name, e.g. "react", "tailwind-css", "three-js".
  • open_source — boolean — true: only open-source resources; false: only ones known not to be.

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• get_resource read-only

  Everything Tangent knows about one resource: descriptions, taxonomy, editorial notes, the people behind it, and its related resources (tangents) with reasons. Use it to go deeper on a search pick. Set include_image to also get a small screenshot. Example: {"slug": "linear"}

  Parameters:

  • slug (required) — string — Resource slug, e.g. "linear".
  • include_image — boolean — Also attach a small WebP thumbnail (under ~100 KB) as an image block. Off by default to save tokens.

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• related_resources read-only

  Resources related to one resource, each with the reason (e.g. "shares Command Menu", "same maker"). Use it to follow tangents from a site you like. Example: {"slug": "stripe"}

  Parameters:

  • slug (required) — string — Resource slug, e.g. "stripe".

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• list_patterns read-only

  Every UI and interaction pattern resources are filed under (Command Menu, Onboarding, Empty State and more), with example counts. Use it to pick a slug for get_pattern. Example: {}

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• get_pattern read-only

  One UI pattern: its definition, its best examples, related patterns and the technologies the examples use. Use it before designing that pattern. Example: {"slug": "empty-state", "limit": 8}

  Parameters:

  • slug (required) — string — Pattern slug, e.g. "command-menu" or "empty-state".
  • limit — integer — How many examples to return (1 to 60, default 12).

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• search_people read-only

  Find designers and design engineers by name, role, focus or stack, ranked, with optional technology and role filters. Example: {"query": "motion", "role": "design engineer"}

  Parameters:

  • query (required) — string — Name, role, focus or stack, e.g. "motion" or "Rauno".
  • role — string — Words in their role, e.g. "design engineer" or "product designer".
  • limit — integer — Results per page (1 to 50, default 10).
  • cursor — string — next_cursor from the previous call, with the same query and filters. Omit for the first page.
  • technology — string — Only people whose site is built with this technology, e.g. "nextjs", "astro", "framer".

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• list_people read-only

  Designers and design engineers in the catalogue, featured first, then by name, with optional technology and role filters and cursor paging. Use search_people to find someone by name or focus. Example: {"role": "design engineer", "technology": "nextjs", "limit": 20}

  Parameters:

  • role — string — Words in their role, e.g. "design engineer" or "product designer".
  • limit — integer — Results per page (1 to 50, default 20).
  • cursor — string — next_cursor from the previous call, with the same query and filters. Omit for the first page.
  • technology — string — Only people whose site is built with this technology, e.g. "nextjs", "astro", "framer".

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

• get_person read-only

  One person's profile: role, bio, website, social links, studios, what their site is built with (confirmed technologies) and their work on Tangent. Set include_image to also get a small preview of their site. Example: {"slug": "emil-kowalski"}

  Parameters:

  • slug (required) — string — Person slug, e.g. "rauno-freiberg".
  • include_image — boolean — Also attach a small WebP thumbnail (under ~100 KB) as an image block. Off by default to save tokens.

  Hints: read-only yes · destructive no · idempotent yes · open-world no

Publisher website

Measured by MCPYP probing. Untested fields are omitted, never estimated. Listing is always free; MCPYP never proxies calls or stores user tokens.