# Tangent

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

- name: directory.tangent/tangent
- version: 0.2.0
- connection class: R0 (autonomous)
- trust: 83/100 flags: no-repository
- quality: 96/100 (strong)
- owner: not claimed
- descriptor: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/directory.tangent%2Ftangent
- tools: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/directory.tangent%2Ftangent/tools

**An agent can connect right now, no human step.** Remote endpoint, no authentication, reachable on the last probe.

## Connection (mcpServers)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tangent": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://tangent.directory/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```


## Trust

- hygiene: 80
- liveness: 100
- freshness: 100
- provenance: 55
- drivers: +dns-namespace +website +reachable +uptime-100% +updated-15d-ago -no-repository
- Derived from observable signals (official registry feed and our own credential-free probes); no code audit performed.

## Quality 96/100 (strong)

### protocol: 88 (weight 25)

- pass `protocol.modern`: supports 2026-07-28 (server/discover)
- pass `protocol.stateless`: answers without a session
- pass `protocol.transport`: streamable HTTP
- warn `protocol.list_ttl`: tools/list declares ttlMs 0, so clients re-fetch it on every use

### authorization: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `auth.prm`, `auth.as_metadata`, `auth.cimd`: no remote uses OAuth
- n/a `auth.secret_in_url`: no templated URL

### tool hygiene: 100 (weight 30)

- pass `tools.descriptions`: every tool has a description
- pass `tools.description_length`: descriptions are concise
- pass `tools.schemas`: every tool has an object input schema
- pass `tools.annotations`: 10 of 10 tools declare readOnlyHint or destructiveHint
- pass `tools.directory_hints`: every tool declares readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint and openWorldHint
- pass `tools.token_cost`: about 2,492 tokens to load every tool
- pass `tools.api_dump`: tools are not a one-to-one API dump

### stability: 100 (weight 15)

- pass `stability.changes`: no tool changes in 30 days
- pass `stability.rug_pull`: no tool changed its meaning under the same name

### dependencies: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `deps.known_vulns`, `deps.mcp_sdk_version`, `deps.resolvable`: no npm or PyPI package

- tools: 10, about 2,492 tokens to load them all
- tool set hash: 76597784c16e01d72db8ea76ab526a08
- badge: [![protogrid quality](https://protogrid.dev/badge/directory.tangent/tangent.svg)](https://protogrid.dev/servers/directory.tangent/tangent)
- Checks run on what our credential-free, read-only probes observe; tools are never called and no code audit is performed.

### Tool changes

_No tool definition changes recorded._

## Remotes

- https://tangent.directory/api/mcp (streamable-http, auth none, reachable true, uptime30d 1)

## Packages

_none_

## Tools (10)

- `browse_vertical`: 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}
- `find_inspiration`: 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"}
- `get_pattern`: 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}
- `get_person`: 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"}
- `get_resource`: 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"}
- `list_patterns`: 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: {}
- `list_people`: 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}
- `related_resources`: 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"}
- `search_people`: Find designers and design engineers by name, role, focus or stack, ranked, with optional technology and role filters. Example: {"query": "motion", "role": "design engineer"}
- `search_resources`: 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}