Design system

A design system packages tokens, primitives, components, documentation, release policy, and accessibility guarantees for consuming product teams. It is operated like a platform: versioning, migration guides, contribution workflow, and measurable adoption—not a static Figma handoff.

On interviews: explain token layers, component API stability, and how breaking visual changes roll out. Discuss relationship with product-specific compositions.

Common pitfalls: design system blocking teams without migration path; components too opinionated for real products; missing dark mode and focus states until late.

The trade-off is flexibility versus complexity—know when the simpler path is enough.

Checklist:

• Semantic tokens separate brand from component styles.
• Semver and changelog for package releases.
• Contribution guidelines and review for new primitives.
• Accessibility checks in CI for core components.