A design system helps you build consistent, scalable sites and web pages –– without duplicating work or losing track of styles. It’s your team’s toolkit for keeping everything aligned across pages and elements. It can include:
- Design tokens, such as variables
- Classes and tags
- Components
- Page templates
- Shared Libraries
Key parts of a Webflow design system
Variables
Variables store reusable values like color, font size, spacing, etc.
You can apply variables in your styles to make site-wide updates faster –– if you change the variable once, every instance updates automatically.
Variable modes let you adjust values based on design context (e.g., light vs. dark themes or responsive breakpoints).
Style selectors define reusable styles across your site.
- Classes apply CSS properties (e.g., padding, color) to any element.
- Tags apply default styling to HTML elements (e.g.,
<h1>, <p>), without assigning a class
When used consistently, they make global changes much quicker.
Components
Components are reusable building blocks made from one or more elements. Use components for:
- Navigation menus
- Hero sections
- Cards or buttons
- Forms and footers
You can customize Components using Component properties, and any updates made to a component can be synced across all instances in your site.
Page templates
Page templates are created by team designers and combine components, variables, and styles to create reusable page layouts.
Templates allow non-designers (like marketers) to generate consistent pages without reinventing layouts or breaking the design system.
Shared Libraries
Shared Libraries let you share and install components, variables, layouts and assets across multiple sites in a Workspace.
Example: A design system in action
Let’s say your team manages a company website, blog, and several microsites. A design system can help you:
- Reuse the same navigation and banner components across all sites
- Apply consistent typography using variables like
Heading Large or Paragraph Small - Build new pages quickly from templates
- Share design elements with a Shared Library
Best practices for using a design system
Create a single source of truth
Build a dedicated style guide page or design system site that acts as your Shared Library. This helps your team reference and reuse system elements consistently.
Use clear naming conventions
Choose a consistent naming structure for:
- Classes (
btn-primary, card-content) - Variables (
color-primary, spacing-lg) - Components (
Nav-Topbar, Hero-Default)
This improves team collaboration and future maintenance.