Managing Styles and Tokens in Figma

Key Concepts

• Styles
• Tokens
• Design Tokens
• Global Styles

Styles

Styles in Figma refer to predefined sets of formatting properties that can be applied to text, colors, and effects. By creating and managing styles, you ensure consistency across your design. Styles can be reused throughout your project, and any changes made to a style will automatically update all instances where that style is applied.

Example: Imagine you are designing a mobile app with multiple screens. By creating a Text Style for headings, you can ensure that all headings across the app have the same font, size, and color. If you decide to change the heading color, you only need to update the Text Style, and all headings will reflect the change.

Tokens

Tokens in Figma are named values that represent design decisions, such as colors, spacing, and typography. Tokens help in maintaining a consistent design language by providing a single source of truth for design properties. They can be used to define and manage design elements across different platforms and tools.

Example: Consider a design system where you need to define a primary color. By creating a color token for the primary color, you can ensure that this color is used consistently across all design elements. If you need to change the primary color, you only need to update the token, and all elements using that token will reflect the change.

Design Tokens

Design Tokens are a specific type of token that encapsulate design decisions into reusable values. These tokens can be shared across different design tools and platforms, ensuring consistency and efficiency. Design Tokens are particularly useful for teams working on multiple projects or platforms, as they provide a unified approach to design.

Example: Imagine a team designing both a web and mobile app. By using Design Tokens for spacing, you can ensure that the spacing between elements is consistent across both platforms. If the team decides to change the spacing, they only need to update the token, and both the web and mobile apps will reflect the change.

Global Styles

Global Styles in Figma are styles that are available across all files and projects within a team or organization. These styles provide a centralized way to manage and apply consistent design elements. Global Styles are particularly useful for large teams working on multiple projects, as they ensure that all designs adhere to the same standards.

Example: Consider a company with multiple design teams working on different products. By creating Global Styles for typography and colors, the company can ensure that all products have a consistent look and feel. If the company decides to update its brand colors, they only need to update the Global Styles, and all products will reflect the change.