Learn everything about design tokens

Chapter index

1. 1.1 What is a design token
2. 1.2 Tokens, variables, and styles
3. 1.3 Anatomy of a token
4. 1.4 Why tokens exist
5. 1.5 Benefits for a design system

What you'll learn

You'll get a clear mental model of what a token is, why it exists, and how it differs from a style or a variable. By the end you can explain tokens to your team and recognize them in any file or tool.

Chapter index

1. 2.1 Category
2. 2.2 Property
3. 2.3 Concept and purpose
4. 2.4 Scale and variant
5. 2.5 Choosing only what you need

What you'll learn

You'll learn the building blocks of a token name and how to pick only the parts that carry meaning—so names stay short, predictable, and useful.

Chapter index

1. 3.1 Token tiers and layers
2. 3.2 Primitive, semantic, and component tokens
3. 3.3 References and aliases
4. 3.4 Organizing token files
5. 3.5 Scaling the architecture

What you'll learn

You'll learn how to layer tokens so a change in one place updates products without breaking them. You'll know when to use primitives, aliases, and component tokens.

Chapter index

1. 4.1 Why taxonomy matters
2. 4.2 Building a shared vocabulary
3. 4.3 Naming patterns that scale
4. 4.4 Working with your team
5. 4.5 Evolving the convention

What you'll learn

You'll learn how to build a shared taxonomy and a naming convention your team can actually follow—including how to align designers, engineers, and stakeholders.

Chapter index

1. 5.1 Single vs compound tokens
2. 5.2 Typography tokens
3. 5.3 Shadow and effect tokens
4. 5.4 When to use a compound token
5. 5.5 Platform considerations

What you'll learn

You'll learn what compound tokens are, when a single token is not enough, and how grouped values like typography or shadow stay consistent across platforms.

Chapter index

1. 6.1 Theme vs color mode
2. 6.2 Light and dark
3. 6.3 Multi-brand theming
4. 6.4 Organizing theme files
5. 6.5 Implementation strategies

What you'll learn

You'll learn how to structure themes and color modes so light, dark, and multi-brand setups stay maintainable instead of exploding into duplicate files.

Chapter index

1. 7.1 Creating a token
2. 7.2 Storage and source of truth
3. 7.3 Transformation and delivery
4. 7.4 Consumption across tools
5. 7.5 Change and deprecation

What you'll learn

You'll follow a token from creation to production: where it lives, how it is transformed, how tools consume it, and how to retire it without breaking the system.

Chapter index

1. 8.1 What to document
2. 8.2 Where documentation lives
3. 8.3 Usage guidelines
4. 8.4 Tracking changes
5. 8.5 Helping teams adopt tokens

What you'll learn

You'll learn what to document, where it should live, and how to keep docs in sync so the team can find, use, and update tokens with confidence.