Design Tokens and Version Control

1. Introduction

Design tokens are a powerful tool for creating consistent design systems across different platforms. They are essentially a set of variables that store design-related information like colors, typography, spacing, etc. Version control is crucial in managing these tokens, ensuring that changes are tracked, and maintaining a history of design decisions.

2. Key Concepts

3. Version Control for Design Tokens

Using version control with design tokens involves:

1. Creating a repository for design tokens.
2. Using branches to manage different versions or features.
3. Committing changes with descriptive messages.
4. Using pull requests to review changes before merging.

4. Workflow for Design Tokens

Here is a typical workflow for managing design tokens with version control:

graph TD;
    A[Start] --> B[Create a Design Token];
    B --> C{Is it a new token?};
    C -- Yes --> D[Add to Repository];
    C -- No --> E[Update Existing Token];
    D --> F[Commit Changes];
    E --> F;
    F --> G[Create Pull Request];
    G --> H[Review Changes];
    H --> I[Merge Changes];
    I --> J[End];
        

5. Best Practices

• Keep tokens organized by category (colors, typography, etc.).
• Use descriptive names for tokens to enhance clarity.
• Regularly review and refactor tokens to eliminate redundancy.
• Utilize semantic versioning for tracking changes (e.g., MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH).

6. FAQ