Design tokens, or “tokens” are elementary design choices represented
as knowledge. They’re the foundational constructing blocks of design techniques.
For the reason that launch of the second editor’s
draft of the
design token specification in 2022 and the name for software
makers
to start out implementing and offering suggestions, the panorama of design token
instruments has developed quickly. Instruments like code mills, documentation
techniques, and UI design software program are actually higher outfitted to assist design
tokens, underscoring their rising significance in fashionable UI structure.
On this article, I will clarify what design tokens are, when they’re helpful and how you can apply
them successfully. We’ll deal with key architectural choices which might be usually troublesome to alter later, together with:
- How one can manage design tokens in layers to stability scalability, maintainability and developer expertise.
- Whether or not all tokens must be made accessible to product groups or only a subset.
- How one can automate the distribution technique of tokens throughout groups.
Position of design tokens
Round 2017, I used to be concerned in a big mission that used the Micro
Frontend
Structure to
scale growth groups. On this setup, totally different groups have been accountable
for various components of the consumer interface, which may very well be even on the identical
web page. Every crew might deploy its micro-frontend independently.
There have been numerous circumstances the place elements could be displayed on prime of
one another (akin to dialogs or toasts showing on prime of content material areas),
which weren’t a part of the identical micro frontend. Groups used the CSS
property z-index to regulate the stacking order, usually counting on magic
numbers—arbitrary values that weren’t documented or standardized. This strategy
didn’t scale because the mission grew. It led to points that took effort to
repair, as cross-team collaboration was wanted.
The problem was finally addressed with design tokens and I feel makes
a great instance to introduce the idea. The respective token file would possibly
have regarded much like this:
{
"z-index": {
"$sort": "quantity",
"default": {
"$worth": 1
},
"sticky": {
"$worth": 100
},
"navigation": {
"$worth": 200
},
"spinner": {
"$worth": 300
},
"toast": {
"$worth": 400
},
"modal": {
"$worth": 500
}
}
}
The design tokens above signify the set of z-index values that may
be used within the software and the identify offers builders a good suggestion of
the place to make use of them. A token file like this may be built-in into the
designers’ workflow and in addition be used to generate code, in a format that
every crew requires. For instance, on this case, the token file might need
been used to generate CSS or SCSS variables:
css
:root {
--z-index-default: 1;
--z-index-sticky: 100;
--z-index-navigation: 200;
--z-index-spinner: 300;
--z-index-toast: 400;
--z-index-modal: 500;
}
scss
$z-index-default: 1; $z-index-sticky: 100; $z-index-navigation: 200; $z-index-spinner: 300; $z-index-toast: 400; $z-index-modal: 500;
What are design tokens?
Salesforce initially launched design tokens to streamline design
updates to a number of
platforms.
The Design Tokens Group Group describes design tokens as “a
methodology for expressing design choices in a platform-agnostic approach so
that they are often shared throughout totally different disciplines, instruments, and
applied sciences
Let’s break this down:
- Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Design tokens act as a typical language
that aligns designers, builders, product managers, and different disciplines. By
providing a single supply of reality for design choices, they be sure that
everybody concerned within the product life cycle is on the identical web page, resulting in extra
environment friendly workflows. - Instrument integration: Design tokens may be built-in into numerous design
and growth instruments, together with UI design software program, token editors, translation
instruments (code mills), and documentation techniques. This permits design updates
to be rapidly mirrored within the code base and are synchronized throughout groups. - Know-how adaptability: Design tokens may be translated into totally different
applied sciences like CSS, SASS, and JavaScript for the net, and even used on native
platforms like Android and iOS. This flexibility permits design consistency
throughout a wide range of platforms and gadgets.
Establishing a single supply of reality
A key good thing about design tokens is their potential to function a single
supply of reality for each design and engineering groups. This ensures that
a number of services or products preserve visible and practical
consistency.
A translation
software takes one or
extra design token information as enter and generates platform-specific code as
output. Some translation instruments may also produce documentation for the
design tokens within the type of HTML. On the time of writing, widespread
translation instruments embody Type
Dictionary,
Theo, Diez
or Specify App.
Automated design token distribution
On this part, we’ll discover how you can automate the distribution of
design tokens to product groups.
Let’s assume our objective is to offer groups with up to date, tech-specific
design tokens instantly after a designer makes a change. To realize
this, we will automate the interpretation and distribution course of utilizing a
deployment pipeline for design tokens. Apart from platform-specific code
artifacts (like CSS for the net, XML for Android and so on.), the pipeline would possibly
additionally deploy the documentation for the design tokens.
One essential requirement is protecting design tokens underneath model management.
