Hey Dev.to fam! Wabi sabi here. 🌿 I’ve been thinking about how we level up our design skills as devs, and I realized that sometimes the best way to move forward is to look backward. I’m talking about Reverse Engineering. If you’re tired of staring at a blank Figma canvas, here’s a quick TL;DR on how to “hack” your way to better UI: Rebuild your favorites 🧩: Try recreating a popular app (like Spotify or Airbnb) from scratch without peeking at the source code. It’s the ultimate reality check for your CSS skills! Fix the Robot 🤖: Let an AI generate a layout, then go in and manually fix all its weird UX mistakes. It’s a great way to practice your “design intuition.” Prompt Deconstruction 🔍: See a cool AI-generated interface? Don’t just admire it—break down the prompt. Figure out exactly which keywords created that specific vibe. Spot the “Dark Patterns” 🚫: Analyze the sneaky UI tricks that frustrate users. Learning what not to do is the fastest way to become an ethical designer. The “Copywork” Method 📐: Literally trace over high-quality UIs. It sounds simple, but it’s the best way to actually feel the rhythm of perfect spacing and typography. Reverse engineering isn’t just about copying; it’s about understanding the why behind the what. Give it a shot on your next side project! 🚀🎨 Want to dive deeper into these techniques? Check out the full breakdown here: https://whattadesign.blogspot.com/2026/02/reverse-engineering-new-way-to-learn-ui.html 🚀 Originally published at My Blog
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