A design system is more than a component library. It's a shared language that enables teams to build consistent, high-quality products at scale. Here's how to build one that actually gets used.
§Start with Design Tokens
Design tokens are the atomic building blocks of your system. Colors, spacing, typography, shadows—these foundational elements should be defined first and used everywhere. They're the source of truth that keeps your design and code in sync.
§Component Architecture
Build components in layers: primitives (buttons, inputs), composites (form fields, cards), and patterns (navigation, data tables). Each layer builds on the last, creating a hierarchy that's easy to understand and maintain.