The Role of Style Tokens in Modern Design Systems: Ensuring Consistency and Flexibility

Abstract

In an era of rapid digital proliferation, design systems have emerged as critical infrastructures for organizations looking for both consistent brand identity and flexible adaptability. The backbone of modern design systems lies in style tokens (also referred to as design tokens)—named entities that store core design attributes and can be transformed for use across multiple platforms. Based on principles such as Atomic Design [12] and extended by thought leaders like Nathan Curtis [9], style tokens bridge the gap between designers and developers, fostering maintainable and scalable solutions. This paper explores the evolution of design tokens, outlines best practices for their creation, compares token structures across leading companies, and emphasizes the balance between consistency and flexibility critical to contemporary design systems.