> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://atomico.gitbook.io/doc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://atomico.gitbook.io/doc/packages/deprecated/atomico-design-tokens.md).

# @atomico/design-tokens

{% embed url="<https://github.com/atomicojs/design-tokens>" %}

With `@atomico/design-tokens` you can:

1. [Resolve scalability and maintenance issues with your design tokens.](#resolve-scalability-and-maintenance-issues-with-your-design-tokens.)
2. [Create utility classes from design tokens.](#create-utility-classes-to-be-used-internally-by-your-component-system.)

### Resolve scalability and maintenance issues with your design tokens.

Design systems are complex to develop, due to the number of configurations that are shared between all our components, with `@atomico/design-tokens` we will solve:

1. Naming problems of the custom properties of your design tokens.
2. Legibility of your CSS.

#### How does @atomico/design-tokens solve the scalability of your design tokens?

For this example we will use Atomico, by the way you can use `@atomico/design-tokens` with any library.

```javascript
import { css } from "atomico";
import { compose, tokens } from "@atomico/design-tokens";

const designTokens = compose(
  tokens(
    {
      size: {
        xl: "40px",
        l: "32px",
        m: "28px",
        s: "20px",
      },
    },
    "ds"
  )
);

export const tokens = designTokens(css``);
```

The result of the CSS will be the following:

```css
:host {
  --size-xl: var(--ds--size-xl, 40px);
  --size-l: var(--ds--size-l, 32px);
  --size-m: var(--ds--size-m, 28px);
  --size-s: var(--ds--size-s, 20px);
}
```

This is a technique that I have created to improve the scalability of design tokens, with it you can:

1. edit token globally using custom properties:

```css
:root {
  --my-ds-size-xl: 50px;
}
```

> This is also applicable within a selector.

1. Simplify maintenance, since your components will use the custom properties without a prefix:

```jsx
import { c, css } from "atomico";
import tokens from "./tokens";
function button() {
  return (
    <host shadowDom>
      <slot />
    </host>
  );
}

button.styles = [
  tokens,
  css`
    :host {
      height: var(--size-xl);
      background: var(--color-primary-60);
      padding: var(--size-xxs) var(--size-xs);
    }
  `,
];
```

### Create utility classes to be used internally by your component system.

I am personally a fan of custom properties, but their use would become repetitive, to avoid this and improve maintenance @atomico/design-tokens introduces `classes`, a generator of utility classes based on the proposed design tokens, example:

```javascript
import { css } from "atomico";
import { compose, tokens, classes } from "@atomico/design-tokens";

const designTokens = compose(
  classes({
    size: {
      xl: "40px",
      l: "32px",
      m: "28px",
      s: "20px",
    },
  })
);

export const tokensSize = designTokens(
  css`
    .gap.--size {
      gap: var(--size);
    }
  `
);
```

The `classes` middleware will parse the CSSStyleSheet to relate the custom propeprtiy `--size` as a class of `.gap`, internally the `css` will be as follows:

```css
.gap\.xl {
  gap: var(--size-xl);
}

.gap\.l {
  gap: var(--size-l);
}

.gap\.m {
  gap: var(--size-m);
}

.gap\.s {
  gap: var(--size-s);
}
```

This makes it really simple to reuse the tokens, example:

```jsx
import { c } from "atomico";
import { tokensSize } from "./tokens";

function button() {
  return (
    <host shadowDom>
      <button class="gap.xl">
        <slot />
      </button>
    </host>
  );
}

button.styles = tokensSize;

customElements.define("my-button", c(button));
```

{% content-ref url="/pages/9Z6KHe1D6EWSK1kxrffa" %}
[@atomico/design-tokens api](/doc/packages/deprecated/atomico-design-tokens/atomico-design-tokens-api.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://atomico.gitbook.io/doc/packages/deprecated/atomico-design-tokens.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
