Introduction
Sections marked as "Note" or "Example" are non-normative. Everything else is normative.
This chapter summarises the DTIF scope and guides readers through the remaining chapters.
Abstract
The Design Token Interchange Format (DTIF) defines a JSON-based carrier for design tokens. It enables tools to exchange design decisions such as colour, typography, and spacing in a consistent and extensible manner.
Scope
DTIF is a vendor-neutral interchange format. It does not define authoring interfaces, storage mechanisms, or platform-specific representations.
Specification structure
This chapter organises the normative content into the following sections:
- Terminology - Definitions for key terms such as token document, collection, and namespace.
- Architecture and model - Token document structure, collections, encoding, and versioning guarantees.
- Format and serialisation - Reserved members and aliasing behaviour.
- Token types - Value semantics for registered primitives and composites.
- Typography - Composition rules, font metrics, and related colour guidance.
- Theming and overrides - Layering model and conditional overrides for token documents.
- Metadata - Accessibility, semantic intent, and lifecycle metadata carried by tokens.
- Extensibility - Extension model and namespace registration expectations.
- Conformance - Requirements for producers, consumers, and validators, including error handling expectations.
- Security, privacy, and related considerations - Accessibility, internationalisation, security, privacy, and performance requirements.
- Normative references - Authoritative specifications referenced throughout the document.
- Change management - Compatibility guidance for evolving token sets.
Additional supporting materials include the registry and the governance section.