Feb 28, 2026
Design tokens that survive the handoff to engineering
Shared naming, spacing, and color primitives reduce drift between Figma and production as products iterate.
Tokens work when both sides treat them as the source of truth—not a one-time export. Define semantic names (for example, surface-elevated, text-muted) instead of only raw hex values tied to a single screen.
Automate sync where possible so designers see the same scales developers compile from. When a token changes, regression checks on key screens catch unintended visual drift early.
Reserve raw values for rare exceptions and document why they exist. Most UI should compose from tokens so accessibility and theming stay consistent as the product evolves.