linear.app
scanned 2026-09-18 21:24 UTC · defs 2026.09
category overview
the breakdown
4 of 27 patterns flaggedAI-default font stack (Inter / Geist / Space Grotesk)
Slop fonts
Inter, Geist, Space Grotesk, and Instrument Serif (italic) are the four fonts LLMs default to because Stripe/Linear/Vercel standardized them and training data is saturated with them.
Perma dark mode + medium-grey body text
Perma dark
Dark background + mid-grey body text (#a0a0a0 region, HSL saturation <15%, L 0.35–0.75) is the AI default for 'premium' feel.
Cards nested inside cards
Nested cards
Cards inside cards (a bordered/shadowed/rounded container holding more bordered/shadowed/rounded containers) create visual noise and excessive depth — a reflexive AI layout move where every group gets wrapped in its own panel.
Numbered "1 · 2 · 3" step sequences
Numbered steps
Numbered 1·2·3 'How it works' sections are AI's go-to filler.
✓ clean, no tells in this category.
✓ clean, no tells in this category.
the four axes
slop: lower is better · system & AEO: higher is better
design slop
19/100
Mild
copy slop
not run
system · DESIGN.md
none
no DESIGN.md
AEO · agent-readable
not run
scan to evaluate
You've seen the score. Now fix it.
4 tells, heaviest first.
AI-default font stack (Inter / Geist / Space Grotesk)+8
whyInter, Geist, Space Grotesk, and Instrument Serif (italic) are the four fonts LLMs default to because Stripe/Linear/Vercel standardized them and training data is saturated with them. Using any of these signals 'AI-built' to anyone who's looked at more than 10 landing pages in 2026.fixReplace the body and heading typefaces with something that actually reflects your brand. Pick from foundry sans (Söhne, Aeonik, GT America, Untitled Sans, Suisse Int'l, Pangea, Telegraf, Object Sans) OR a system-font stack (`-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI`) for body + a single distinctive display face for H1.ruleIf you can't name the foundry, don't ship the font. Inter/Geist/Space Grotesk are banned for this site.
Perma dark mode + medium-grey body text+4
whyDark background + mid-grey body text (#a0a0a0 region, HSL saturation <15%, L 0.35–0.75) is the AI default for 'premium' feel. The mid-grey body text fails WCAG AA and signals 'I let v0 pick the colors'.fixEither: (a) go full light mode with crisp dark text on cream/white, OR (b) keep dark but increase body text contrast to at least #d4d4d8 (L 0.85+). Better: ship both themes and respect `prefers-color-scheme`.ruleBody text on dark backgrounds must have L ≥ 0.85. No defaulting to dark — the user's system preference is the default.
Cards nested inside cards+4
whyCards inside cards (a bordered/shadowed/rounded container holding more bordered/shadowed/rounded containers) create visual noise and excessive depth — a reflexive AI layout move where every group gets wrapped in its own panel.fixFlatten the hierarchy. Pick ONE level to be the card and use spacing, typography, and dividers for the inner structure instead of nesting more containers. A card holding three sub-cards should usually be a card holding three text blocks separated by space or a hairline.ruleNo card-like container inside another card-like container. One level of elevation, max.
Numbered "1 · 2 · 3" step sequences+3
whyNumbered 1·2·3 'How it works' sections are AI's go-to filler. They almost never describe an actual product flow — they describe a generic 'sign up / use it / love it' loop.fixReplace the numbered steps with the actual product flow shown in real UI. A single annotated screenshot or 15-second video tells the user more than 1-2-3 generic verbs. If steps are essential (e.g. an actual checkout flow), make them visual — show the screen at each step.ruleNo numbered steps section with generic verbs like 'Sign up / Connect / Get started'. If you keep numbered steps, each must include a real product screenshot.
npx slop-detect linear.app --fix