Component Spec vs Design Token

Component Spec

By JR Brugger (Design Workflow)

Write complete design system specs covering variants, states, accessibility, and usage.

Design Token

By JR Brugger (Design Workflow)

Build a consistent design system with organized colors, spacing, fonts, and themes.

Component Spec

• Generates structured component specifications with anatomy breakdowns, variants, and props
• Documents all component states (hover, focus, disabled, loading, error) with clear descriptions
• Includes accessibility requirements like ARIA roles, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support
• Provides usage guidelines with do/don't examples and content rules
• Covers behavior details like interactions, animations, and responsive breakpoints

Design Token

• Creates organized color palettes with global, semantic, and component-level tokens
• Defines spacing scales, typography hierarchies, and shadow systems
• Establishes naming conventions for design elements across your product
• Generates documentation for how and when to use each design token
• Supports theming and multi-brand design systems

Reach for Component Spec when…

• You're building a design system and need to document components thoroughly
• Your team needs shared specs so designers and developers stay aligned
• You're onboarding someone and want clear component documentation to reference
• You need to ensure accessibility is baked into every component from the start

Reach for Design Token when…

• You're building a new brand or design system from scratch
• You need consistent spacing, colors, and fonts across your product
• You're handing designs off to developers and want clear specs
• You're managing multiple themes or white-label products