Design Tokens Variable
Design tokens are semantic, named variables for design decisions (primary-color, spacing-sm, font-display). Instead of hardcoding 'blue: #0066FF' everywhere, teams define it once as a token, reference it across products. Tokens live in Figma, exported to code as CSS/JSON. When primary color changes, you update 1 token = changes everywhere (10+ products, 100+ files). Mastery takes 4-6 weeks. Premium: 5-10% because token systems save 20-30% design/dev time (no manual color hunting, consistency automatic).
What is Design Tokens Variable
Design tokens are named, semantic variables representing design decisions. Instead of hardcoding colors/spacing/fonts, you define them once as tokens. Colors: primary-color, secondary-color, danger-color. Spacing: spacing-xs, spacing-sm, spacing-md. Typography: font-display, font-body, font-caption. Tokens live in Figma or a dedicated tokens system (Tokens Studio). Designers use them when designing. Teams export tokens to code (CSS variables, JSON, or language-specific formats). When primary-color changes from blue to purple, you update 1 token = all products update.
📋 Before you start
💰 Salary by region
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $75k | $130k | $190k |
| UK | $48k | $82k | $120k |
| EU | $52k | $90k | $135k |
| CANADA | $78k | $135k | $200k |
🎓 Certifications
⚖ Compare with
❓ FAQ
What's the difference between design tokens and CSS variables?
Should tokens be stored in Figma or code?
How many tokens do I need?
Can I use tokens for motion/animation?
How do I version tokens?
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