Introduction to Design Systems
A design system is an essential toolkit for creating cohesive and efficient user interfaces. It encompasses a collection of reusable components, principles, constraints, and best practices. The goal is not to limit creativity but to streamline design and development processes. A design system typically includes a component library, which provides developers with reusable parts for constructing interfaces.
In addition to components, a design system offers guidelines on using color, typography, and iconography. It acts as a comprehensive resource for designers, developers, and testers, ensuring consistency and efficiency across platforms. By establishing clear protocols, a design system simplifies the creation of user-friendly applications.
The Evolution of Our Design System
Our journey began with the realization that we were repeatedly creating the same components and addressing similar design questions. This prompted research into design systems and led to the development of our initial prototype. Over the years, we have iterated and expanded our design system significantly.
Starting from basic guidelines on color and typography, we have grown to support over 70 components and collaborate with more than 50 developers. Our system now spans multiple platforms, including web and mobile through React and React Native.
Understanding User Needs
Recognizing the diverse user base of our design system was crucial. We identified three primary user types: designers, developers, and testers. This understanding allowed us to create tailored documentation for each group.
For designers, we offer tools and resources to facilitate quick and efficient design creation. Developers receive guidance on setting up environments and using components effectively. Testers are provided with detailed instructions on testing applications built with our design system.
Project Architecture and Monorepo
Initially, our design system focused solely on web components. However, as the system evolved, we faced the challenge of incorporating mobile, desktop, and utility components. A significant decision was to transition our codebase to a monorepo, allowing seamless integration of various elements.
Starting with a monorepo from the outset is advisable, as migrating later can be complex. A monorepo offers the flexibility to grow alongside the design system's needs, facilitating code sharing and reducing redundancy.
Ensuring Code Quality and Consistency
Maintaining code quality and consistency is vital in a design system. We achieved over 80% code coverage through extensive unit testing. However, to further prevent bugs, we expanded our scope to include example applications within the monorepo.
These example apps demonstrate component usage and help identify regressions or defects. Automation testing tools like Cypress are integrated into our CI/CD pipeline, automatically checking for issues and preventing flawed builds from proceeding.
Streamlining Component Management
As a design system grows, managing files can become overwhelming. We opted to co-locate code, tests, documentation, and styles within component directories. This approach simplifies navigation and improves collaboration.
For instance, each component directory includes end-to-end tests, unit tests, documentation, styles, and the component file. Markdown is used for documentation, making it accessible to non-technical team members.
Establishing a Unified Code Style
Uniform code style across a design system is crucial for maintainability. We enforce a singular code style using a linter, which runs as a pre-commit hook and as part of the CI/CD pipeline.
This ensures that code adheres to established styles, reducing discrepancies and enhancing the learning curve for new developers joining the project.
Comprehensive Documentation
Documentation is a cornerstone of any design system. We evaluated several frameworks and chose Next.js for its flexibility in creating a custom documentation site. Our documentation pages, built with Markdown, offer detailed insights into each component.
For example, a Button component page includes component details, a mobile counterpart toggle, interactive previews, usage examples, and a dynamically generated props table. Libraries like react.gen typescript automate prop parsing, ensuring documentation accuracy and ease of maintenance.
Conclusion
Scaling and maintaining a design system involves understanding user needs, establishing a robust project architecture, ensuring code quality, streamlining component management, enforcing a unified code style, and creating comprehensive documentation. These elements collectively enhance the usability and efficiency of the design system, benefiting developers, designers, and testers alike.
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