Fortunately, plugins for widespread design instruments like Figma already combine
with Git suppliers like GitHub. It is thought of finest observe to make use of the
Git repository as the one supply of reality for design tokens—not the
design software itself. Nonetheless, this requires the plugin to assist syncing
each methods between the repository and the design software, which not all
plugins do. As of now, Tokens Studio is a plugin that gives this
bidirectional syncing. For detailed steering on integrating Tokens Studio
with totally different Git suppliers, please consult with their
documentation.
The software allows you to configure a goal department and helps a
trunk-based in addition to a pull-request-based workflow.
As soon as the tokens are underneath model management, we will arrange a deployment
pipeline to construct and deploy the artifacts wanted by the product groups,
which embody platform-specific supply code and documentation. The supply
code is usually packaged as a library and distributed through an artifact
registry. This strategy offers product groups management over the improve
cycle. They’ll undertake up to date types by merely updating their
dependencies. These updates can also be utilized not directly via updates of element
libraries that use the token-based types.
Determine 2: Automated design token distribution
This total setup has allowed groups at Thoughtworks to roll out
smaller design adjustments throughout a number of front-ends and groups in a single
day.
Totally automated pipeline
Essentially the most easy strategy to design the pipeline could be a
totally automated trunk-based workflow. On this setup, all adjustments
pushed to the principle department shall be instantly deployed so long as they
move the automated high quality gates.
Such a pipeline would possibly encompass the next jobs:
- Verify: Validate the design token information utilizing a design token validator
or a JSON validator. - Construct: Use a translation software like Type
Dictionary to transform design token information into
platform-specific codecs. This job may additionally construct the docs utilizing the
translation software or by integrating a devoted documentation software. - Take a look at: This job is very depending on the testing technique. Though
some assessments may be performed utilizing the design token file straight (like checking the
colour distinction), a typical strategy is to check the generated code utilizing a
documentation software akin to Storybook. Storybook has glorious take a look at
assist for visible regression
assessments, accessibility assessments, interplay assessments, and different take a look at varieties. - Publish: Publish up to date tokens to a package deal supervisor (for instance,
npm). The discharge course of and versioning may be totally automated with a package deal
publishing software that’s based mostly on Typical
Commits like
semantic-release.
semantic-release additionally permits the deployment of packages to a number of platforms.
The publish job may additionally deploy documentation for the design tokens. - Notify: Inform groups of the brand new token model through e-mail or chat, so
that they will replace their dependencies.
Determine 3: Totally automated deployment pipeline
Pipeline together with handbook approval
Typically totally automated high quality gates will not be adequate. If a
handbook assessment is required earlier than publishing, a typical strategy is to
deploy an up to date model of the documentation with the most recent design
token to a preview surroundings (a brief surroundings).
If a software like Storybook is used, this preview would possibly include not
solely the design tokens but in addition present them built-in with the
elements used within the software.
An approval course of may be carried out through a pull-request workflow.
Or, it may be a handbook approval / deployment step within the pipeline.
Determine 4: Deployment pipeline with handbook approval
Organizing tokens in layers
As mentioned earlier, design tokens signify design choices as knowledge.
Nonetheless, not all choices function on the similar stage of element. As an alternative,
ideally, common design choices information extra particular ones. Organizing
tokens (or design choices) into layers permits designers to make
choices on the proper stage of abstraction, supporting consistency and
scalability.
As an illustration, making particular person colour decisions for each new element isn’t sensible.
As an alternative, it’s extra environment friendly to outline a foundational colour palette after which
determine how and the place these colours are utilized. This strategy reduces the
variety of choices whereas sustaining a constant feel and appear.
There are three key sorts of design choices for which design tokens
are used. They construct on prime of each other:
- What design choices can be found to make use of?
- How are these types utilized throughout the consumer interface?
- The place precisely are these types utilized (during which elements)?
There are numerous names for these three sorts of tokens (as typical,
naming is the laborious half). On this article, we’ll use the phrases proposed
by Samantha
Gordashko:
possibility tokens, determination tokens and element tokens.
Let’s use our colour instance for example how design tokens can
reply the three questions above.
Choice tokens: defining what design choices are offered
Choice tokens (additionally referred to as primitive tokens, base tokens, core
tokens, basis tokens or reference tokens) outline what
types can be utilized within the software. They outline issues like colour
palettes, spacing/sizing scales or font households. Not all of them are
essentially used within the software, however they current cheap
choices.
