How to create design tokens for colors, spacing, and typography

Design & Visuals

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This task builds a scalable token system for colors, spacing, and typography. It focuses on practical steps to name and structure tokens for reuse.
Goal: Establish a semantic color/spacing/typography token system that scales.
Approach: Define tokens, map usage to design and code, and document rules for teams.

Who is this for?

- Designers seeking a scalable visual language.
- Front-end developers implementing tokens in UI code.
- Design leads consolidating the system across teams.
- Product teams aligning visual language across features.

Before you start

- Access to a design system or design tool.
- Basic understanding of design tokens and naming conventions.
- Agreement on naming and token scope.

General Process (How it works)

Plan token scope Define which design aspects (colors, spacing, typography) will be tokenized and how they map to platforms. This clarifies scope and avoids scope creep.
Define semantic naming Create names that reflect meaning and usage, not appearance. This makes tokens durable when visuals evolve.
Create color tokens Outline a color palette as tokens and reference them in UI components to ensure consistency.
Create spacing scale Define a spacing system (units, scale, and tokens) and apply it across layouts for rhythm and balance.
Create typography scale Set font sizes, weights, and line heights as tokens to support readable, scalable typography.
Document and map to code Provide a living spec that links tokens to design files and CSS/JS usage for developers.
Review and iterate Regularly review usage, collect feedback, and refine tokens to fit evolving needs.

Jump to tool:

Canva

🏆 Recommended for this task

🏆 Recommended

Canva

Best for: Designers, marketers, and teams who need an integrated platform for creating visuals, videos, and brand assets.

Free Plan Available$120 / year

How to in Canva

Create Tokens Spreadsheet: Open a new spreadsheet and create columns for token_name, token_type, value, and description to house color, spacing, and typography tokens.
Define Color Tokens: Add tokens for primary, secondary, and neutral colors with exact hex values and a brief usage note.
Define Spacing Tokens: Add tokens for margins, padding, and grid steps using pixel values (e.g., 4px, 8px, 16px).
Define Typography Tokens: Add tokens for font families, weights, sizes, and line heights for headings, body text, captions, and UI labels.
Name and Document Tokens: Use a consistent naming convention (color-*, space-*, font-*) and add notes for each token’s intended use.
Prepare Canva Template: Create or select a Canva template that will consume the token data; ensure placeholders exist for text and color fields.
Enable Brand Kit: Add color tokens to Canva Brand Colors and fonts to Canva Brand Fonts to ensure tokens map to exact assets.
Bulk Create Setup: In Canva, open Apps > Bulk Create and prepare to upload a CSV containing your tokens.
Upload CSV and Connect Data: Export tokens as CSV, upload in Canva Bulk Create, and map each token column to the corresponding placeholder in your template using Connect Data.
Generate and Review: Click Generate Pages to create multiple designs; review each variant and adjust colors, typography, and spacing as needed for readability and consistency.
Export and Document: Download the final designs; update the design tokens documentation and share with your team for consistency across assets.

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Quick Comparison

Tool	Free Plan?	Min Price
Canva	Yes	$120 / year

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