Tokens fail when they describe pixels instead of intent. We group primitives (color, space, type) separately from semantic aliases (surface-elevated, text-muted) so theme changes do not require grep-driven refactors.
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Design
Design tokens that survive handoff
A practical token architecture for teams where Figma, code, and marketing all need to stay in sync without a dedicated ops team.
Published February 4, 2026
By Jordan Ellis
Category Design
Reading time 6 min
Name for meaning, not appearance
accent is better than blue-500 when dark mode, high-contrast themes, and white-label clients enter the picture. Semantic names document the role each value plays in the interface.
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