A CSS design system starts with three foundations: a color palette, a typography scale, and a spacing scale — all defined as CSS custom properties. Colors: define a primary, secondary, and neutral palette with light/dark variants. Use HSL for easy manipulation. Typography: choose 2-3 fonts (display, body, mono) with a modular scale (1.25 ratio). Spacing: use a base unit (4px or 8px) and multiply for consistent rhythm. Define these in :root as --color-primary, --font-body, --space-4, etc. Then build components (buttons, cards, inputs) that reference only these variables. The result: changing one variable updates every component consistently.
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Build a CSS Design System
Step-by-step guide to creating a CSS design system with custom properties, typography, colors, and spacing scales.
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