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21st AI has two generation modes. Pick the one that matches how finished you need the output to be.

Sketch mode

Sketch mode produces fast HTML/Tailwind drafts rendered directly in the browser. It’s built for exploring layout and visual direction in seconds, before committing to real code.
  • Generates several drafts in parallel so you can compare directions.
  • Each draft (“take”) renders live with its own loading / ready / error state.
  • Lock a marketplace theme so every draft uses your palette and typography.
  • Refine a single take with natural language — each refinement is saved as a new version so you can step back.
  • Copy the take’s HTML, or copy a paste-ready prompt to hand off to an AI agent.
Sketch mode is the fastest way to answer “what should this look like?” — reach for Code mode once you’ve picked a direction.

Code mode

Code mode produces full React / shadcn components with a live sandboxed preview and multi-turn editing.
  • Generates multiple component variants; pick one to continue with.
  • A live preview runs the real component in a sandbox.
  • Refine through a multi-turn chat — describe changes and watch the component update.
  • Attach images or files for extra context.
  • Copy the component code when you’re happy with it.

Refining a draft

Both modes work the same way once you’ve generated: pick one draft, then describe what to change.
1

Pick a draft

Select the take or variant closest to what you want.
2

Describe the change

“Make the CTA bigger”, “switch to a two-column layout”, “use a darker background”. Small, specific instructions work best.
3

Iterate

Each refinement builds on the current draft. Keep going until it’s right, then take the code.

Starting from a marketplace component

You can seed a generation from an existing community component and remix it, instead of starting from a blank prompt — a fast way to adapt a proven component to your needs.
Generating and refining draw from your monthly credits. See Pricing & Credits for what each action costs.