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Nick edited this page Mar 25, 2026 · 1 revision

Layout Tokens

Layout tokens are the building blocks Aldus uses to compose a page. When the model proposes a layout, it outputs a sequence of tokens — an ordered list of sections — for each personality. The PHP assembler then maps each token to real WordPress blocks.

You don't choose tokens yourself. The model chooses them based on your content mix, the active personality, and any Style Notes you've set. This page documents what each token renders, so you understand what you're looking at in the wireframe thumbnails and token strips.


Token quick reference

Token Category What it renders
cover:dark Covers Full-width dark cover with title overlay
cover:light Covers Full-width light cover with title overlay
cover:minimal Covers Clean, nearly decoration-free cover
cover:split Covers Half-image, half-text full-height cover
columns:2-equal Columns Two 50/50 side-by-side columns
columns:28-72 Columns Narrow label column + wide body column
columns:3-equal Columns Three equal-width columns
columns:4-equal Columns Four equal-width columns
media-text:left Media Image left, text right panel
media-text:right Media Text left, image right panel
group:dark-full Groups Full-width dark background section
group:light-full Groups Full-width light background section
group:accent-full Groups Full-width theme accent color section
group:border-box Groups Bordered inset editorial box
group:gradient-full Groups Full-width theme gradient section
pullquote:wide Pull Quotes Wide-aligned pullquote
pullquote:full-solid Pull Quotes Full-width solid-background pullquote
pullquote:centered Pull Quotes Centered pullquote with large type
heading:h1 Headings Standalone H1 heading
heading:h2 Headings Standalone H2 heading
heading:h3 Headings Standalone H3 heading
heading:display Headings Extra-large display-style heading
heading:kicker Headings Small uppercase kicker label
paragraph Paragraphs Standard paragraph block
paragraph:dropcap Paragraphs Paragraph with decorative drop cap
image:wide Images Wide-aligned image
image:full Images Full-width edge-to-edge image
quote Quotes Standard blockquote
quote:attributed Quotes Blockquote with attribution line
list Structure Bulleted list
separator Structure Horizontal rule / divider
spacer:small Structure Small vertical space
spacer:large Structure Large vertical space
spacer:xlarge Structure Extra-large vertical space
buttons:cta Structure Call-to-action button section
video:hero Video Full-width hero video embed
video:section Video Standard embedded video section
table:data Table Formatted data table
gallery:2-col Gallery Two-column image grid
gallery:3-col Gallery Three-column image grid

Covers

cover:dark

A core/cover block set to full width with a dark overlay color from your theme palette. Renders the headline as the cover title, optionally with a subheading and a CTA button layered on top.

The overlay color uses your theme's "darkest" palette color, so it adapts to different themes. Content is centered or positioned based on the personality's style rules.

Needs: Headline. Optionally: subheading, button, image (as the background).


cover:light

Same structure as cover:dark but uses a light theme color for the overlay. Creates a bright, welcoming opener rather than a dramatic one.

Needs: Headline. Optionally: subheading, button, image.


cover:minimal

A core/cover block with minimal or no overlay — the cover relies on typography rather than color. Looks closer to a typographic banner than a cinematic cover.

Needs: Headline. Works well with almost no imagery.


cover:split

A core/media-text block set to full width and minimum 600px height with imageFill: true. The left half is a full-bleed image background; the right half holds text content. Creates a bold, full-viewport split.

Needs: An image is strongly recommended — without one the left side renders as a color placeholder. Headline and subheading fill the text side.


Columns

columns:2-equal

Two core/column blocks at 50% width each, side by side. Has multiple layout variants — depending on content and personality style, this can render as: heading + paragraph pairs in each column; heading in one column and a list in the other; a quote on the left and a paragraph on the right; or an image on one side.

Needs: At least two content pieces (two paragraphs, or a heading + paragraph, etc.).


columns:28-72

The signature Folio layout: a narrow 28% column on the left and a wide 72% column on the right. The narrow column typically holds a label (subheading or image) while the wide column holds body text.

Needs: Works best with a subheading (for the narrow label column) and a paragraph (for the wide body column).


columns:3-equal

Three equal-width core/column blocks, each with a background color from your theme palette. Typically renders with a subheading and paragraph in each column. Good for feature trios, step-by-step sections, or any "three things" structure.

Needs: Three paragraphs or subheadings work best.


columns:4-equal

Four equal-width core/column blocks, each with a background color. Ideal for brief, scannable content: stats, features, quick facts. Each column typically holds a subheading or a short paragraph.

Needs: Four content pieces. Works best with short, punchy content in each slot.


Media

media-text:left

A core/media-text block with the image on the left and text on the right (38/62 split). Has four layout variants based on available content: default (heading + paragraph); quote alongside image; heading + CTA button; heading + bullet list.

