Design tokens, or “tokens” are basic design choices represented
as information. They’re the foundational constructing blocks of design methods.
Because the launch of the second editor’s
draft of the
design token specification in 2022 and the name for device
makers
to start out implementing and offering suggestions, the panorama of design token
instruments has advanced quickly. Instruments like code turbines, documentation
methods, and UI design software program are actually higher outfitted to assist design
tokens, underscoring their rising significance in trendy UI structure.
On this article, I will clarify what design tokens are, when they’re helpful and learn how to apply
them successfully. We’ll concentrate on key architectural choices which are typically troublesome to alter later, together with:
- manage design tokens in layers to stability scalability, maintainability and developer expertise.
- Whether or not all tokens needs to be made obtainable to product groups or only a subset.
- automate the distribution strategy of tokens throughout groups.
Function of design tokens
Round 2017, I used to be concerned in a big venture that used the Micro
Frontend
Structure to
scale growth groups. On this setup, completely different groups had been accountable
for various components of the consumer interface, which could possibly be even on the identical
web page. Every group may deploy its micro-frontend independently.
There have been varied instances the place parts can be displayed on prime of
one another (corresponding 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 manage the stacking order, typically counting on magic
numbers—arbitrary values that weren’t documented or standardized. This method
didn’t scale because the venture grew. It led to points that took effort to
repair, as cross-team collaboration was wanted.
The difficulty was ultimately addressed with design tokens and I believe makes
a very good instance to introduce the idea. The respective token file may
have seemed much like this:
{
"z-index": {
"$kind": "quantity",
"default": {
"$worth": 1
},
"sticky": {
"$worth": 100
},
"navigation": {
"$worth": 200
},
"spinner": {
"$worth": 300
},
"toast": {
"$worth": 400
},
"modal": {
"$worth": 500
}
}
}
The design tokens above characterize the set of z-index values that may
be used within the utility and the title provides 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 likewise be used to generate code, in a format that
every group 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 means so
that they are often shared throughout completely 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. - Software integration: Design tokens may be built-in into varied design
and growth instruments, together with UI design software program, token editors, translation
instruments (code turbines), and documentation methods. This allows design updates
to be rapidly mirrored within the code base and are synchronized throughout groups. - Expertise adaptability: Design tokens may be translated into completely different
applied sciences like CSS, SASS, and JavaScript for the online, and even used on native
platforms like Android and iOS. This flexibility permits design consistency
throughout quite a lot of platforms and gadgets.
Establishing a single supply of reality
A key good thing about design tokens is their capability to function a single
supply of reality for each design and engineering groups. This ensures that
a number of services or products keep visible and practical
consistency.
A translation
device 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, common
translation instruments embody Type
Dictionary,
Theo, Diez
or Specify App.
Automated design token distribution
On this part, we’ll discover learn how to automate the distribution of
design tokens to product groups.
Let’s assume our objective is to supply groups with up to date, tech-specific
design tokens instantly after a designer makes a change. To realize
this, we are able to automate the interpretation and distribution course of utilizing a
deployment pipeline for design tokens. Moreover platform-specific code
artifacts (like CSS for the online, XML for Android and many others.), the pipeline may
additionally deploy the documentation for the design tokens.
One essential requirement is maintaining design tokens underneath model management.
Fortunately, plugins for common design instruments like Figma already combine
with Git suppliers like GitHub. It is thought-about greatest follow to make use of the
Git repository as the one supply of reality for design tokens—not the
design device itself. Nevertheless, this requires the plugin to assist syncing
each methods between the repository and the design device, which not all
plugins do. As of now, Tokens Studio is a plugin that provides this
bidirectional syncing. For detailed steering on integrating Tokens Studio
with completely different Git suppliers, please discuss with their
documentation.
The device lets you 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 are able to 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 often packaged as a library and distributed through an artifact
registry. This method provides product groups management over the improve
cycle. They’ll undertake up to date kinds by merely updating their
dependencies. These updates may be utilized not directly via updates of element
libraries that use the token-based kinds.
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 simple method to design the pipeline can be a
absolutely automated trunk-based workflow. On this setup, all adjustments
pushed to the primary department shall be instantly deployed so long as they
move the automated high quality gates.
