Running Recto as a service, AI Code Tools

Recto Agency Implementation, Productizing AI-Driven Design Delivery

Learn how to build a design delivery service around Recto's local agent canvas, from setting up design system tokens that agents follow to packaging exports as client-ready assets. This course covers pricing your AI-assisted design work, managing client feedback loops through pinned comments, and scaling production across multiple projects without hiring additional designers.

Open the decision record for Recto

What does running Recto for clients commit you to?

Published figures for this service. Blank fields are not published.

Monthly tool cost
Not published, Recto is listed as open-source with no paid tier in the supplied data
Time to first value
Hours to first value per the published time_to_value field; ongoing labor not published
Payback
Not modeled, client price, labor cost, agent usage cost, overhead, and expected volume were not supplied
Guided implementation
8 hours

Is Recto worth running as a client service?

Recto is a credible local canvas for agencies already running coding agents, with low setup complexity and no published vendor license fee. Its lack of cloud collaboration, multi-client management, and white-label options means agency economics depend on measured labor and scope discipline, which the supplied data does not price.

An agency-fit judgement for reselling this service. It is separate from the tool description on the decision record.

Before you start

What has to be in place before the first client engagement.

Tools and subscriptions

  • Recto desktop app for Mac, Windows, or Linux
  • At least one supported coding agent installed (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or OpenCode)
  • Client design system source (DESIGN.md and theme.css tokens) or willingness to build one in Recto
  • Optional Figma access for design handoff comparisons

People and inputs

  • Staff briefed on visual editing of agent-generated designs (drag, resize, style, animate)
  • A written prompt and comment workflow for directing agents inside the canvas
  • Export acceptance checklist covering HTML/CSS, SVG, PNG, video, and .glb

Estimated investment: No vendor license cost published, Recto is listed as open-source. Agency investment is limited to setup labor, agent subscription costs the agency already pays, and the time to author client token sets.

Included with the course

6 working documents for delivering this service.

  • Design System Token Setup Worksheetworksheet
  • Agent-Assisted Design Project Pricing Templatetemplate
  • Client Feedback Loop SOP for Pinned Commentssop
  • Recto Export Formats and Delivery Checklistchecklist
  • Multi-Agent Workflow Configuration Guideguide
  • Design Brief Template for Agent Promptingtemplate

Listed by name. These documents are not yet published as individual downloads.