Design Tokens in Figma: The Secret to Scalable UI Systems

Structure your design system for scale, themes, and dev handoff with powerful variables

Introduction

Inconsistent colors, mismatched spacings, hard-coded values… Sound familiar? That’s what happens when your design system lacks structure.

Enter: Design tokens — the building blocks that bring order to your chaos.

In this article, we’ll show you how to use design tokens in Figma to create scalable, flexible UI systems that grow with your product and stay developer-friendly from day one.

What Are Design Tokens?

Design tokens are the named values you use for colors, spacing, typography, shadows, and more. They turn hard-coded styles into reusable, semantic variables.

Examples:

--color-brand-primary → #007AFF  

--font-size-body → 16px  

--spacing-md → 16px

In Figma, tokens are created using Variables, grouped into collections like “Color / Light” or “Spacing / Global”.

Think of tokens as the design equivalent of CSS variables.

Why Use Design Tokens?

Consistency

Tokens ensure the same value is reused across components, avoiding small visual mismatches.

Theming

Switching from light to dark mode? Just swap the token values—your whole UI updates instantly.

Dev Handoff

Tokens mirror the way developers work. They reduce friction when translating Figma into code.

Maintainability

Update a single token (like --color-bg) and it reflects everywhere—no manual changes needed.

How to Use Design Tokens in Figma (Step-by-Step)

1. Create Token Collections in Variables Panel

Start with these collections:

• Color / Light
• Color / Dark
• Typography
• Spacing
• Radii
• Shadows

Group tokens with consistent naming like:

--color-bg  

--color-text-primary  

--spacing-sm  

--radius-lg

Keep naming semantic—not descriptive. Don’t use --gray-700, use --color-surface.

2. Link Tokens to Components

When designing:

• Use token variables instead of raw HEX codes or pixel values
• Link fills, strokes, text styles, spacing, and corner radius to tokens
• Avoid local overrides or style duplication

Treat your components as “token-driven” instead of “style-driven.”

3. Apply Modes for Theming

Use light/dark mode toggles in Variable collections:

• Keep the token name the same (--color-surface)
• Change only the value per mode

This allows your system to:

• Switch themes without rebuilding components
• Maintain structure across all themes

4. Use Semantic + Primitive Layers

Split tokens into two layers:

• Primitives (raw values): --gray-100, --blue-500
• Semantics (usage-based): --color-bg, --color-alert

This separation allows flexibility in future branding or re-theming.

5. Test Changes Using a Token Switch Frame

Set up a demo frame with key components

→ Apply Light Mode

→ Toggle to Dark Mode

→ See instant changes across all layers

Helps QA your theme structure and catch missing token links.

Developer Handoff Tips

• Export a token map as JSON or reference via documentation
• Use platforms like Style Dictionary, Tokens Studio, or Dev Mode in Figma for syncing
• Keep naming logic similar to CSS/JS variables (colorPrimary, spacingMd)

This bridges the gap between design and code like never before.

Why Voit Uses Tokens Everywhere

Voit is a scalable Figma design system that puts tokens first.

• 550+ design tokens for light/dark modes
• All components are linked to variables (colors, radius, spacing, typography)
• Theme-ready, brand-friendly, and dev-handoff optimized
• No hard-coded styles—everything is semantic and flexible

Want a token-ready UI system?

→ Explore Voit

Final Thoughts

Design tokens are the foundation of modern design systems. Whether you’re building a UI kit for a side project or scaling a SaaS product across platforms, tokens give you:

• Clarity
• Flexibility
• Speed
• Consistency

If your design system still uses hard-coded styles, now’s the time to upgrade—your future self (and your dev team) will thank you.

‍