Such a pipeline may include the next jobs:
- Test: Validate the design token information utilizing a design token validator
or a JSON validator. - Construct: Use a translation device like Type
Dictionary to transform design token information into
platform-specific codecs. This job may additionally construct the docs utilizing the
translation device or by integrating a devoted documentation device. - Take a look at: This job is very depending on the testing technique. Though
some assessments may be achieved utilizing the design token file immediately (like checking the
shade distinction), a typical method is to check the generated code utilizing a
documentation device corresponding to Storybook. Storybook has wonderful check
assist for visible regression
assessments, accessibility assessments, interplay assessments, and different check sorts. - Publish: Publish up to date tokens to a package deal supervisor (for instance,
npm). The discharge course of and versioning may be absolutely automated with a package deal
publishing device that’s primarily based on Standard
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 guide approval
Typically absolutely automated high quality gates usually are not ample. If a
guide evaluate is required earlier than publishing, a typical method is to
deploy an up to date model of the documentation with the most recent design
token to a preview surroundings (a short lived surroundings).
If a device like Storybook is used, this preview may comprise not
solely the design tokens but additionally present them built-in with the
parts used within the utility.
An approval course of may be carried out through a pull-request workflow.
Or, it may be a guide approval / deployment step within the pipeline.
Determine 4: Deployment pipeline with guide approval
Organizing tokens in layers
As mentioned earlier, design tokens characterize design choices as information.
Nevertheless, not all choices function on the identical degree of element. As a substitute,
ideally, common design choices information extra particular ones. Organizing
tokens (or design choices) into layers permits designers to make
choices on the proper degree of abstraction, supporting consistency and
scalability.
As an illustration, making particular person shade selections for each new element isn’t sensible.
As a substitute, it’s extra environment friendly to outline a foundational shade palette after which
determine how and the place these colours are utilized. This method reduces the
variety of choices whereas sustaining a constant feel and appear.
There are three key kinds 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 kinds utilized throughout the consumer interface?
- The place precisely are these kinds utilized (by which parts)?
There are numerous names for these three kinds of tokens (as normal,
naming is the laborious half). On this article, we’ll use the phrases proposed
by Samantha
Gordashko:
choice tokens, determination tokens and element tokens.
Let’s use our shade instance for instance how design tokens can
reply the three questions above.
Possibility tokens: defining what design choices are offered
Possibility tokens (additionally referred to as primitive tokens, base tokens, core
tokens, basis tokens or reference tokens) outline what
kinds can be utilized within the utility. They outline issues like shade
palettes, spacing/sizing scales or font households. Not all of them are
essentially used within the utility, however they current affordable
choices.
Utilizing our instance, let’s assume now we have a shade palette with 9 shades for every shade,
starting from very gentle to extremely saturated. Beneath, we outline the blue tones and gray tones as option-tokens:
{
"shade": {
"$kind": "shade",
"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": {"$worth": "#ffffff"}
}
}
}
Though it’s extremely helpful to have affordable choices, choice tokens fall quick
of being ample for guiding builders on how and the place to use them.
Determination tokens: defining how kinds are utilized
Determination tokens (additionally referred to as semantic tokens or system tokens)
specify how these fashion choices needs to be utilized contextually throughout
the UI.
Within the context of our shade instance, they may embody choices like the next:
- grey-100 is used as a floor shade.
- grey-200 is used for the background of disabled parts.
- grey-400 is used for the textual content of disabled parts.
- grey-900 is used as a default shade for textual content.
- blue-900 is used as an accent shade.
- white is used for textual content on accent shade backgrounds.
The corresponding determination token file would appear like this:
{
"shade": {
"$kind": "shade",
"choices": {
"floor": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-100}",
"description": "Used as a floor shade."
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-200}",
"description":"Used for the background of disabled parts."
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-400}",
"description": "Used for the textual content of disabled parts."
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-900}",
"description": "Used as default textual content shade."
},
"accent": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.blue-900}",
"description": "Used as an accent shade."
},
"text-on-accent": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.white}",
"description": "Used for textual content on accent shade backgrounds."
}
}
}
}
As a developer, I’d largely have an interest within the choices, not the
choices. For instance, shade tokens usually comprise a protracted checklist of choices (a
shade palette), whereas only a few of these choices are literally utilized in
the appliance. The tokens which are really related when deciding which
kinds to use, can be normally the choice tokens.