Needs: An image. A headline or subheading. Optionally a paragraph, quote, list, or button.


media-text:right

Same as media-text:left but mirrored — image on the right, text on the left. Alternating media-text:left and media-text:right creates the classic "Broadside" product-page rhythm.

Needs: Same as media-text:left.


Groups

group:dark-full

A full-width core/group block with a dark theme background color. Renders heading, paragraph, list, and button content on a dark background. Uses constrained layout to keep text readable width.

Needs: Any combination of headline, subheading, paragraph, list, and button.


group:light-full

Same structure as group:dark-full with a light theme color. Creates contrast when paired with a dark section.


group:accent-full

Full-width group using the theme's accent color. Often used as the CTA section — a visually distinct moment that prompts action. The button in this section uses the accent color's contrast color (typically white) for maximum legibility.

Needs: Works best with a heading, a short paragraph, and a button.


group:border-box

A core/group block with a 2px solid border and generous padding — no background fill. Creates an editorial inset effect that highlights a key section of content. Has two variants: default (heading + paragraph + quote) and dense (heading + paragraph + list + CTA).

Needs: Heading or subheading, paragraph. A quote in the default variant.


group:gradient-full

Full-width group using a theme gradient rather than a solid color. Creates atmospheric visual richness. Has two variants: default content section and testimonial (centered quote + attribution + CTA).

Needs: Any content. Quote + attribution works especially well in the testimonial variant.


Pull Quotes

pullquote:wide

A core/pullquote block aligned wide. The quote text is displayed large within the column content width but with extra horizontal emphasis. Less imposing than pullquote:full-solid.

Needs: A quote item.


pullquote:full-solid

A full-width core/pullquote block with a solid background color. Cuts dramatically across the full page width. The signature section of Dispatch and Tribune.

Needs: A quote item.


pullquote:centered

A core/pullquote centered in the content width with enlarged type. More refined than full-solid — suited to editorial and atmospheric layouts.

Needs: A quote item.


Headings

heading:h1

A standalone core/heading block at H1 level. Used as a page-level title — often at the very top of the layout before a cover or group section.

heading:h2

A standalone H2 heading. Used to introduce major sections.

heading:h3

A standalone H3 heading. Used to introduce subsections or as a column label.

heading:display

An H1-level heading rendered at a display size — larger than a standard H1, intended to be the most visually dominant element on the page. The signature heading of the Codex personality.

heading:kicker

A small, uppercase, letter-spaced label — rendered as a styled H6. Sits above the main heading to provide context or category. Works like a magazine "section label" or a news "category tag".


Paragraphs

paragraph

A standard core/paragraph block. Plain body text.

paragraph:dropcap

A core/paragraph block with dropCap: true — the first letter is rendered large and decorative. Used to open long-form sections in editorial personalities.


Images

image:wide

A core/image block aligned wide — extends beyond the text column width but does not reach the full viewport edge.

image:full

A core/image block aligned full — full viewport width. Creates a dramatic, edge-to-edge visual break.


Quotes

quote

A standard core/quote block. Simple blockquote with a paragraph inside.

quote:attributed

A core/quote block with a cite element — the quote text plus a — Name attribution line. Used in Ledger and other long-form editorial personalities.


Structure

list

A core/list block with core/list-item children. Items come from a List content type — one item per line.

separator

A core/separator block. A horizontal rule that creates a visual pause between sections.

spacer:small

A core/spacer with a small height (32px). Creates minimal breathing room.

spacer:large

A core/spacer with a larger height (64px). Creates deliberate section spacing.

spacer:xlarge

A core/spacer with extra-large height (96px). Creates dramatic section spacing for cinematic-feeling layouts.

buttons:cta

A core/buttons block containing a single core/button. Renders the CTA button with the theme's accent background color. The button's label and URL come from your Button content type.

Needs: A button content item with a label and URL.


Video

video:hero

A core/group wrapping a core/embed block at full width. Renders the video as a large, prominent section.

video:section

A core/group wrapping a core/embed block in a standard content-width section.

Both need: A Video content item with a YouTube or Vimeo URL.


Table

table:data

A core/table block rendered from CSV-formatted table content. Column headers are in the first row; data rows follow.

Needs: A Table content item in CSV format.


Gallery

gallery:2-col

A core/gallery block with two columns. Each image links to the full-size version.

gallery:3-col

A core/gallery block with three columns. The defining section of Mosaic and Prism.

Both need: A Gallery content item with at least two images selected.


Token sequences in the editor

After generation, each layout card shows a token strip below the personality name — a compressed visual recipe of the proposed sequence, for example:

cover:dark  →  pullquote:full-solid  →  paragraph:dropcap  →  image:full  →  group:accent-full  →  buttons:cta

This lets you compare layouts at a glance before clicking into any card.