Design Systems in Figma

Key Concepts

• Color Palettes
• Typography
• Spacing
• Components

Color Palettes

Color palettes in Figma are collections of colors used consistently across your design. These palettes ensure visual consistency and help maintain a cohesive look and feel. You can create color styles that can be applied to any element in your design, making it easy to update colors globally.

Example: A website might use a primary color for buttons, a secondary color for text, and a neutral color for backgrounds. By defining these colors in a palette, you ensure that all buttons, text, and backgrounds use the same colors throughout the design.

Typography

Typography in Figma refers to the consistent use of fonts, font sizes, and text styles. By creating text styles, you can apply consistent typography across your design, ensuring readability and visual harmony. Text styles can include headings, body text, and other text elements.

Example: A design system might define a heading style with a specific font, size, and weight, and a body text style with another font and size. By applying these styles, you ensure that all headings and body text are consistent and easy to read.

Spacing

Spacing in Figma involves the consistent use of margins, padding, and gaps between elements. By defining spacing rules, you create a balanced and visually appealing layout. Spacing tokens can be used to apply consistent spacing across your design, making it easier to maintain and update.

Example: A design system might define standard spacing values for margins and padding, such as 8px, 16px, and 24px. By using these spacing tokens, you ensure that all elements in your design have consistent spacing, creating a harmonious layout.

Components

Components in Figma are reusable elements that maintain consistency across your design. By creating components, you can ensure that elements like buttons, cards, and navigation bars look and behave the same way throughout your design. Components can be updated globally, making it easy to maintain consistency.

Example: A button component might include different states (e.g., default, hover, active) and variations (e.g., primary, secondary). By using this component, you ensure that all buttons in your design look and behave consistently, making it easier to update and maintain.