Determination tokens use
references to the
choice tokens. I consider organizing tokens this fashion as a layered
structure. In different articles, I’ve typically seen the time period tier being
used, however I believe layer is the higher phrase, as there isn’t a bodily
separation implied. The diagram under visualizes the 2 layers we talked
about thus far:
Determine 5: 2-layer sample
Element tokens: defining the place kinds are utilized
Element tokens (or component-specific tokens) map the determination
tokens to particular components of the UI. They present the place kinds 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 is perhaps
carried out as a UI element in some functions, whereas different
functions simply use the button HTML component as an alternative. Element
tokens could possibly be utilized in each instances.
Element tokens may be organised in a group referencing a number of determination tokens. In our instance, this references
may embody text- and background-colors for various variants of the button (major, secondary) in addition to disabled buttons.
They may additionally embody references to tokens of different sorts (spacing/sizing, borders and many others.) which I will omit within the
following instance:
{
"button": {
"major": {
"background": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.accent}"
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.text-on-accent}"
}
},
"secondary": {
"background": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.floor}"
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.textual content}"
}
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.background-disabled}"
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.text-disabled}"
}
}
}
To a point, element tokens are merely the results of making use of
choices to particular parts. Nevertheless, as this
instance exhibits, this course of isn’t at all times simple—particularly for
builders with out design expertise. Whereas determination tokens can supply a
common sense of which kinds to make use of in a given context, element tokens
present further readability.
Determine 6: 3-layer sample
Be aware: there could also be “snowflake” conditions the place layers are skipped.
For instance, it won’t be doable to outline a common determination for
each single element token, or these choices won’t have been made
but (for instance in the beginning of a venture).
Token scope
I already talked about that whereas choice tokens are very useful to
designers, they won’t be related for utility builders utilizing the
platform-specific code artifacts. Utility builders will usually be
extra within the determination/element tokens.
Though token scope will not be but included within the design token
spec, some design
methods already separate tokens into non-public (additionally referred to as inner) and
public (additionally referred to as international) tokens. For instance, the Salesforce Lightning
Design System launched a flag for every
token. There are
varied the reason 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 choice tokens non-public is that builders would rely
on designers to at all times make these kinds obtainable as determination or element
tokens. This might grow to be 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 venture.
Sadly, there isn’t a standardized answer but for implementing
scope for design tokens. So the method is determined by the tool-chain of the
venture and can most certainly want some customized code.
File-based scope
Utilizing Type Dictionary, we are able to use a
filter to
expose solely public tokens. Essentially the most simple method can be to
filter on the file ending. If we use completely different file endings for element,
determination and choice tokens, we are able to 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 comprise
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 method
If extra flexibility is required, it is perhaps preferable so as to add a scope
flag to every token and to filter primarily based 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
{
"shade": {
"$kind": "shade",
"choices": {
"floor": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-100}",
"description": "Used as a floor shade.",
"public": true
},
"background-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-200}",
"description":"Used for the background of disabled parts.",
"public": true
},
"text-disabled": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-400}",
"description": "Used for the textual content of disabled parts.",
"public": true
},
"textual content": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.grey-900}",
"description": "Used as default textual content shade.",
"public": true
},
"accent": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.blue-900}",
"description": "Used as an accent shade.",
"public": true
},
"text-on-accent": {
"$worth": "{shade.choices.white}",
"description": "Used for textual content on accent shade 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
obtainable as
hiddenFromPublishing
flag through the Plugins API.
Ought to I exploit design tokens?
Design tokens supply important advantages for contemporary UI structure,
however they is probably not the appropriate match for each venture.
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 a point) work together with Git
- Standardization continues to be in progress
Take into account the next when deciding whether or not to undertake design
tokens:
When to make use of design tokens
- Multi-Platform or Multi-Utility Environments: When working throughout
a number of platforms (internet, iOS, Android…) or sustaining a number of functions or
frontends, design tokens guarantee a constant design language throughout all of
them. - Frequent Design Modifications: For environments with common design
updates, design tokens present a structured method to handle and propagate adjustments
effectively. - Massive Groups: For groups with many designers and builders, design
tokens facilitate collaboration. - Automated Workflows: In the event you’re conversant in CI/CD pipelines, the
effort so as to add a design token pipeline is comparatively low. There are additionally
industrial choices.
When design tokens won’t be vital
- 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 subject with design adjustments: If the velocity of design adjustments,
consistency and collaboration between design and engineering usually are not a problem,
then you may additionally not want design tokens.