Utilizing our instance, let’s assume we have now a colour palette with 9 shades for every colour,
starting from very mild to extremely saturated. Beneath, we outline the blue tones and gray tones as option-tokens:
{
"colour": {
"$sort": "colour",
"choices": {
"blue-100": {"$worth": "#e0f2ff"},
"blue-200": {"$worth": "#cae8ff"},
"blue-300": {"$worth": "#b5deff"},
"blue-400": {"$worth": "#96cefd"},
"blue-500": {"$worth": "#78bbfa"},
"blue-600": {"$worth": "#59a7f6"},
"blue-700": {"$worth": "#3892f3"},
"blue-800": {"$worth": "#147af3"},
"blue-900": {"$worth": "#0265dc"},
"grey-100": {"$worth": "#f8f8f8"},
"grey-200": {"$worth": "#e6e6e6"},
"grey-300": {"$worth": "#d5d5d5"},
"grey-400": {"$worth": "#b1b1b1"},
"grey-500": {"$worth": "#909090"},
"grey-600": {"$worth": "#6d6d6d"},
"grey-700": {"$worth": "#464646"},
"grey-800": {"$worth": "#222222"},
"grey-900": {"$worth": "#000000"},
"white": {"$worth": "#ffffff"}
}
}
}
Though it’s extremely helpful to have cheap choices, possibility tokens fall quick
of being adequate for guiding builders on how and the place to use them.
Resolution tokens: defining how types are utilized
Resolution tokens (additionally referred to as semantic tokens or system tokens)
specify how these fashion choices must be utilized contextually throughout
the UI.
Within the context of our colour instance, they may embody choices like the next:
- grey-100 is used as a floor colour.
- grey-200 is used for the background of disabled parts.
- grey-400 is used for the textual content of disabled parts.
- grey-900 is used as a default colour for textual content.
- blue-900 is used as an accent colour.
- white is used for textual content on accent colour backgrounds.
The corresponding determination token file would appear like this:
{
"colour": {
"$sort": "colour",
"choices": {
"floor": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-100}",
"description": "Used as a floor colour."
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-200}",
"description":"Used for the background of disabled parts."
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-400}",
"description": "Used for the textual content of disabled parts."
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-900}",
"description": "Used as default textual content colour."
},
"accent": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.blue-900}",
"description": "Used as an accent colour."
},
"text-on-accent": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.white}",
"description": "Used for textual content on accent colour backgrounds."
}
}
}
}
As a developer, I’d principally have an interest within the choices, not the
choices. For instance, colour tokens sometimes include a protracted listing of choices (a
colour palette), whereas only a few of these choices are literally utilized in
the appliance. The tokens which might be truly related when deciding which
types to use, could be normally the choice tokens.
Resolution tokens use
references to the
possibility tokens. I consider organizing tokens this fashion as a layered
structure. In different articles, I’ve usually seen the time period tier being
used, however I feel layer is the higher phrase, as there is no such thing as a bodily
separation implied. The diagram beneath visualizes the 2 layers we talked
about thus far:
Determine 5: 2-layer sample
Element tokens: defining the place types are utilized
Element tokens (or component-specific tokens) map the determination
tokens to particular components of the UI. They present the place types are
utilized.
The time period element within the context of design tokens doesn’t at all times
map to the technical time period element. For instance, a button could be
carried out as a UI element in some purposes, whereas different
purposes simply use the button HTML aspect as an alternative. Element
tokens may very well be utilized in each circumstances.
Element tokens may be organised in a group referencing a number of determination tokens. In our instance, this references
would possibly embody text- and background-colors for various variants of the button (main, secondary) in addition to disabled buttons.
They may additionally embody references to tokens of different varieties (spacing/sizing, borders and so on.) which I will omit within the
following instance:
{
"button": {
"main": {
"background": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.accent}"
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.text-on-accent}"
}
},
"secondary": {
"background": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.floor}"
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.textual content}"
}
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.background-disabled}"
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.text-disabled}"
}
}
}
To a point, element tokens are merely the results of making use of
choices to particular elements. Nonetheless, as this
instance exhibits, this course of isn’t at all times easy—particularly for
builders with out design expertise. Whereas determination tokens can provide a
common sense of which types to make use of in a given context, element tokens
present extra readability.
Determine 6: 3-layer sample
Word: there could also be “snowflake” conditions the place layers are skipped.
For instance, it won’t be potential to outline a common determination for
each single element token, or these choices won’t have been made
but (for instance at first of a mission).
Token scope
I already talked about that whereas possibility tokens are very useful to
designers, they won’t be related for software builders utilizing the
platform-specific code artifacts. Software builders will sometimes be
extra within the determination/element tokens.
