HTML to Bricks Builder
Version: 1.1.0
Updated: 2026-08-04
Category: migration
Status: stable
Requires: Respira for WordPress plugin 7.1+ + Bricks Builder active + MCP server
Description
Convert raw HTML/CSS — pasted from a design export, a Figma extraction, an existing landing page on another platform, or a competitor's source code — into native Bricks Builder elements. Not a screenshot-to-builder pass; this is a structural conversion that respects Bricks' element schemas, ACSS classes (if installed), and the site's design system.
Resolves [open feature request: HTML to Bricks Builder]. Uses the existing respira_convert_html_to_builder MCP tool, with a Bricks-specific workflow layered on top.
When to Use
- A designer hands you HTML/CSS from a Webflow export, a Framer export, or a CodePen
- You're rebuilding a competitor's landing page (legally — don't copy proprietary work) and want to start from their structure
- You have an old static HTML page you want to bring into your live Bricks-powered site
- You're prototyping a section in HTML and want to land it in Bricks for further editing
Trigger Phrases
- "convert this html to bricks"
- "import this design into bricks"
- "paste html into bricks"
- "html to bricks"
- "turn this html into a bricks page"
- "bring this codepen into bricks"
Execution Workflow
Step 1 — Verify Bricks is active
Call respira_get_builder_info. If the active builder is NOT Bricks, stop and tell the user: "This skill targets Bricks Builder. Your active builder is {X}. Use the generic convert html to builder workflow instead, or switch the active builder."
If Bricks is active, capture its version.
Step 2 — Confirm site + target page
Call respira_get_active_site. Ask:
- "Convert the HTML into a new page (I'll create it), or into an existing page (you tell me which)?"
- If existing: confirm the page ID and remind the user that a SafeEdit duplicate will be created.
Step 3 — Pull design system if present
Call respira_get_option('respira_design_system'). If present, capture colors, typography, spacing tokens. The conversion will map raw CSS values (e.g. #2563EB) to design system tokens (e.g. primary) so the converted page is drift-resistant.
Step 4 — Accept the HTML input
Three input modes:
- Mode A — pasted in the conversation. The user pastes raw HTML directly.
- Mode B — URL. The user gives a public URL; fetch the HTML via WebFetch or
/browse. Do NOT silently re-host external assets; flag external images so the user can decide to mirror them.
- Mode C — file. The user uploads or references a local HTML file path.
In all modes, also accept inline <style> blocks and external <link rel=stylesheet> references. For external stylesheets, fetch their text content.
Step 5 — Run the conversion
Call respira_convert_html_to_builder with builder=bricks, the HTML, the CSS, and the design-system context.
The MCP tool returns a Bricks element tree. Each element has a name (Bricks element type — section, block, container, heading, text-basic, button, image, etc.) and settings matching the Bricks schema.
The conversion also registers the colors and typography it carries as named design tokens in Bricks' own global styles, and the converted elements reference those tokens instead of carrying value copies. When refining afterwards, reuse the registered tokens (respira_list_design_tokens shows them) rather than re-inlining raw hex values or font stacks — and mention the registration, token names and counts, when you report the conversion done.
Step 6 — Map raw values to design system tokens
For each element in the tree:
- If
settings.color is a hex value matching one of the design system colors, replace with a token reference
- If
settings.typography.font-family matches the design system heading or body family, replace with a token reference
- If
settings.padding, settings.margin, settings.gap are pixel values matching the design system spacing scale, replace with token references
This step is the difference between a one-off conversion and a maintainable page. After the conversion, if the user updates the design system, the converted page reflects it.
Step 7 — ACSS class mapping (if ACSS detected)
Call respira_get_option('automatic_css_settings') or check the active theme for ACSS. If ACSS is installed:
- Map common CSS patterns to ACSS classes
padding: 96px 24px → ACSS section padding utility
max-width: 1280px; margin: 0 auto → ACSS container class
- Heading font sizes → ACSS heading scale classes
This is optional and gated on ACSS being present. If ACSS isn't installed, fall through to inline settings.
Step 8 — Inject into the page
For a new page: call respira_build_page with the Bricks element tree as the page body.
For an existing page: call respira_create_page_duplicate first (SafeEdit), then respira_inject_builder_content against the duplicate.
Output the new (or duplicate) page URL.
Step 9 — Verify
Open the new page in the Bricks editor (the URL pattern is /?bricks=run&page_id={id}). Visually verify:
- All sections render
- Typography looks correct
- Colors map to design system tokens
- Spacing is consistent
- Images load (warn if any external image URLs were preserved unmirrored)
If anything is off, the user can refine in the Bricks editor directly. Common issues to flag:
- HTML elements Bricks doesn't have a 1:1 mapping for (e.g.
<details> collapsible → mapped to Bricks accordion)
- Forms — HTML
<form> doesn't convert into Bricks Form element 1:1. Flag and ask the user to wire the form fields manually.
- Custom animations — CSS keyframes don't convert. Flag.
Hard rules
- Bricks-only. This skill is locked to Bricks. For other builders, use the generic
convert_html_to_builder workflow.
- Never inject HTML directly into the page body. If the conversion can't map an HTML element to a Bricks element, the skill must report the failure and let the user decide. Do not fall back to a "code block" element that pastes raw HTML — that recreates the do-not-write-raw-HTML failure mode.
- External assets are flagged, not mirrored. Don't silently download external images and side-load them. Flag them so the user explicitly decides to mirror.
- Always SafeEdit on existing pages. Never convert HTML into a live page directly. Duplicate first.
- Design system tokens take precedence over raw values. When a CSS hex matches a design system color, use the token. Always.
Telemetry
Records: site URL hash, Bricks version, HTML input size (bytes), elements converted count, design system bound, ACSS detected, success/failure, total duration. No HTML content, no element names, no page IDs sent.
Endpoint: POST https://www.respira.press/api/skills/track-usage