Design tokens are an integral part of any design system because they make the transformation of a design into a product easier both for designers and developers.
In the context of Unite UX, design tokens are named collections of properties that store specific values for the visual design. They are similar to the styles in Figma.
A design token can store any of the following elements:
A single value—for example, the $primary design token can store the #FF6358 value.
A collection of indivisible values—for example, the $Header 1 design token can store the values for multiple properties that define specific typography.
| Property | Value |
|---|
| font-family | Roboto |
| font-style | normal |
| font-weight | 300 |
| font-size | 28px |
| line-height | 37px |
You can use design tokens to represent anything in the visual design such as colors, typography, effects, and more. They allow you to scale changes—you can change the value of the $primary design token from #FF6358 to #28B4C8, and all components that have the $primary color will change. If you use local values instead of design tokens, such changes are extremely time-consuming.
Unite UX relies heavily on design tokens. The Unite UX Plugin for Figma extracts the design tokens from the design and imports them in the Unite UX project. This allows developers to directly use the design tokens to style the UI components.
Design tokens provide the advantage that Unite UX can update them whenever the designer implements a design change. All the designer needs to do is to re-export the updated frames to the Unite UX project. The developer doesn't need to configure the colors again if the designer changes the value of the $primary design token, for example. Unite UX will do this automatically because it detects the change in the $primary design token.
Related Articles
FAQs
Design tokens are an integral part of any design system because they make the transformation of a design into a product easier both for designers and developers. In the context of Unite UX, design tokens are named collections of properties that store specific values for the visual design.
Are design tokens worth it? ›
Tokens are most helpful and efficient in these situations:
Your design system is applied across more than one product or platform. You want to easily maintain or update styles in the future. You want to get the most out of Material Design, including features like dynamic color.
What are the 5 stages of the UX design process? ›
UX design teams use a five phase process: Empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. In the empathize phase, teams explore the problem they're trying to solve with the product.
What is the difference between design token and design system? ›
Design tokens are central, tiny pieces of UI information that store design related information such as colours, typography, spacing, and more. They are the foundation of a design system; the building blocks that define the visual characteristics and properties of a design.
What are the value of design tokens? ›
Each design token has a unique name and its corresponding value. This name/value pairing is similar to a dictionary data structure found in engineering, where a key is associated with a value, and the key/value pair can be used to store and retrieve data.
What is the design token in Figma? ›
Design tokens are small pieces of data that define the design elements of a user interface, such as colors, typography, and spacing.
What can I use instead of design tokens? ›
The best alternatives to Figma Design Tokens are Figma, Specify, and Airtable To Figma.
What are the best practices for design tokens? ›
Be descriptive: Use names that are specific and informative, reflecting the token's purpose and value. Avoid using generic phrases such as “color1” or “spacing2.” Make use of context: Include context about the token's usage, such as the component to which it applies or its role in the design system.
What is the difference between design tokens and classes? ›
In contrast, design tokens are a set of standardized visual style definitions that can be applied to various platforms, including web, mobile, and even print. Unlike CSS classes, design tokens abstract the visual styles from the specific technology or platform, making them more flexible and reusable.
What are the 4 golden rules of UX design? ›
The UI design principals are: Place users in control of the interface Make it comfortable to interact with a product Reduce cognitive load Make user interfaces consistent 1.
The 4Cs of UX design – Consistency, Continuity, Context and Complementary – are important guides in creating the optimal experience of using a product or service.
What are the 4 pillars of UX design? ›
In UX, we can determine the quality of a design based on four main characteristics. It should be usable, equitable, enjoyable ,useful.
How do developers use design tokens? ›
The designer makes a style update in a design tool. A design tokens generator automatically updates a centralized repository by generating platform-specific files (CSS, JSON or YAML). Engineers fetch the updated repository, incorporate any new tokens, and automatically update the project styles.
Are design tokens CSS variables? ›
Design tokens are a method of abstracting and organizing the design elements of a system into usable and uniform values. By utilizing CSS variables, these tokens promote a more modular and manageable approach to styling for web development.
Where are design tokens stored? ›
Typically stored in JSON files due to their flexibility, these tokens can be transformed and integrated across various platforms through a multitude of existing transformation packages. With a robust foundation of reusable tokens encapsulated in JSON files, the entire design system is constructed.
How do I break into UX with no experience? ›
How to Get a UX Job with No Professional UX Experience
- Take at least one UX course. There's a ton of UX courses to explore. ...
- Shape your existing experience. Most UXBs come into this field thinking they have absolutely no UX experience. ...
- Fill in the Gaps. ...
- Gain UX experience. ...
- Finish your UX Portfolio and Apply.
You can absolutely learn UX design by yourself. There are tons of resources out there that can help you get started, and if you're willing to put in the time and effort, you'll be able to learn all about UX design in no time.
What are design tokens in XD? ›
Design tokens are certain values such as typography, color, opacity, etc., attributed to elements within a design system.
What is the difference between design token and variable? ›
Design tokens are a collection of predefined values for elements like colors, typography, and spacing. They're stored in a platform-agnostic format, but can be transformed using platform-specific tools such as Variables in Figma. Crucially, design tokens should be shared across your design and development teams.
What is an example of a token? ›
a memento; souvenir; keepsake: The seashell was a token of their trip. something used to indicate authenticity, authority, etc.; emblem; badge: Judicial robes are a token of office.