Though token scope will not be but included within the design token
spec, some design
techniques already separate tokens into non-public (additionally referred to as inner) and
public (additionally referred to as world) tokens. For instance, the Salesforce Lightning
Design System launched a flag for every
token. There are
numerous the explanation why this may be a good suggestion:
- it guides builders on which tokens to make use of
- fewer choices present a greater developer expertise
- it reduces the file measurement as not all tokens have to be included
- non-public/inner tokens may be modified or eliminated with out breaking
adjustments
A draw back of creating possibility tokens non-public is that builders would rely
on designers to at all times make these types accessible as determination or element
tokens. This might develop into a problem in case of restricted availability of the
designers or if not all choices can be found, for instance in the beginning of
a mission.
Sadly, there is no such thing as a standardized answer but for implementing
scope for design tokens. So the strategy is dependent upon the tool-chain of the
mission and can most certainly want some customized code.
File-based scope
Utilizing Type Dictionary, we will use a
filter to
expose solely public tokens. Essentially the most easy strategy could be to
filter on the file ending. If we use totally different file endings for element,
determination and possibility tokens, we will use a filter on the file path, for
instance, to make the choice tokens layer non-public.
Type Dictionary config
const styleDictionary = new StyleDictionary({
"supply": ["color.options.json", "color.decisions.json"],
"platforms": {
"css": {
"transformGroup": "css",
"information": [
{
"destination": "variables.css",
"filter": token => !token.filePath.endsWith('options.json'),
"format": "css/variables"
}
]
}
}
});
The ensuing CSS variables would include
solely these determination tokens, and never the choice tokens.
Generated CSS variables
:root {
--color-decisions-surface: #f8f8f8;
--color-decisions-background-disabled: #e6e6e6;
--color-decisions-text-disabled: #b1b1b1;
--color-decisions-text: #000000;
--color-decisions-accent: #0265dc;
--color-decisions-text-on-accent: #ffffff;
}
A extra versatile strategy
If extra flexibility is required, it could be preferable so as to add a scope
flag to every token and to filter based mostly on this flag:
Type Dictionary config
const styleDictionary = new StyleDictionary({
"supply": ["color.options.json", "color.decisions.json"],
"platforms": {
"css": {
"transformGroup": "css",
"information": [
{
"destination": "variables.css",
"filter": {
"public": true
},
"format": "css/variables"
}
]
}
}
});
If we then add the flag to the choice tokens, the ensuing CSS would
be the identical as above:
Tokens with scope flag
{
"colour": {
"$sort": "colour",
"choices": {
"floor": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-100}",
"description": "Used as a floor colour.",
"public": true
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-200}",
"description":"Used for the background of disabled parts.",
"public": true
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-400}",
"description": "Used for the textual content of disabled parts.",
"public": true
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.grey-900}",
"description": "Used as default textual content colour.",
"public": true
},
"accent": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.blue-900}",
"description": "Used as an accent colour.",
"public": true
},
"text-on-accent": {
"$worth": "{colour.choices.white}",
"description": "Used for textual content on accent colour backgrounds.",
"public": true
}
}
}
}
Generated CSS variables
:root {
--color-decisions-surface: #f8f8f8;
--color-decisions-background-disabled: #e6e6e6;
--color-decisions-text-disabled: #b1b1b1;
--color-decisions-text: #000000;
--color-decisions-accent: #0265dc;
--color-decisions-text-on-accent: #ffffff;
}
Such flags can now even be set via the Figma
UI
(if utilizing Figma variables as a supply of reality for design tokens). It’s
accessible as
hiddenFromPublishing
flag through the Plugins API.
Ought to I exploit design tokens?
Design tokens provide important advantages for contemporary UI structure,
however they is probably not the correct match for each mission.
Advantages embody:
- Improved lead time for design adjustments
- Constant design language and UI structure throughout platforms and
applied sciences - Design tokens being comparatively light-weight from an implementation level of
view
Drawbacks embody:
- Preliminary effort for automation
- Designers might need to (to some extent) work together with Git
- Standardization remains to be in progress
Contemplate the next when deciding whether or not to undertake design
tokens:
When to make use of design tokens
- Multi-Platform or Multi-Software Environments: When working throughout
a number of platforms (net, iOS, Android…) or sustaining a number of purposes or
frontends, design tokens guarantee a constant design language throughout all of
them. - Frequent Design Adjustments: For environments with common design
updates, design tokens present a structured strategy to handle and propagate adjustments
effectively. - Giant Groups: For groups with many designers and builders, design
tokens facilitate collaboration. - Automated Workflows: In case you’re conversant in CI/CD pipelines, the
effort so as to add a design token pipeline is comparatively low. There are additionally
business choices.
When design tokens won’t be mandatory
- Small initiatives: For smaller initiatives with restricted scope and minimal
design complexity, the overhead of managing design tokens won’t be well worth the
effort. - No concern with design adjustments: If the pace of design adjustments,
consistency and collaboration between design and engineering will not be a problem,
then you may also not want design tokens.