6 design tokens tools to manage the connection between design and code better

Design tokens are the future of design and development. Here are some tools to help you connect your design with code better

The use of design tokens has increased significantly in the last few years because it is the easiest method of connecting design with code. Although the need for design tokens is evident, adaption is not always easy for many design teams.

Adaptation can be complex for a lot of reasons. These include the knowledge that the designers don’t have, the knowledge that the developers don’t have, business limitations, the cost of implementation, and more.

Additionally, the design tools are not 100% suitable for the job. Instead, they serve as tools to help designers explain and sketch their ideas but do not connect the design with the code.

Currently, many developers look at the Figma inspection tab before creating products. However, most choices, such as colors and typography, must be hardcoded in the code, so developers only need to copy the choices.

In contrast, there are lots of tools that have come out in the last few years that solve a lot of the problems. Their job is to connect the design from the design tools to the code.

Last month, I studied this topic to align my knowledge with this new standard. Here, I share some tools that can help connect design and code better.

In the article, I’ll share knowledge about design token tools and not explain what design tokens are. It’s because design tokens are such a big topic that a separate article is needed. At the end of this article, I share some links where you can learn more about the basics of design tokens.

There’s one thing I want to point out, design tokens are here to stay, so I recommend you study the topic well since they’ll be standard knowledge soon (and you don’t want to be left behind).

Why do we need to connect the design and the code?

Design tokens are a great way to connect the design and code of an application. By using design tokens, designers can make design…